I’ve had Phineas for one week today and every day he’s teaching me something new. I just finished Cesar Milan’s book, Cesar’s Way, and have been using his advice as I train Phinny. It’s working like a charm and it’s helped me get to know Phineas as a dog, something I’ve not done with previous pets. I treated our other dogs like furry little people. I projected my human-ness onto them rather than learning from and loving their doginess.
Here are the 10 biggest lessons I’ve learned from Phineas and Cesar to-date:
1.) There is no greater joy than this moment.
2.) Dwelling on the past, good, bad, or indifferent, prevents us from celebrating all the beauty we have in our midst right now.
3.) Structure and discipline are powerful tools for healthy living.
4.) Exercise is the best remedy for pent up energy, and pent up energy must be released regardless of its source.
5.) Relationships with our pack are the most important possessions we have.
6.) Getting the life we want has much more to do with vision and determination than it does with circumstances.
7.) Calm-assertive energy is the best aura to have in any situation.
8.) A stable leader is the only leader worth following.
9.) Exploration of the world around us is one of the most worthy activities we can do.
10.) We all take in the world in a different way; empathy is about appreciating those differences and learning from them.
What lessons have your pets taught you about the best way to live your life?
Christa Avampato 