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9 Family Lessons Dogs Can Teach Us

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A girl surrounded by family, laying in bed with a dog.

We can learn a lot from our dogs. From regular meals to ample stretching and adequate sleep, dogs pretty much have the basic life skills down — things we often become too busy to bother with ourselves.

As social pack animals with absolutely nothing to do all day besides sleep and occasionally destroy the random toilet paper roll, their behavior with one another can still serve as valuable lessons for us as well:

Related: 7 Heartwarming Pictures of Orphaned Raccoon and Her Adoptive Dog Family

1. Always welcome family home with a smile. You don’t have to run a path over the bed, under the table and onto all of the couches though.

Dog jumping up and down GIF

2. Treat elders with respect. Even when they still call “voicemail” an “answering machine.”

Photo Credit: Rob Swatski/Flickr

Photo Credit: Rob Swatski/Flickr

3. Always share with family…unless of course we’re talking about food. Then this lesson need not apply.

 

Photo Credit: Bulldog1/Flickr

Photo Credit: Bulldog1/Flickr

4. Be there for each other during the tough times.

Photo Credit: The U.S. Army/Flickr

Photo Credit: The U.S. Army/Flickr

5. Offer a shoulder to cry on.

Related: Dog is SO Grateful Family Saved Her From Euthanasia

Photo Credit: Harris and Ewing

Photo Credit: Harris and Ewing

6. Because your family remembers what you used to dress like in the ‘90s, and they still love you.  So share the love.

dressed-dog

7. Unconditionally.

Photo Credit: Attack of the Cute

Photo Credit: Attack of the Cute

8. Without judgement. (If that’s possible.)

Photo Credit: Randeeryan/Flickr

Photo Credit: Randeeryan/Flickr

9. And always make room when little sis or bro need a space to crash.

Photo Credit: Brandi Eszlinger/Flickr

Photo Credit: Brandi Eszlinger/Flickr

Related:Owners Share the Special Bond They Have With Their Senior Dogs in New Book

By Krissy Howard

Krissy Howard covers New York City-based dog news, along with writing in-depth features, with a love for pit bull stories. She creates humorous content for her blog thankyourodserling and her work has appeared on The Hairpin, xoJane, and a few other places on the Internet. KrissyHoward@thisdogslife.co

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