Spirituality and your pet

Pray with your dog. Or meditate with your dog. It's your choice, just spend quiet time with your dog giving thanks for having each other. Try to make time each day for a week to spend just a few, reflective moments with our dog. See if it doesn't increase the bond you feel. Astrid and I practice Doga together. Doga is Yoga, but for dogs and their people.

Kindness is a range of small acts and habits that we know as old-fashioned good manners. Extend these to your dog. Be generous with your presence and your time. Dogs are pack animals and you are your dogs leader. Don't ever allow your self to become too self absorbed to be kind.

Forgiveness is divine, so they say. We all do things. You know....those curt answers, snappy tones. And sometimes we use them with our dog, only to regret it the next moment. Don't worry over it. The next moment, make it right. Call your dog over, use their cute little nickname, and tell them your sorry. Forgive yourself...release your guilt.

"I used to look at [my dog] Smokey and think, 'If you were a little smarter you could tell me what you were thinking,' and he'd look at me like he was saying, 'If you were a little smarter, I wouldn't have to.'" - Fred Jungclaus