Who would have thought we could learn some of life’s most fabulous traits from dogs! After a decade of working with animals, I can tell you my seven pound Maltese has taught me all about patience! The new book “Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog” features personal stories written by real people who rescued dogs and found that in turn, their dogs rescued them!
- Compassion. We all know someone that we’ve given up on, even when it’s our self. For years, Stacy had been drinking like it was going out of style and had hit bottom. It was her dog, Ruby, whose unwavering love taught Stacy to stand up and say sayonara to the bottle. It turns out, little Ruby ended up being better than any rehab!
- Commitment. Have you ever met a “commitaphobic” dog? Me neither. Ann learned that if her Pit Bull, Bimbo, could go through chemo without complaining, then so could she. Together, with courageous optimism, Ann and Bimbo kicked cancer’s butt! Even though Bimbo eventually passed, her story helped give sick children strength and determination!
- Responsibility. Sometimes, just getting ourselves out of bed at 8 a.m. can be a torturous punishment! Imagine Elizabeth’s feelings when her grandmother passed and she was left to raise her hyperactive dog, Joey! Elizabeth survived and learned responsibility for the four-legged barking machine. Joey taught Elizabeth to live, while giving her the confidence that no self-help book could.
- Understanding. Something much harder to have with people than our pets! Bill’s dog, Belle had been beaten ruthlessly, yet still lovingly slobbered on everyone he met. If Belle could still have faith in people, then so could he. Sometimes dogs have the compassion that people desperately need.
- Unconditional Love. Love is a battlefield, so why not take a lesson from your dog! After nearly succumbing to Polio, Christine got a wake-up call from her dog, Chip, who refused to let Christine’s disease ruin their playtime! By refusing to give up, Chip became Christine’s physical therapist and ultimately, her cure.