Lessons from a Dog

I’ve written about dogs’ purpose before—how God must have created them for human companionship. Dogs seem to show up when we need them and can teach us many lessons. A dog comforts us even when others don’t know what we are going through. They listen and seem to understand when no one else does. They are known for their faithfulness, loyalty, and obedience and are eager to please.

They sense something is wrong, offer a loving nudge with the nose, and are almost always willing to snuggle. When my son lived with me several years ago, his dog was part of the bargain. I always felt they needed each other equally. Allie was a loving and intelligent dog – but also anxious, and before she got used to the new neighborhood, she would run off at the first chance.

She had only been here about three months when I fell with her and broke my arm in the wee hours of the morning. I dropped her leash, but instead of running off, she stayed with me, hovering over me and licking my face with concern.

When I was two, my dad brought home a puppy, and we named him Rusty. The two of us grew up together. He was the cleverest dog I’ve ever known. From carrying kittens out of the driveway one by one so we could pull in to bringing up the milk cow when mom went out the backdoor with a bucket. It was the mop bucket a few times, and the cow was a bit confused, but that didn’t bother him. He also caught and held a loose chicken down with his paws until we could get it and put it back in the pin. No harm, no foul.

My husband and I recently visited the local shelter and returned a few days later to retrieve a three-year-old red pit named Luis, whom we renamed Koti. I certainly never thought I would have a pit. I am unsure what Koti will teach me, but I’ve already realized that not all pits are as aggressive as I thought. It turns out that how someone treats them has much to do with how aggressive they are. Besides being solid and large, he is also affectionate and loving. Just look at that face.

My husband is a fantastic dog trainer, and Koti is a fast learner. He seems eager to please us and highly grateful to have a loving home. He understood quickly he couldn’t jump and now sits down excitedly in front of us. Granted, he won the battle of sitting on the couch, but it’s better to pick and choose your battles just like people. It’s all about compromises in relationships. He sleeps on his blanket—on the couch. I am pretty sure he is on protection alert while we sleep, and I am okay with that.

Perhaps there is a lesson in there somewhere, after all.