A blog post by Clutch, the very wise Yorkie
If you pay close attention to a Yorkie, you can learn a lot. We Yorkies are very wise. I’d like to share with you 10 things you can learn from me. As you ponder these things and try them out, you’ll learn how to live the good life, Yorkie style.
1. Stay fully present in each moment. Don’t rush through the day. Focus on what’s right in front of you, and learn to appreciate and enjoy it. I do this with flowers, scents, and snacks!
2. Enjoy a good nap. A nap solves all kinds of problems. If you’re feeling crabby, you need a nap. If you’re confused, a nap will clear your mind. I take naps throughout the day, and when I wake up, I get to experience a fun, new adventure till the next nap.
3. Speak up when you need something. We Yorkies learn this from our Yorkie parents. If you need something, make a noise. Now, human pet parents might not agree with how often we use this one. But eventually it works, every time.
4. Be ready to forgive. Miss Janet annoys me sometimes. We disagree on something, and she pouts. Eventually, she apologizes to me, and I forgive her. There is no point in holding a grudge. The sooner I forgive her, the sooner I get to enjoy cool things like snacks and snuggles.
5. Mealtime is a celebration. Miss Janet went to see a theater show about a dog who sang about “Suppertime.” She told me all about it, and I think it’s great! I celebrate mealtime twice a day. When Miss Janet puts my bag of food on the counter, I jump up and down. It’s so exciting. Everyone should celebrate mealtime.
6. Be kind to yourself and others. As a Yorkie, I am very empathetic. I get concerned when people around me are sad. I want to help them feel better. So, I try to be very kind.
However, if I’m irritated, I won’t be so kind, at least not right away. That’s why I have to be kind to myself first, by taking naps and enjoying my day. Then I’m ready to be kind to everyone around me, even those loud sheep outside.
7. Good friends are important. I have lots of friends. Human friends, dog friends, other animal friends on the farm where I live. I get very excited to see my friends. They are fun, and for the most part, they like me. (I’m still not sure how those sheep feel about me. They always greet me, though.) I think friends are a very important part of life, so be sure to hang out with your friends.
8. Spend time in nature. I love being outside. There’s so much to see in nature. And it’s relaxing. Walking in nature makes you healthy. That’s why I beg Miss Janet so often to go for a walk outside. It’s good for both of us. Don’t just run around outside really quickly. Take your time and enjoy all that wonderful nature around you.
9. Try not to blame others. I admit I get tripped up on this one. I do blame Miss Janet for some things, like for the rain and for wanting to sleep late some days. But then I realize she is doing the best she can. So, I try to be understanding and try not to blame.
To quote the movie, Facing the Giants, which Miss Janet has watched a lot, “You can’t judge others by their actions and yourself by your intentions.”
10. Wag your tail with joy as often as you can. Miss Janet says she loves watching me wag my tail. It makes her smile. Do I use that to my advantage? Of course I do. You can get lots of snacks and snuggles out of a good tail wag.
But wagging your tail also feels joyful. It’ll make you happy and make everyone around you happy. So remember to wag your tail with joy every day. It’ll help make the world around you a better place.
Happy Tails,
Clutch
The Inquisitive Yorkie 