If your dog has ever chewed on your shoes, you know what it’s like to feel like your head is going to explode.
So why is it incredibly easy to forgive them?
I think what it boils down to is that their capacity to forgive us immediately, even for our worst mistakes, inspires us to treat them with the same dog-like love. No matter how many times we come home late, yell at them to be quiet, or give them a stern lecture on why they shouldn’t drink out of the toilet, they greet us happily at the door. No grudges or passive aggressive stares…just wagging tails.
Writer David Dudley sums up something amazing we can learn from dogs: “When someone you love walks through the door, even if it happens five times a day, you should go totally insane with joy.” On National Dog Day, when you’re wondering why we celebrate these fuzzy shoe-chewers, all you have to do is witness a dog’s insane capacity for joy. Then embody it.
Here are some ideas on how to thank your dog for loving you on your best and worst days:
