Things I've learned from my dog

Boogies first 1/2 marathon.

Being chased at the dog park

1.Always greet people when they pass by you

Our backyard goes out to a high school practice field and my dog always runs along our fence when someone walks by in the field. He even jumps up and down at the corner. I’ve even seen people take pictures of him, laughing. This used to annoy me when he did this, but now I know, he is just being friendly.

2. Be nice to others that are smaller than you

Boogie is very friendly with my smaller cat Honey. He even sits with her on the back porch and often touches noses with her.

The other day, a small white dog squeezed through the fence and was in our backyard. Boogie never barked at it or gave it much attention.

3. Get bent out of shape if others try to harm your loved ones

My husband cannot hug me in front of the back glass door without my dog going crazy. He paces back and forth and barks. We sometimes do it just to bug him. I know he’d protect me.

4. Never trust anyone until you’ve checked them out

Whenever I take my dog to the dog park, he and other dogs constantly smell each others butt before play time. Enough said.

5. Be loyal to those that love you

Dogs love their owners and are very loyal. I can take my dog for a walk without a collar and a leash and he never runs off. We have accidentally left the gate open and he doesn’t leave.

6. Always be very grateful when your belly and back are scratched

What dog doesn’t love a good scratch? He even rolls over for that great belly scratch.

7. Never pass up the opportunity for some exercise

He is always ready to go for a walk, run or playtime at the dog park. He never has anything better to do.

8. Be patient

Good things come to those who wait. He tries so hard when I tell him, sit and wait. He may be squirming inside and his very small tail may be going a mile a minute, but he is patient.

9. Live in the moment, chase the squirrel

Squirrels, run by, for goodness sake, just go get it. Why pass up an opportunity, when now is the time to take action?

10. Take naps and stretch when you wake up

When you’re tired, take a nap, but don’t forget to stretch when you wake up.

11. Protect your home

Make noise when there is an intruder and scare the living daylights out of them.

12. Surrender when you know you’re in trouble

If you’re in trouble, don’t run away. Deal with what you did wrong or you’ll make it worse.

13. Life is short, learn to dance

Boogie can do ballet leaps from one side of the yard to the other. Learn to dance.

14. Life is too short to not stop and smell the roses

When I take him running with me, he often stops and sniffs the plants in Forest Park before peeing on the them. Once I even counted how often he stopped in 10 minutes, it was 6 times.

15. Run fast if your being chased

Boogie runs great when he runs with me. If he is on a leash, he runs right next to me or slightly behind and if he is off leash, he keeps a good pace, normally right behind me. But if he is at the dog park and another dog starts chasing him, he darts.

16. Always be proud of your accomplishments

Whether you just ran your first 1/2 marathon, destroyed that pesky ball, or sharpened your teeth on the newly made wooden garage step, always be proud of yourself.