Seven positive habits that dogs develop in you

Our wonderful dogs, Valentina and Camila, have brought me pleasure, benefits, and some very positive habits. I live a better life thanks to them, and these are just a few ways in which they've helped me:

1. Walking
My dogs gave me my morning power walk, 30 mins every morning. In the weekends, we go walking for and hour or more. Though I do it for them, I enjoy this time, and I feel better throughout my day with this walk. It would be hard for me to exercise every morning if I didn't have anything that committed me to it, my dogs give me that commitment.

2. Reduced stress
There's just nothing like walking in the door and seeing your little friend greet you, with true joy. No matter how bad my day could have been, it makes me smile.

3. Primal communication
Dogs communicate, through body language and cues. As a dog owner, you learn to communicate with them, without needing English. This is the way all beings interact. Now that I am having a daughter, I know how to communicate with her before she learnsa spoken language: with body language, prizing the right behaviors, and finding ways to redirect unwanted ones.

4. Balanced life
I used to be too focused on my job, many people are. When you don't have kids, you might even feel it's all you have. Dogs teach you to enjoy the present, like a walk in the park.

5. Socializing
We've made so many friends through our dogs, and some very good ones. If you ever find yourself needing to meet people, try taking a foster dog for a few weeks and taking her to dog parks. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

6. Calm assertive energy
Developing a calm-assertive state has helped me so much at my job. There are many Zen methods to develop this if you do not have a dog, I had even tried some of those, but let me tell you, nothing will force you to develop it better than a dog. Since this is the energy dogs respond to, much more than to words, you learn to create this calm assertiveness in you through love for your dog and knowing that you need to become a pack leader.

7. A better relationship as a couple
If pets are brought in the wrong way, they could negatively affect your love life, but for me and my wife, and for many others that I've talked to, dogs made us a better couple. They are perfect company for a couple, and create a better balance than just two people in a house. Above all, a dog gives you a shared sense of commitment, a feeling that "we're in this together", which fosters love and affection. (Note: do not get a dog to fix a relationship though, dogs suffer a lot when their packs split)


Dogs are awesome. What other great habits have your dogs given you?

Walking with my beagle Camila on Seattle's Freemont Bridge