A puppy is a good companion to play with, but a senior dog is a good companion for life in general. They are pretty much always down to do whatever you want to do, whether that means laying on the couch, laying in the recliner, or laying in bed, they'll stay by your side. You truly "get" each other. A bond between a person and their senior dog is deeper than any other. Senior dogs learn a lot from us like obedience and love, but we learn a lot from them, too.
1. It's okay to be lazy.
Senior dogs and college students have a lot in common. For example, they both love to lay in bed for several hours. Dogs are unapologetic about being lazy, and it makes you feel less guilty having your doggy pal by your side while you binge watch four seasons of your favorite show.
2. Just relax.
Dogs are constant reminders that not everything is as bad as it may seem. Senior dogs are less wound up, so to have one by your side during an anxiety attack, a crying fit, or a plain old bad day can help bring you back down to earth and put things into perspective. They might not know why you're so upset, but they know that you are upset, and they want to help. And best part of all, they won't judge you for your ugly crying face.
3. Love unconditionally with everything you have.
Whether you've had your senior dog since they were a puppy, or you adopted them during their later years, they are grateful for you. They can feel the changes in their body as they grow older, and they see the changes in you too, but they always remember everything you've done for them and love you unconditionally.
4. Patience will make life easier.
When you leave a puppy home alone for the day, you can almost guarantee that you will come home to chewed furniture, trash all over the house, and maybe an accident for you to clean up because they were frustrated that you were gone. But when you leave your senior dog home that's unlikely to happen, and usually, your dog is laying in the exact same spot you left them seven hours earlier. You wonder what the hell they did all day, but that kind of patience is something every human needs to adopt.
5. Sometimes you're gonna be grumpy, and that's okay.
Senior dogs are like old people. They embrace their grumpy days, and that isn't a bad thing. With the way our society works, we are all forced to put on our best face and go to work or school just like we did the day before. Well I say f*ck that. Bad days happen, we don't always get enough sleep, and sometimes we just feel off. Don't take your grumpiness out on undeserving others, but be like a dog and take it in stride. Be in a bad mood once in a while, it's okay.
6. Even on your worst days, getting out of bed every day is worth it.
My senior dog reminds me every day that getting up is worth it. Granted, it's usually because he has to go to the bathroom, but nevertheless, he gets me up. It's a reminder every day that if he feels good enough to get out of bed, I have no excuse. There's so much to do every day in this world, so while we're here, we might as well explore it.
7. Age is not a barrier.
As dogs approach old age, their joints ache, their eyesight isn't as strong, and they may sleep more often and for longer. Every once in a while though, they get these bursts of energy to play like they used to, proving that age is an excuse and not a barrier. We shouldn't let our age hold us back from what we wear, the music we listen to, and the kind of fun we like to have.
8. Care for others, and you will be rewarded.
By the senior years, dogs know that behavior and reward go hand in hand. They know that if they're gentle, they will be pet. If they are protective of children and their masters, they will be praised. It's simple, really, but humans try to complicate it. Just be a good person, and things will go your way.
9. Be carefree.
Senior dogs are set in their ways, so they'll do pretty much whatever they want and that's a great motto to live our lives by. Sometimes being carefree is hard in our society where we have to plan our futures at the age of 17, but if you want to do something, there's no reason to be timid about it. Your senior dog will fart no matter who's face is nearby, or they'll walk through the house with muddy paws just because they feel like it, so you can definitely read that poem you wrote at the open mic or dye your hair purple. Your happiness is all that matters.
10. Just "be."
There have been so many times when my senior dog is just staring at the wall or the television like he's actually watching something. Being content is so underrated. Pure freedom lies within just existing.
11. Accept others despite their flaws or differences.
If you have a pleasant aura about you, a dog will accept you. Senior dogs have met so many people in their lives, so they know right off the bat if you're a good person or not. They don't care if your clothes don't match, you talk with a lisp, or are suffering from an illness. If you're nice to them, they'll be nice to you. Needless to say, we all need to follow this way of the dog.
12. Focus only on what's important.
Senior dogs don't care about what's in the package that came in the mail or what's in that room that you never let them in but happened to leave the door open one day, like a puppy might. All that a senior dog cares about is his recreational time, his dinner time, and his nap time. Unlike humans who are so caught up in smartphones and social media, the senior dog knows what he likes and sticks to it. When was the last time you spent an hour on Facebook and truly enjoyed it? (Never once has that happened for me.) So like the dog, we should all spend more time focusing on the important stuff.
13. Live your life.
Dogs have a much shorter lifespan than humans, but still manage to live a full life. We should all take a page out of their book and embrace the later years rather than lament that we are getting older. If you have a bond as strong as a dog and his owner in your life, then life will be worth it.
