The Tao of Roo: Lessons in Simplicity from My Dog
I’ll never fully admit it, but I’m almost sure my dog is smarter than me. He’s got himself a pretty sweet gig, sleeping all night and most of the day. Forget mini-retirements! His life is a perpetual nap that’s punctuated only with playtimes and snacks (and the occasional ride in the car). He charms people so easily that he could probably run for office and make waves as a write-in candidate. It’s time to admit defeat and just learn what I can from Roo, the true lifestyle guru.
1. Sleep whenever possible, in as warm a place as possible. Got five minutes and a place to lay? Then you’ve got the makings of a delicious nap or a good night’s sleep. Roo never worries that there are more important things to do than stretch out and rest. Despite the many important things on his mind, like figuring out how to take over the world and convert Denmark into a giant peanut butter factory, he manages to let it all go when it’s time for bed. We could all learn to do the same. Get enough rest and stop letting daily life intrude on our sleep.
2. Don’t let anybody talk you into doing something you’re not comfortable with. Whether that means taking a bath or whizzing in the snow, know your limits and stand up for them. Don’t let people cajole you with sweet tones or promises of jerky. If we could all learn to say “no” as well as our pets do, we might have fewer commitments and less guilt.
3. When you need help, ask for it. When Roo needs a door opened, a toy fetched from under a chair, or help of any kind, he asks for it. Loudly. He doesn’t worry that he’ll come off as needy or that he’ll be less important to his family. He knows that he simply doesn’t have opposable thumbs. Life would be a lot simpler if we all learned to ask for help when we needed it and didn’t sweat any real or imagined ramifications.
4. Holding grudges won’t get you anywhere. So he got yelled at yesterday for running out of the house. Today’s a new day, and holding a grudge isn’t going to get him his breakfast any sooner. I’m truly inspired by how quickly dogs can forget minor hurts and just move on. Letting go so easily is a habit we can all strive to emulate.
5. Smiling gets you (almost) everything you want. Roo’s learned, in his own life and through generations of doggie DNA, that people are more easily bent to his will when he’s smiling and sweet. If he wants to be petted, he smiles at you instead of nipping and barking for more. I think that most of us forget this rule from time to time. (I know I do.) From spouses to strangers, most people are more willing to help you when you’re smiling instead of sniping. Make a conscious effort to be positive and see how your circumstances change.
6. Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses. So he can’t swim. Who cares if he doesn’t catch frisbees? He’s a great tracker and an excellent hide-and-seek strategist. Unlike his human counterparts, Roo doesn’t sit around worrying about the things he can’t do. He simply dives into the things he’s great at with gusto and enthusiasm. If he were to offer advice, I have a feeling he’d say to focus on your strengths and nap through the rest.
7. Stay out of other people’s business. No one likes their ass sniffed. Keep your nose out of other people’s business and you’ll find people are much more relaxed around you.
8. Nobody cares about your fancy collar. Plus, it kinda itches. And you get in trouble if you get too dirty while wearing it. Seriously. Probably the only person who cares about your designer clothes and status bags is you. So, if they make you happy, that’s great. Just don’t expect the rest of the world to fall all over itself.
9. Nothing beats a good kiss. There’s no better way to show affection than with a big, wet kiss. Whether you miss your favorite person or you’re trying to make them feel better, there’s never a bad time to show people you care. Loosen up about showing affection and watch your relationships bloom.
10. There’s nothing better than a sunny day and a good belly rub. Roo’s an expert at enjoying the simple things in life. No fancy cars or designer food for him, just the warm sun, a spot to enjoy it, and a good breeze to sniff. We should all be so lucky as to enjoy such true pleasures.
May 21st, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Love it. I think I can learn a thing or two from your dog and it sounds like it is smarter than I am too!
May 21st, 2008 at 7:57 pm
11. It doesn’t take much to make yourself useful. As I type this comment, my dog is resting her furry little head on my feet. I didn’t realize how cold my tootsies were until she came along a warmed them up.
Great post. As a dog lover, this one really resonated with me. And thanks for the comment on my blog earlier today!
