Five things that owning a dog has taught me about life

If you care to listen, your dog may just surprise you.

Photo by Liam Saville

I’ve gained a lot from spending time with my dog over the past few years, but I never expected to learn so much about life from her. But I guess that’s what happens when you have a four-legged furry friend: they’re always there for you, they make you feel better when things get tough, and if you choose to take notice, they teach you a lot. So here are some of the lessons I’ve learned from my best friend.

1. My dog taught me to be present in the moment.

Dogs are always in the moment. They don’t get caught up in the past or future. They’re only concerned with what’s happening right now, and that’s something we can all learn from.

When you have a dog, there will be times when something goes wrong: your dog may get hurt, someone could knock over a water bowl and spill it everywhere, or they may jump up on someone who doesn’t like dogs and get scolded for it. These things happen — and when they do, your dog won’t sit around worrying about what went wrong or what might happen next time because they instinctively know that worrying won’t change anything.

So, if you find yourself getting caught up in thoughts about the past or the…