Yoga Lessons Taught by a Puppy
“show me the baby”
Wisdom from a small source…
How to Trust: So we had a stray dog appear at our gate a couple of weeks ago. He was skinny and scared. It took me 40 minutes to get him to lure him into the front porch and another 2 hours before he would let me touch him. The vet's office where I was able to get him scanned for a chip (Paw Patch Place - so lovely, highly recommend) made a huge effort to find his owners. When found, they willfully abandoned (ghosted) him :( So we are currently fostering the little guy and looking to find the best long term situation for him. We're calling him Stinky Pete. The biggest training is to get him confident and feeling safe to trust others.
Letting go of Attachment: It's hard not to get attached to this little guy. In yoga practice, the idea of non-attachment is not so much about not loving, but rather recognizing that everything is constantly changing. Our intent is to be a safe place and find the best situation for him. He's had such a hard time in his short life - he hates when we have to leave and he has all the puppy ways of communicating. We know he'd do best with an owner who's around more and can train him consistently. So my yoga practice is to notice the desires I have for a clear plan (weather for our walk today or for where he will be long term) and notice the angst/suffering I feel and let go of what I can.
Be Present: As we are learning each other, being present is essential. This is true when I have a plan, need to get to work, or just ready to take a walk...I have to be present for what he's communicating (and not getting frustrated when things are not on my timeline/energy). There is much joy in the moments where we can be present with play and learning things.
Play More: Pete is a really good teacher of play. Every morning he has to take me with him to walk around the yard for the morning constitutional. I take my coffee and enjoy the quite of the early morning. He's also a great gardening buddy - he runs around and explores. Then we have to come in to play tug or with his favorite squeaky toy. He reminds me to take breaks and explore, laughing at all his antics.
This little guy has taken up a lot of my brain space and time, but he's reminded me of some important things. Whatever the future hods for him, he's got a place in my heart.