I’m not sure how my husband managed to pick the perfect dog for our family, but he did–he’s great at reading people, so perhaps this skill applies to dogs too.  Uno, a 5(ish) year old hound mix, is our Covid rescue dog, and he is a genius. We have had him for almost exactly one year and he has definitely taught us some valuable life lessons in his short time with us.  He is patient, calm, tolerant, and introverted.  I’m pretty sure he is a zen master. 

Everyone in our family could learn a little something from him (some of us more than others), so as we approach the anniversary of his adoption day, I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks from Uno:

  1. Groom yourself regularly.  Uno licks his own fur and trims his own nails without being told.  He just does it when it needs to be done.  Clearly this one is for the kids.  Thankfully the adults in the house already have this habit instilled in our daily lives, but the kids need reminders.  All. The. Time.  I’m pretty sure no one would brush their teeth if I didn’t say the words 20 times a day.
  2. Take stretch and water breaks often.  My husband is known to sit at his desk for hours without ever leaving his office.  The dog, even in the middle of a long and stressful day of napping will get up every hour or two, stretch (puppy pose, upward facing dog, shake it all out) and come drink a fair amount of water before finding a new sun spot to sleep in.
  3. Rest.  This is Uno’s forte.  I’m pretty sure he sleeps as much as a cat.  And even if he isn’t sleeping, he’s lying down.  I never sit.  No really.  I am pretty much always standing, moving, or puttering around the house moving from task to task.  Uno reminds me to rest.  When he does need a little attention and the kids aren’t around, I find it hard NOT to acquiesce and just sit with him for a while and scratch his ears and rub his belly.  And it’s just so hard to say no because he asks so politely (see number 4!).
  4. Wait for it.  This dog knows how to get what he wants and he doesn’t have to bark — he doesn’t say a word.  He doesn’t dance around at your feet causing you to trip and fall — he finds stillness.  He is quiet.  He is patient.  He waits for it AND he makes you come to him.  This is mostly for the kids, but probably for all of us at some points in our day/lives.  When he wants a little attention, he comes into a space where he knows we can see and/or hear him and simply lays down.  If we do not come to him after a little while, he flops around a bit–making a tiny bit of noise with his body and so that he is belly up and waiting.  If that still doesn’t get our attention he might make a small noise (a groan or a huff of air out of his nose).  Usually that is the tipping point and someone will go give him what he is asking for.  He has a similar routine when he wants food, which quite frankly is probably all of the time. However, when it is ACTUALLY time for dinner he is a little more insistent, but not much.  He will sit in the kitchen near the cabinet that has his food.  Usually I’m making dinner about the same time so obviously he knows I see him even I just keep telling him it’s not time.  If I need to get something from the same cabinet he gets excited, prances a bit, wags his tail, looks at me longingly, and then goes back to sitting when he realizes I’m not getting his food.  If I leave the room for an extended period he may lay down (sadly with his head between his paws) while waiting “patiently.”  He still never barks.  He doesn’t get under your feet. Ah, if only the kids would latch on to this lesson….
  5. Talk with your eyes.  Again at dinner time if he is sitting near the food cabinet, and you start talking to him, he will make and hold eye contact with you.  Then very briefly he will break eye contact to look at the cabinet and quickly look back at you.  He will do this several times in the conversation you are having with him.  Like I said, Uno is smart, and he’s REALLY good at nonverbal communication.  This one is probably for the kids again.  Not so much that they need to USE nonverbal communication, but that they should start trying to pay attention to others’ use of it.  Read the room.  Like, your sister is stomping up the stairs with her hands clenched in fists.  Perhaps you shouldn’t ask if she wants to see your newest lego creation or play pokemon with you.  Unless you like having your head bit off….
  6. Play every now and then.  This one’s for me. Uno is maybe 5, but for the most part he acts like an old man.  He eats, he sleeps, he enjoys his walks but he’s not exactly frisky.  He’s a dawdler.  However, about once per day, usually in the evening he does want to play for just a little bit.  It’s usually out of his system after about 5 minutes, and it’s a good reminder that I should be playful every now and then too.  Stray from my list of things to get done and just let loose.
  7. Stop and smell the roses. This dog is a DAWDLER. He starts his walks with a modicum of excitement, but very quickly his pace slows to that of a snail and he must stop and smell every blade of grass. He must also eat every dried up worm on the concrete that he passes. He’s a little ridiculous. But, it is a good reminder to ME that I should slow down. Appreciate the warm sun on my skin, or the smell of flowers or freshly cut grass. It’s also a reminder that the walk isn’t for me. As much as I’d appreciate a power walk and would LOVE to cover more ground, the walk is for him.
  8. Be confident.  Our dog is an introvert, and he totally owns it.  He doesn’t have particular interest in other dogs (especially if it’s a dog he’s seen before).  On walks he will completely ignore dogs that are in their yards barking and running up and down frantically trying to play and get his attention.  He just continues on his way, sniffing and hunting for something to chew on.  If he’s never met the dog before, he feigns interest for a few sniffs, maybe a jump or lunge, and if you are REALLY lucky, a short romp in a circle before he’s back to doing whatever he was up to before.  He allows the other dog to continue to sniff, and make attempts to play, but he’s already zoned out back in his own world.  I think this last bit of advice from Uno is for everyone.  Be who you are.  Unapologetically.  Just own it. No need to succumb to peer pressure.
  9. Follow your nose. Uno is a rescue dog so we don’t know his exact breed, but he is absolutely part hound dog. His nose is always to the ground and ALWAYS finding some scent to follow. Alright, so perhaps this lesson isn’t literal, but following your instincts and trusting your gut certainly fall in line with this idea, and it’s something we could probably all stand to work on.
  10. Keep one ear open. His hearing isn’t the best, and I’m sure his skillful nose makes up for that, but he even so, he is always listening. Even if he is in a dead sleep and snoring LOUDLY, he will wake up and come running if he hears just one litle “tink tink” of food being dropped in his bowl. I think my daughter and I already hear everything. It’s the males in our family that have more selective hearing. I’ve posted about this before; it’s got its advantages and disadvantages for sure, but paying attention to what is going on around you certainly comes in handy.
  11. Stand your ground. Dude is stubborn! Like really stubborn. He is most defiant on walks, especially if he thinks you are heading home and he’s not ready, or if he wants to go a different direction. He will literally just stand there. Not budging. If you tug on the leash he will literally not move and eventually you will just end up pulling the entire harness off of his head. That said, he will also do ANYTHING for food, so it’s easy to get him moving again with a little piece of kibble. Lesson to be learned here: stand up for what you believe in and don’t budge. Fight for what you know is right — but also, know when to compromise — especially if there are good treats involved 😉
  12. Be Awkward. I think he did this more when we first got him, but there are still times where we will just find him, standing awkwardly in some room. It’s like he wants something, but he either doesn’t know what it is, or he doesn’t know how to ask. He earned the nickname, “awkward Uno” early on, but just like being an introvert, he totally owns it. He’s not embarrassed. He is who he is, and we love him for it.

Uno has been a welcome addition to our family and has certainly changed our lives in many ways.  Hopefully we can all continue to learn from our canine friend and grow as individuals.  Perhaps we can even become better humans.