Allow me to introduce you to our puppy, Penny Lane.
She is, objectively, the cutest creature ever created. Her little face is just a slice of heaven. Her fur is velvety smooth (thank you Taste of the Wild!!) and her breath the perfect puppy-scent. She trots along with her head held high as if to say, "Hello world! I am, in fact, the picture of cute! A perfect gem to be admired! Adore me!"
Ah yes. It's this cuteness that gets us into trouble sometimes. You see, of course she's cute and all, but don't let that fool you. She's a handful and a half. She expects a lot from us, her dear parents, and she has us well trained. Sure, she has learned to sit and stay, but now she's cleverly parlayed that into the fine art of simply sitting and laying down without being asked. This, of course, is so cute and irresistible that we have no choice but to throw her a yummy bit of hot dog or cheese. Penny is not only cute, she's apparently a genius.
Don't get me wrong! She's a blast. Her energy is infectious and her personality is so endearing. And not only brought a ton of joy and laughs into our lives, but she has also turned out to be quite the teacher. To my chagrin, I have learned quite a bit from this little chocolate lab. Here I thought that I was going to be the one to impart knowledge and skills and love to my dog, but oh no no no. It has often ended up being quite the opposite. Here, friends, is an ever-growing list of things my puppy has taught me:
1. It's always better to be totally tired at the end of the day. That way, the second you find your comfy bed, you IMMEDIATELY fall asleep. (Bye-bye Ambien!)
2. It pays to eat good food. Watch as your skin improves, your hair becomes full and sleek, and your energy level sky-rockets.
3. Exercise, exercise, exercise. It helps make #1 on our list happen.
4. It's ALWAYS acceptable to jump around joyfully for no reason whatsoever. You'd be surprised how many people you can make smile that way.
5. Be silly.
6. Be outside as much as possible. Run and play out there. Get in the mud, the grass, the leaves and dirt. Get dirty.
7. Grow.
8. Never say no to an opportunity to snuggle or have our back (or belly, or right behind the ear) scratched. It feels AMAZING :-)
9. It's ok to cry sometimes.
10. Most things are better with cheese on them.
11. I think you'll find that you can say, "I love you" with your eyes. No words necessary.
So, there you have it. These are just a few of the things I've learned from my 3 month old puppy. Although my life is very different with her in it - it's far less spontaneous and free - it is, indeed, richer and more alive with meaning. I find the TV off a lot more, my shoes dirty by the back door, and my head hitting the pillow accompanied by a strong sense of accomplishment... and exhaustion.
Stay tuned for more life lessons from our sage puppy, Penny Lane.
