Doggone life lessons

There are a few things I learned in 2007 that maybe I didn't know before the year started.

Some may be more important than others, but I think some of the most valuable lessons this year — at least for me — have come from my dog.

I had never had a dog before Molly. She's about 8 months old now and so we've spent a fair amount of time together. Most of which has been me learning how to best potty train her and teach her to not bark at the cat.

However, the most valuable of all lessons are what I've observed while watching her.

Lesson number one: Happiness is a pair of child's gloves or hat.

It's not like she actually steals the items off the child. You see there's this playground I take her to often and just about every time some unfortunate child has left behind some article of clothing.

Never mind that I've brought along a ball to play fetch. Molly would much rather pick up said hat in her mouth and shake it around. She continues until she's determined its good and shook up.

Then she runs around the field in random circles. Without any care in the world she runs here and there — carrying the hat as if she's found a very expensive treasure.

Often she picks up one glove, does her ritual and deposits it in a new location, only to return for the other glove. The pair don't always end up back together again.

So, maybe sometimes it's important to find happiness in the little things.

Lesson number two: Sleeping in until noon is a necessary part of life.

I generally tend to be a morning person. Sure, on weekends I like to sleep in some, but I figure why waste the day away in bed. Get up. Do something.

But Molly would rather just take a pass on the morning. When I wake I usually pat her on the head and say good morning. Her response is to blink at me, stagger to her feet like a dog who's had a little too much to drink, stretch and then lie down again.

Sometimes she might make it to the couch or a new spot on the floor. But she definitely has no intention of going anywhere too fast or too soon.

I guess she figures there's no point in getting up before the children have gone to the playground to lose their gloves.

So sometimes its important to just relax.

Lesson number three: Sometimes it's OK to do tricks for treats.

There's nothing that gets Molly more excited than saying the word treat. Her listening skills need a little work. Like getting her to come to you unless she really wants to is a bit of a challenge.

But if you ask "do you want a treat?" She's there without any hesitation.

She'll like nothing better to sit and lie down for a treat, too. Even jump up for one. We're still working on shake and stay, but once she connects the treat to the actual silly trick she must do she'll never refuse either command.

I guess sometimes its a good thing to do something that seems silly or uninteresting if there's a greater reward involved.

Now that the New Year has started there are 12 months ahead to learn even more — hopefully for both of us.

Heidi Desch is the reporter for the Hungry Horse News.