Our pets are having a completely different pandemic experience. What can we learn from them?
I think we can all agree, this last year has been a bit of a drag for human-kind, if not an outright disaster. What with the pandemic keeping us home from work (or school,) the constant stream of bad news on TV every night, and the very real fear that one of our loved ones might become ill (or worse) I, for one, can’t wait for this global nightmare to be over.
My dog, on the other hand, is having the time of his life. He wakes up every morning excited for what the day might hold. He’s thrilled when I put two scoops of dry dog food into his bowl, overjoyed when I grab his leash for a walk. And when I leave home – even if it’s just for a moment – he is ecstatic when I return!
Honestly, I’m a bit jealous of how much my dog is enjoying this lockdown. Because, let’s face it, if you have to be stuck in a situation – which we are – wouldn’t it be better to have it be a mildly-pleasant-to-enjoyable experience than a miserable slog?
So how are dogs doing it? And is there anything we can learn from their behavior that might inform our own experience? I would argue yes.
Dogs Find Joy In The Little Things
You should see how excited my dog gets when I play tug-of-war with him. Or throw a ball. Or give him a treat. Dogs are fantastic about enjoying the simple things in life. And that is one of the keys to their happiness.
Even with this pandemic, our lives as humans remain complicated. We are constantly being pulled in one direction or the other, what with work schedules, chores and errands, constant COVID precautions and the ever-present allure of surfing the web on our phone. And while our intentions may be good, it is easy to get so distracted that we forget to enjoy the simple things in life.
So maybe a first step is to take a moment to appreciate the simple things in life. Like the song of a bird, or the smell of a great cup of coffee, or a loved-one’s smile. Because even though there are a lot of urgent and important things vying for our attention, there are also a lot of beautiful things that make life worth living. So taking a cue from our dogs and enjoying those things could make us much happier. Heck you can even play fetch, if that’s what you’re into.
Dogs Are Great At Living In The Moment
I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent a lot of time during this pandemic worrying about what “might” happen, or what catastrophe could “possibly” be just around the corner. Luckily, not one of those horrible projections has come true (knock on wood.)
And while I understand there are times when projecting into the future is important (i.e. it can keep us safe, allow us to plan for the future, to create goals and strive to reach them) I would also argue that living in the future all the time can be a disaster. Having goals is important, but if you never take a moment to celebrate you accomplishments or enjoy a friend’s company, what’s the point?
Dogs are masters of living in the moment. Sure, they can project a bit into the future, like getting excited at meal time or when they decide it’s time to take you on a walk – but for the most part, they experience the day moment by moment, which allows them to enjoy the simple things like playing with a ball or an occasional game of tug-of-war. Or, I guess, sniffing another dog’s butt.
It’s hard to key down in this crazy world of ours, but maybe it’s worth it to take a second and step outside the rat race so we can appreciate all the amazing things around us. We can’t wag our tails, but maybe we could have some gratitude.
Besides, how futile is it to spend hours and hours worrying about something you have little or no control over? Dogs don’t do it, and neither should we.
Dogs Love Taking Naps
Enough said.
Dogs Love Getting Their Bellies Scratched
I’ll leave it up to you to decide what your version of “getting your belly scratched” is. My point is, we should all take time to appreciate whatever physical thing brings us pleasure. A kiss, a smile, holding someone’s hand. A back rub. Or a front rub. I’ll go ahead and label this under “self care.”
Dogs Love Being With Their Pack
Aside from “being in the moment,” this is may be the most important headline – definitely the one that ties most directly to our current situation
For most of us, we’ve spent the last year at home, “trapped” with our families or roommates and little else. And that can get a bit trying. But rather than concentrate on being trapped and what this pandemic has taken away (our social and/or work lives) maybe it’s better to focus on the thing this pandemic has given us – an opportunity to spend time with our loved ones (at last the ones in our bubble) that we never would have had otherwise
For instance, my daughter is going away to college next year. She is seventeen, a senior in high school and she has (what used to be) a very busy social calendar. Now, I’m not thrilled she’s not getting to spend a ton of time with friends or experience all the activities a normal senior year would entail. But without this pandemic, I would never have gotten to spend so much time with her before she’s gone.
The same can be said for my teenage son, although he’s not leaving for college for a couple years. This pandemic has forced my children to spend time with me – and it’s not my fault! (if I was the one forcing “family time” I would be labeled public enemy number one, which would completely defeat the purpose.) My kids might disagree on how “amazing” it is we’re getting to spend so much time together, but I bet as they get older they’ll appreciate it. As a parent – I’m putting this in the plus column.
During “normal times” we are all so busy rushing from one activity to the next, that even when we’re with the people we love, are we really “with” them? But for a brief moment in our lives, the pandemic has changed that. We can’t go anywhere and we can’t do much of anything. So why not celebrate getting to spend so much time with the people (and creatures) that we love?
My dog loves that I’m home. Loves it. The “pack” is together, 24/7, the way nature meant it to be, before humanity got bogged down with endless schedules and “productivity.” Who knows if we’ll ever have an opportunity like this again? I, for one, and trying to enjoy it.
Conclusion
Look, I obviously know we are different from dogs – in many ways. We’re more complex creatures with complicated lives and we have a lot more on our minds than where the next treat is coming from. But that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a thing or two from how our pets are experiencing this pandemic.
So if you want to stop punching against the wind and try to make this experience more tolerable, if not downright enjoyable, maybe take a cue at our dog friends and do what they do. Enjoy the little things. Try to live in the moment. Appreciating the people around you. All these habits could make us happier during this seemingly endless the pandemic, and long afterwards, when our lives finally turn back to “normal.”