Man's best friend

People say dogs are a man's best friend and that strays are the best dogs.  Well, if that's the case I have a new best friend named Koala.  She's a baby Rottweiler.  Adorable and tiny at 9 weeks, but soon to be a jacked little intimidating dog.

I oftentimes get frustrated with my dogs when they don't do what I want.  A little over a week ago, Kyle and I took Piggy and Mongrel out to the Black Canyon.  We were there for not even 5 minutes and they were gone.  Some best friend, right?  They spent the whole night out in the cold because we couldn't find them.  I guess they learned their lesson...

I always compare my dogs to really well behaving dogs and get frustrated.  I think there's a lot to learn from that.  One is being content with where I'm at in life or where my dogs are at.  Another is being patient.  I've only had dogs for about 11 months.  We found Mongrel last December right before Christmas.  Mongrel went from being a dog that cowered every time someone looked at her to a dog that cowers every time someone looks at her.. no...she's come a long way.  She's came from being a completely undomesticated dog that ran from people to being a sweetheart that sits by my side as I write my post in Starbucks.  She takes off my socks, picks things up for me, and protects me from impending danger or danger as she sees it.

Raising dogs teaches me a lot about people.  Dogs are often a crutch for shy people.  I can't count how many times people have come up to me and talking baby talk to my dogs.  They never address me.   They just pet my dog like I'm not there. Hello!  over here...what makes that socially acceptable?  Why don't you go pet someone's kid?  

Another thing that having dogs teaches you is that everyone knows more than you about dogs.  Everyone.  I get so much freakin advice about how to raise my dogs.  Whether it's that I'm choking my dog or my dog is thirsty.  If my dog wants to choke herself, let her.  If my dog is thirsty, she'll drink, but if she's focused on something, drinking is not what's on her mind.

I think the most important thing having dogs teaches you is that no one is perfect, but that doesn't mean you should lower your standards based on people's general opinion.  Lowering your standards is a huge reason for divorce.  People get into a relationship because they don't want to be alone and slowly the other person's flaws really drive them up the wall until they can't stand it anymore.  If you keep your low standards, you're either dumb or you have very little self-confidence.  This is how people think of their dogs.  People have very low standards for how a dog should behave.  This is why dogs alleviate depression and improve the general happiness of people.  People have a different standard for dogs.  They think of them as little humans.  I've heard someone say, "my dog doesn't talk back to me like you do."  The dogs barks.  What do you think he's doing?

Over time, my dogs have really learned a lot.  They are all pretty well-behaved most of the time.  Well behaved enough, that I get lots of compliments which is awesome!  Training is really important.  Just like people, dogs need to mature to reach their full potential.