Thirteen Life Lessons I Learned From My Dog - Simba; 8DEC96 - 13JUN12

I learned a lot from my dog, Simba, during his 15 1/2 years with me (December 8, 1996 to June 13, 2012). I’m sure I would have learned more had I paid attention to every nuance he tried to convey. Still, I feel lucky to have had, and learned from, such a faithful and loyal companion.

Some of the things he taught me:

Run after things you want, otherwise someone else might get them first.

You’ll never be disciplined for having lots of good clean fun.

Don’t bite. Sometimes it leaves a bad taste in your mouth—especially when it’s a bee.

If you leave your yard, make sure you know where you're going. Not having a purpose will leave you lost for a long time.

Aimlessly following someone else in your pack, instead of making your own decisions, just might take you on a path that leads to pain - like having sand burrs stuck to your face, your body, and in between your toes.

Treat others with respect; they’ll like you much better, and want to be with you more often.

Being social wins you more friends and keeps you from getting bitten.

Being mean will have the pack putting you in your place.

If you stick your nose where you're not supposed to, the next time you do it, you just might wish you hadn't (since you might find a mousetrap waiting for you in what's left of the dinner on top of the stove).

Hang out with others who want to have the same good clean fun as you do.

Sometimes just being there is more important than barking.

Treat others as if it’s their last day to live. That way you’ll never regret what you’ve said and done.

Say all the nice things you are thinking. You may not get a chance to do it tomorrow.