How To Be Happy Part 1: Get A Dog

I've been thinking about happiness of late, and Milbarge commented that he was about to request a post on the question, "How can I be happy?"  And last night my mom and I were working in the yard together and talking about her sister, who is depressed.  My mom told her sister, "You need to get a dog."  And so last night as I got ready for bed I was thinking about how I would answer Milbarge's question and one of the first and most definite things I'd say is, "Get a dog."

Having a dog makes you happy because loving someone steadily makes you happy.  It's easy to love a dog.  At first it's easy to love a dog because of how cute a puppy is, but it is easy to love a dog for years because the dog loves you, faithfully and without wavering.  And when you love a dog you can make her day by looking at her and talking to her and touching her -- she'll prance from side to side with excitement when you come home or when you get down on the floor to be near her.  You can't be wrapped up in yourself when you have a dog.  A dog reminds you how good it feels to make someone else happy.  This will make you feel great. 

Having a dog makes you happy because to have a dog you need to choose to live someplace where you can go outside, and going outside will make you happy.  Walking around and looking at things makes you happy.  You notice your neighborhood because your dog will sniff and ramble and lead you around and stop and become fascinated by the smell at the base of someone's steps, and there you are.  And looking at the world, all the small things there are to notice and smell and think about, will make you happy.  We live in an interesting world.  The more you look, the more there is to notice and think about.  Your dog knows this, and hanging around with your dog, you will learn it, too.

Having a dog makes you happy because being the kind of person who can take care of a dog will make you feel good.  It requires moderation and responsibility.  You can't be too selfish or lazy if you have a dog.  You need to think about feeding your dog at the same time every day, and you need to be able to do that, every day, or find a friend to help you, for the dog's whole life.  It will give you at least part of a routine, which is a comfort, to you and your dog.  It closes doors and takes away choices.  That sounds bad, but it isn't.  See Barry Schwartz's book, The Paradox of Choice.  It's nice to think you could jet off at a moment's notice to Buenos Aires, but, actually, it's even nicer to say, I'm going to go home and feed my dog now, maybe rub her belly a little bit.  Buenos Aires won't love you back the way your dog will. 

Having a dog makes you happy because you'll get more exercise.  Having a dog makes you happy because a dog needs to pee and poop, and the world involves pee and poop and sometimes vomit and cleaning them up, and you'll be a happier and more down-to-earth person if you aren't fussy and freaked out by that.  Everyone pees and poops and vomits and dogs have no shame about it, and dog owners shrug and go pick it up and life is a lot more fun when you realize it doesn't always smell like flowers and look like a Pottery Barn catalog. 

Having a dog makes you happy because dogs love their bodies, they love living in them.  They take pleasure in smelling things and eating things and swimming and rolling on their backs in the grass and shaking water off themselves and running and sleeping, oh how they love to sleep.  They're comfortable with themselves and they will remind you of how fun it is to touch things and look at things and smell things and how fun it is to move and to lie in the sun. 

Having a dog makes you happy because dogs love to play, and so do we, and sometimes we forget, but your dog will always invite you to play, and will always accept if you invite her to play.  We need to play.  You're more likely to play if you have a dog.

Having a dog makes you happy because your dog will love you absolutely, whether you are happy or sad, successful or not.  Your dog will watch you adoringly and listen when you talk nonsense or explain why you are angry or frustrated or confused.  And, because you have made your life a steady one, and you have given up Buenos Aires in order to feed and walk your dog every single day, you will feel like you deserve the love and adoration your dog gives you.  It will make you feel like a good person, the person you most want to be. 

If you don't like dogs, I can't help you.  I'm suspicious of people who don't like dogs.  Are you sure you can be happy? 

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If someone prays for patients, you think god gives him patients, or he gives him an opportunity to be patient?

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After this happens a few times, a person may develop a strategy for dealing with such moments of high emotion in order to try to stay calm!

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I'm definitely a dog person, but I like cats too. And I agree with this article for dogs rather than cats. Cats are good companions, but a lot more independent and less outwardly loving than dogs. They're not the best therapists but good to have around nonetheless. :)

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