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:50 am
I wanna be a dog!
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras
My dog has taught me so many lessons and all I had to do is observe with an open heart.
-Kathryn Nowosielski
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:58 am
I am such a simple girl, and a bit of a moron too. I forgot to update your new address in my reader and here I’ve been missing all your new posts.
Simple. Moron.
But here I am now, in love with this post!!
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Please don’t turn Denmark into a giant peanut butter factory.
I’m not fond of peanut butter.
Let us (denmark) be a big bacon factory.
Mmmm bacon….
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Thanks for the comments, everybody! Roo has assured me that he will take a bacon factory under advisement. Following a nap, of course.
May 24th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Awww…I miss my dog! I’m in Australia on scholarship doing my PhD, but I’m from Canada originally and had to leave my dog…I miss her very much and your post rings true in every sense!
May 24th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Love it. I have two just like yours. They teach me something new everyday - especially how to love unconditionally and with gusto.
May 25th, 2008 at 2:03 am
Brilliant advice Roo. Thanks for that. Actually, I’m feeling kinda sleepy now, might go for a nap!
May 25th, 2008 at 4:35 am
I’m sitting here reading, scratching Maggie Mae’s back. She’s a hound/Lab girl who was horribly abused and neglected for the first 7 years of her life. The things that Roo takes for granted were all new to her and to see her deep appreciation of a comfortable bed, a full bowl of food or gentle attention is wondrous.
Dogs can teach us so much. I wonder if any human would be as forgiving as Maggie? Would they be so willing to let the past go and to embrace the Now and just enjoy life? She thinks I’m wonderful and I think that she is. Its a good way to live.
May 25th, 2008 at 4:48 am
[...] An absolute must-read on Lessons In Simplicity From My Dog [...]
May 27th, 2008 at 5:06 am
[...] The Tao of Roo: Lessons in Simplicity from My Dog [...]
May 27th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I love it, very wise
You learn a lot with your dog, that’s true !
May 29th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Awesome!!! This is pretty much my mutt’s existence and take on like also. I’d always drawn parallels between him and my hubbie (as long as they’re fed, allowed in the car, played with and cuddled every now and then - they’re happy) - but never drawn the parallels to life in general.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
You should call your list: “The Tao of Roo”!
BTW your dog looks like such a sweetheart.
June 1st, 2008 at 6:49 am
Dogs are my favorite people!
June 1st, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Very true, Roo reminds me of an abused Pit Bull that We kept for a while until we found a no kill shelter
June 4th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Unconditional love, loyalty unto death,never ending friendship,…….. my dog.
June 4th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
You got it right. I have a lot to learn from my two dogs, just never managed to put it into words.
If I could post this article on my Choose Adoption Blog, let me know, of course I will link back to this site.
Great Article,
June 6th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Thank you and thanks to your Roo.
My dogs are the same.. but i guess i was too human to look at this wonderful side of their behaviour and nature.
thanks for the Tao.
Cheers.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:39 am
I RUV ROO!
June 6th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Aren’t dogs the greatest!?
June 7th, 2008 at 2:04 am
Love you for saying what you’ve said!
In a few days’ time, I’ll be living just with my two Labs (Hotdog and Honey) [My wife works out of state and my son leaves for college in a couple of weeks' time]. Therefore, your post was very important to this middle-aged man…
s1b
June 8th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
[...] some good advice from a dog named [...]
June 9th, 2008 at 2:33 am
dogs are really cool man thank lol ;0
June 9th, 2008 at 10:56 am
My brother in law sent me this link. He knows that I am about to adopt a new pup. I have one dog left, the youngest of three pets. The other two have passed on. Vinegar, who was my 19 year old Siamese/silver tabby mix with the most unique (and bizarre) personality and Panda, who was my beloved 14 1/2 year old lab/collie/husky/etc mix. If I could clone a dog…she would be the one. Smart, gentle, yet protective, fast as greased lightening in her youth, and dedicated to her people right up to her last breath. Zeus, my remaining little companion is a 12 year old Lhasa Apso. A cunning little fellow but not too “intellectual” (ha ha) Since the passing of the last of his companions some ten months ago there seems rarely a moment that his spirits rise to the energetic, happy, “centre of attention” he strived to be. I realize that he is not young but the change was virtually overnight when Panda passed away. So, after a lot of thinking and researching, and fretting, I found a border collie pup who is joining the pack on June 20th. There are few animals so pure in their relating and their responses as a dog. It would be a much “saner” world if we operated more like dogs do…without the butt sniffing. I am disabled and have been fretting since I agreed to expand the family. Your site has widened my eyes again to the joys and simplicities they share with us. Thanks. I look forward to our new housemate and feel sure that little Zeus will be revived….and so will I.
