Our 100th Blog: 100 Things I’ve Learned From My Dog

Long, long ago (last May) in a galaxy far, far away (an apartment across town)…

… I launched this Paws and Reflect blog. The Instagram character limit kept preventing me from feeling like I could fully express my thoughts there — so I figured why not just create a whole website?! 😉 (It was easier said than done.)

In the year and four months since, Sean and I have published 99 blogs together.

Some of them have been modeled after Instagram posts that I wanted to save in a more permanent way (like the marble jar idea or things I’ve learned about tug). Others have been entirely new and perhaps entirely too long (like our favorite resources for working through dog reactivity or our loose-leash walking process).

It’s been incredibly fulfilling to get to share our processes, struggles, and growth here — and to connect with more fellow dog owners. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this community.

For our 100th blog, I wanted to “zoom out” and take a look back on our time together.

Here are 100 things I’ve learned from my dog:

In no particular order.

1. Slow down.
2. Also, speed up.
3. Knowing when to smell the roses and when to chase the squirrels is an art.
4. There is no such thing as “too much” snuggling.
5. Personal space is a relative concept.
6. Privacy is largely unnecessary.
7. “Good” dogs wear muzzles, too.
8. And everyone defines “good” differently.
9. It’s okay to be really, really weird.
10. Doing things with a friend is almost always better.
11. But alone time — and working on ourselves — is important too.
12. “Dog training” is inevitably more complicated than you think.
13. Humans have some really dull senses compared to canines.
14. No matter how much you love someone, it’s normal to get frustrated.
15. Go play.
16. Your favorite games don’t have to match everyone else’s.
17. Writing parodies is insanely fun.
18. Living with a fearful dog can be exhausting.
19. But celebrating the wins can be exhilarating.
20. “Dog reactivity” comes in many different forms and from many different causes.
21. Unsolicited advice is a mixed bag.
22. You can love some parts of a book while cringing at others.
23. Nothing is really black and white.
24. Life is so, so, so short.
25. And so, so, so sweet.
26. You can never be “too prepared” for challenging situations.
27. It’s a good exercise to try to show yourself as much grace as you show your dog.
28. One tramautic experience can change everything.
29. “Love” isn’t actually enough. The Beatles lied.
30. But if you care enough to want to be a better owner, chances are you’re already a pretty great one.
31. Semantics can get complicated and tiring — but they’re so important to be clear about.
32. Dog training tools don’t inherently define dog training methods.
33. No picture of your dog is actually “the cutest photo ever”.
34. Because as adorable as you think your dog is today, chances are she’ll do something even cuter tomorrow.
35. Retractable leads aren’t actually Satan’s favorite invention.
36. Really, no dog training tool is from the depths of hell.
37. Scary things only feel “unsurvivable” until you survive them.
38. A 40-pound canine can make a very small ball on the couch.
39. A 40-pound canine can also take up a massive amount of space in the bed.
40. Dogs can have headaches and sore muscles and “off” days too.
41. Confidence building is an ongoing process.
42. Go play.
43. There are no perfect answers, in dogs and in people.
44. Hand-feeding isn’t the end-all-be-all of dog training.
45. Leash laws can be really, really important.
46. It’s okay to change your mind.
47. Getting angry usually isn’t the most productive way to handle shitty situations.
48. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
49. You’ll always be messier than you want to be.
50. Feeling messy doesn’t mean you’re a failure.
51. Not everyone loves dogs.
52. It’s okay that not everyone loves dogs.
53. You don’t have to fully understand your friends to be there for them.
54. No matter how hard you try, you can’t fix everything.
55. There is a difference between intentional prioritizing and “laziness”.
56. Go play.
57. Not every dog wants to be pet.
58. But sometimes saying hi to a stranger is awesome.
59. Every living thing is reactive to its environment.
60. Don’t be afraid to get sandy and muddy and wet!
61. If you live with a dog, you’ll have to vacuum four times a week anyway.
62. A lot of things in the world are scary.
63. But with a good team on our side, most scary things are pretty manageable.
64. You are more likely to sneeze if you are laying upside down.
65. It’s really important to warm up your muscles before exercise.
66. It’s also really important to cool them down once you’re done.
67. The more biologically fulfilled a dog is, the more bandwidth they have to exercise impulse control.
68. Sometimes, all you’ll see is “irresponsible” owners and unruly dogs.
69. That makes it easy to feel bitter about dog ownership.
70. But there’s a whole lot of good going on out there. I promise.
71. Go play.
72. There’s no such thing as “too much” advocating.
73. You are allowed to set boundaries (with your dog, with people who want to interact with your dog, with your job, with your friends…)
74. All squeaky toys must die.
75. Sometimes you just need a little ice cream.
76. Don’t let “perfect” be the enemy of progress.
77. You (probably) aren’t running for congress.
78. Every feeling is temporary.
79. Reputable dog breeders and ethical dog rescues are both important.
80. Poorly bred dogs deserve to be loved, too.
81. But predictable genetics are vital to preserve.
82. Every person values different things.
83. Every dog is an individual, too.
84. Some days, it will feel like everything you’ve worked for has been for nothing.
85. But then you’ll bounce back faster — and farther — than ever before.
86. Clarity makes so much possible.
87. Sometimes it’s okay to wreak havoc. Chase things. Bark. Jump.
88. Sometimes it’s best to lay low and snore.
89. No matter how nice your new dog bed is, the hard floor will always be better.
90. The harder you wag, the more likely you are to be pet.
91. Everything in moderation.
92. Except play. There’s never too much play.
93. Taking feedback can be hard.
94. A solid support network opens up so many possibilities.
95. Pointy-eared dogs are cuter.
96. No one will ever agree with everything you say.
97. Life with dogs is challenging.
98. Like, really challenging.
99. Life with dogs is also joyous.
100. Go play.