National Puppy Day - The Power Of Puppy Love

National Puppy Day is the time to celebrate the magic and unconditional love that puppies bring into our lives.  This special day was founded in 2006 by home lifestyle expert and author, Colleen Paige, and it is celebrated each year on the 23rd of March.  It's a day to help save orphan puppies around the globe and educate the public on the value of adoption.  Puppies share so much with us...why wouldn't we want to share our hearts and homes with them too!     

 

Precious puppies bring us so much joy, not only when things are going well, but also when we are feeling pain.  They are our faithful companions through thick and thin.  We look to our pups when we are ready to laugh and play, but they also somehow instinctively know when we need their support.  We all have struggles and challenges in our lives, and it’s during these times that our puppies can really help us find joy once again.  If we take the time to watch our dogs go through their days, we would probably  realize the lessons are right there in front of us if we care enough to pay attention.  Here are some of the ways we can be the kind of people our dogs want us to be as well as who we want to be.  Whatever life brings us, joy is still there...we just need to reach out and grab it.

 

1.  Connect With Others:  Our relationships with others nurture our soul.  We may neglect our friends because of our work or other interests or we may just get busy and forget to stay in touch.  When we look to our dogs, they need our connection on a daily basis.  They need our love, time, and attention.  When we stay connected with others, it feeds our soul and leads us to a long full life.

 

2.  Live For Today:  We can spend time regretting the past and worrying about the future, but solutions will not be found that way.  Spinning our wheels thinking about things that we cannot change is not productive.  Dogs live for today and so should we.  We need to appreciate every moment and be grateful for what we have.  Like our pooches, when we live in the present, we  will have more enthusiasm, joy for life, and less worry.

 

3.  Forgive:  Forgiveness may be something we consider but often find it difficult to really feel and carry out.  By not forgiving, we continue to blame others for how we feel and remain the victim.  /with animal packs, there is rarely a conflict as the members of the pack solve their problems and move on.  They don’t hold a grudge or worry about what happened yesterday.  Forgiveness gives us back our sense of wholeness, peace, and the ability to move on.

 

4.  Trust Our Intuition:  Many of us have either not developed or have lost touch with our intuition.  We listen to words but neglect our true feelings.  We may feel uneasy about a certain situation but ignore what our body is telling us.  Dogs understand what is going on beneath the surface as they are led by their instincts and rely on their gut reactions. We have these clues as well.  When we learn to listen to our intuition, it will guide us to a life of peace and serenity.

  

5.  Find Balance:  When we have a traumatic situation in our lives, we can sometimes spend too much time focussing on the situation and neglecting the other areas of our lives.  We worry so much about the problems of others that we wind up shortchanging ourselves as well as those around us.  Ever notice how well a dog does when their life is balanced:?  Dogs need their exercise, plenty of love, and structure in their daily routine just as we all do.  When we balance our lives, the stress suddenly fades away and we enjoy life that much more.

 

6.  Set Clear Boundaries:  Many of us have a hard time setting boundaries that are clear and believable.  We can waver and be indecisive, and those close to us may not know where our boundaries begin or end.  Close, connected relationships start with clear and consistent communication.  Our relationship with our dogs is a perfect example. When the rules are clear and consistently reenforced, our pups do very well; otherwise, they are confused about what is expected and acceptable behavior.

 

7.  Find A Purpose:  Sometimes we lose our way and are not sure about our true purpose in this world.  The same is true for puppies.  When dogs are given a job and contribute in some way to the well being of others, they feel a sense of satisfaction.  As humans, we need to find our purpose as well.  When we take the time to discover our purpose in life, we feel more fulfilled and our life feels more meaningful. 

 

8.  Make Every Day Special:  Sometimes we let days go by and just get swallowed up in our routine.  Every day is the same and we lack enthusiasm for life.  On the other hand, pups find everyday life exciting and can’t wait to eat, go for their walk, see us come home, or greet a visitor.  We can learn a great deal by observing how our dogs have so much enthusiasm for the simple joys of everyday life.  This everyday life can be special for us too.  When we take the time to look, we'll find that our joy is still there waiting to be rediscovered.

 

Puppies are the most trusting and joyous creatures on the planet.  They understand our moods, comfort our sorrows, and never judge us.  Unlike most of our human friends, our pups never outgrow us, never tire of us, and never disappoint us.  No matter how badly we might feel about ourselves or our lives, our cuddly canine companions always see us as the best thing on two legs and they're always thrilled to see us.  Life just doesn't  get much better than that!

 

I encourage all of you to consider adopting an adorable and playful puppy from a shelter or rescue group in honor of National Puppy Day and, if you can't, please make a donation to Pet Pal or an animal shelter near you.  The puppies thank you for your support!  

 

Happy tails to you until we meet again!