“Man’s best friend” is actually an understatement. We can learn fathomless amounts from the way dogs deal with each other and with humans. Give Roo a belly rub for me. Take care and keep smiling. Thanks for the “perk up”.
June 9th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I see you liked my suggestion. ;^)
Bill Says:
May 30th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
You should call your list: “The Tao of Roo”!
BTW your dog looks like such a sweetheart.
That’s so cool. Peace,
Bill
June 11th, 2008 at 10:20 am
As an animal lover I agree about doing (most of) what dogs do because they are not worried about bullies at school or getting pummeled tomorrow they just worry about the here and now! I have a cat but I like dogs AND cats and all animals (if you read the begining its obvious) so take roo’s advice (and give that cutie roo a belly rub for me)
June 14th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Sara, I don’t mind adding this one to the list for this month’s groupwrite project - it’s wonderful! Amazing what we can learn from our pets if we just pay attention more.
Thanks for joining us!
(Although… I never would have thought Denmark would make a good peanut butter factory.)
June 16th, 2008 at 5:03 am
[...] The Tao of Roo: Lessons in Simplicity From My Dog, by Sara at On Simplicity [...]
June 16th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Ah, we have much to learn from our dogs! Here’s some bacon for Roo!
June 16th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
[...] The Tao of Roo: Lessons in Simplicity From My Dog, by Sara at On Simplicity [...]
June 16th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Is that a Rhodesian Ridgeback?
Great post, great dog, great dog breed.
-Sam
June 18th, 2008 at 5:01 am
[...] things people have learned from animals at Middle Zone Musings. Robert was kind enough to include The Tao of Roo: Lessons in Simplicity from My Dog even though it was written before the assignment [...]
June 19th, 2008 at 2:17 am
[...] The Tao of Roo: Lessons in Simplicity From My Dog, by Sara at On Simplicity [...]
June 19th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
My best pal is my Border Collie Chip. I so enjoyed your Tao of Roo, which my sister sent to me. My Chip smiles and kisses most of the time, and gives me kisses & doggie-hugs every night before he lays down to rest. He goes an hundred miles an hour even though he’s 5 now. His job in life is to please us, protect us, and love us. He’s the best pet I’ve ever had, and I’ve had several variables with a couple of jerks in the mix. Funny, how each of them are different, with a different personality, a different soul.
Thanks for sharing. Doreen
June 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
We all need a dog just like Roo to teach us such valuable lessons! Thank you for a creative and wonderful article!
Lisa
June 25th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Too cute.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:05 am
[...] to get to me. 101 Things I Love About Dogs had me cracking up and nodding my head in agreement. (Roo is all about sniffing the grass, and it never fails to amuse me.) If the best part of your day is [...]
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:44 am
Roo sounds like quite a character, bless his doggie heart! I agree, they do know when to say no–humans might be the only “animal” that keeps going into uncomfortable and dangerous situations, even when our inner voice says “no”–if only we would learn once and for all.
Amanda
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:10 am
[...] The Tao of Roo: Lessons in Simplicity from My Dog [...]
July 15th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Roo is very cool.
July 20th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
[...] The Tao of Roo: Lessons in Simplicity From My Dog, by Sara at On Simplicity [...]
July 24th, 2008 at 5:46 am
I love this post about Roo! What a great way to start my day - I had a really good belly laugh with each suggestion. Thanks for the inspiration!
August 14th, 2008 at 8:55 am
[...] The Tao of Roo [...]