Discipline

Well friends – this week I’d like to chat with you about discipline. Being the world’s bravest canine explorer, I feel like I need to test the limits from time to time. Wander off the beaten path and all. However, even world famous explorers need to follow rules. The trick is to know what rules to bend and what rules to break (without too much fallout). 

Now that I am 28 (or 4 in hooman years), I have learned a few tricks on how to stay disciplined and live my best dog life. I hope sharing them with you can help you lead your best life too. Fair warning – it is not easy and it takes a lot of practice!

Lesson 1: Compromise

When trying to stay disciplined – don’t forget to compromise. Take my hoomom’s flower garden for example. I am NOT under NO CIRCUMSTANCES allowed in the flower garden. So whenever I get even close to that lucious landscape – I am told to GET OUT! Buuut…if I keep my toes on the sidewalk and give my hoomom a smile, she just might allow me to wander in for a quick drink out of the bird bath. As long as I don’t sniff around and attempt to water the flowers (you know what I mean). So the lesson here is to use your canine cuteness to bend the rules as far as you can to get what you want. Also, compromise watering the garden with just a quick trip through the tulips for a drink instead. 

Lesson 2: Look away

Cookies seem to be my biggest nemesis when it comes to being disciplined. When the hoomans leave cookies on the coffee table, it takes all the discipline I can muster to not gobble them down and act like the cat ate them (and we don’t even have a cat). So in order to combat this temptation, I look away. I don’t even tempt my taste buds by sniffing in that delicious direction. Sometimes if I find I can not follow the rules – I remove myself from the situation all together. If you have a cookie eating problem, I suggest trying this technique! 

Lesson 3: Go for it

Realize some rules are made to be broken – like getting on the furniture. If you are not allowed on the furniture, I suggest putting your nose close to your hooman and making small noises to get their attention. If that does not work – you might have to break the rule all together and just jump on the couch. Sometimes this technique works. It just depends on how tired your hooman is that day. I suggest gauging your hooman’s mood and if they seem to be in a somewhat happy mood – go for it. Chances are you will get away with a nice nap in a cozy spot.

Lesson 4: Who cares?

The absolute most difficult thing to do – is to be disciplined when nobody is watching. Sure I could water the garden when my hoomom isn’t home, but I know that would be wrong. Plus she somehow knows when I have been in there and that makes her very upset. When breaking rules upsets the people you love – you know you have to stay disciplined. Knowing what is important and what can be overlooked will help guide you in the rule breaking. Always ask yourself who will really care? If it is someone you love – you should probably follow the rules as much as possible (furniture does not apply here). 

Lesson 5: Forgive yourself

Doing the right thing just because it is the right thing to do is hard. I know I will not always be able to look away from cookies on the coffee table. So when I slip up, I try to forgive myself. Not too many canines can look away from a delicious treat – especially one at eye level! It is important to know that mistakes will happen and then give myself some grace when it does.

So friends, as we go into a new week try and stay disciplined. In the end, as long as we try to follow the rules, compromise when necessary, not hurt the ones we love, and give ourselves a break when we slip up – that’s about the best we can expect. Keep trying to do the right thing and don’t ever give up! 

I’ll bark with you next week!

Your friend,