This is Mac. Handsome boy that he is.
I have a farm. Actually I don't but I feel like I do. I have two dogs, three cats and a bunny named "Bunny" that is so big I swear she is crossed with a Kangaroo. All that is missing is a horse and some chickens and I'd officially have a farm in the suburbs.
My house is relatively small and we all jockey for position. It's bedlam. But it's my bedlam and when it comes down to it I wouldn't have it any other way.
Today I'm going to talk about Mac. Mac is our golden lab/shepherd cross. He's 18 months old and a very sweet boy.
When I think about it I have a lot of similarities to a dog. I would love my day to be made up of sleeping, playing and eating. I like my belly scratched and if you scratch a certain place by my shoulder blade my right leg jumps. But that's where the similarities end. I'm not a fan of drinking from the toilet, eating kibbles or performing a stupid trick to get dessert. And I would never, ever jump into the ice cold ocean to go after a stick, that's just dumb.
Mac on the other hand loves all of those things. Mac almost runs you over getting to the bathroom after hearing the toilet flush. Nothing like fresh cold toilet water to quench your thirst. He is the master of a number of dumb tricks all for a kibble. Cats on the other hand just get the treats they don't have to work for them. They are so superior, but again I digress. Mac thinks nothing of jumping into the ocean after a stick. As a matter of fact it is one of his favorite things to do!
Like most dogs, Mac loves to play. He picks up a remnant of a toy (most of his toys are completely destroyed and he likes it that way) and will either drop the slimy thing on your lap or on the floor by your feet. And then he stares at it. Body tight. Incredible focus. Ready to pounce with any slight movement from you. It can be quite annoying. He does it when you're in the middle of a movie. Typing a blog, or interestingly enough actually working. He is a persistent thing. He will stare at that 1/2 of a ball for 10-15 minutes without flinching. Sometimes he'll gently pick the toy up again and drop it back in your lap, just in case you didn't notice the first ten times. And then back to the stare. He doesn't take his eye off the toy. He doesn't notice the noise around him. Nothing. All focus is on the toy. I used to joke and say "I wish I had his focus." or, "I wish I were that persistent." and after a while I stopped joking about it and actually thinking it.
You see this is what typically happens. He is either told in a firm tone "Mac! No! Now go lie down." to which his shoulders will slump and he'll actually sigh, pick up his toy and sulk away for a while. Or option two - I'll look at him, I sigh, and pick up the toy and throw it. Toss, bring back, drop. Repeat, a hundred thousand times.
The thing is even if he gets rejected, he's back at it a half hour later looking just as perky as he was the first time. And if he does get his way, he's back at it a half hour later looking twice as perky as he was the first time.
Mac is persistent. His focus is amazing. He wants me or anyone else with two legs to play fetch with him. That is his goal. It is his daily goal. It is his life goal. He does not give up. He doesn't take no for an answer. And the thing is he doesn't get his way right away, but he does get it eventually. Oh and before anyone say's poor dog. Trust me Mac is well taken care of. He gets 2 long walks a day. Plays on the beach in the morning with me, afternoon with hubby and night with the family. He has the ball thrown for him a couple times a day by any of us. And when Lauren is home she takes him and the pup out for a jog. Trust me he's spoiled.
In thinking about Mac and his incredible persistence I had to ask myself how often do I give up after rejection or failure? All the time I'm afraid. If I were as persistent as Mac I'd be thin and I'd have an acting and singing career. That's the truth of the matter. Sadly I am consistently inconsistent but I'm working on it. And I learned that from a dog. Go figure.
No matter what you apply it to - whether it's changes to a more natural lifestyle, fulfilling dreams, your family life, marriage, career - be persistent. Have focus. Never take your eye off the prize just like Mac. That's what I'm trying to do. Be more like Mac - except for maybe the toilet bowl thing, and the begging - I don't beg.
You see? You CAN teach an old dog new tricks and my dog taught me.
My house is relatively small and we all jockey for position. It's bedlam. But it's my bedlam and when it comes down to it I wouldn't have it any other way.
Today I'm going to talk about Mac. Mac is our golden lab/shepherd cross. He's 18 months old and a very sweet boy.
When I think about it I have a lot of similarities to a dog. I would love my day to be made up of sleeping, playing and eating. I like my belly scratched and if you scratch a certain place by my shoulder blade my right leg jumps. But that's where the similarities end. I'm not a fan of drinking from the toilet, eating kibbles or performing a stupid trick to get dessert. And I would never, ever jump into the ice cold ocean to go after a stick, that's just dumb.
Mac on the other hand loves all of those things. Mac almost runs you over getting to the bathroom after hearing the toilet flush. Nothing like fresh cold toilet water to quench your thirst. He is the master of a number of dumb tricks all for a kibble. Cats on the other hand just get the treats they don't have to work for them. They are so superior, but again I digress. Mac thinks nothing of jumping into the ocean after a stick. As a matter of fact it is one of his favorite things to do!
Like most dogs, Mac loves to play. He picks up a remnant of a toy (most of his toys are completely destroyed and he likes it that way) and will either drop the slimy thing on your lap or on the floor by your feet. And then he stares at it. Body tight. Incredible focus. Ready to pounce with any slight movement from you. It can be quite annoying. He does it when you're in the middle of a movie. Typing a blog, or interestingly enough actually working. He is a persistent thing. He will stare at that 1/2 of a ball for 10-15 minutes without flinching. Sometimes he'll gently pick the toy up again and drop it back in your lap, just in case you didn't notice the first ten times. And then back to the stare. He doesn't take his eye off the toy. He doesn't notice the noise around him. Nothing. All focus is on the toy. I used to joke and say "I wish I had his focus." or, "I wish I were that persistent." and after a while I stopped joking about it and actually thinking it.
You see this is what typically happens. He is either told in a firm tone "Mac! No! Now go lie down." to which his shoulders will slump and he'll actually sigh, pick up his toy and sulk away for a while. Or option two - I'll look at him, I sigh, and pick up the toy and throw it. Toss, bring back, drop. Repeat, a hundred thousand times.
The thing is even if he gets rejected, he's back at it a half hour later looking just as perky as he was the first time. And if he does get his way, he's back at it a half hour later looking twice as perky as he was the first time.
Mac is persistent. His focus is amazing. He wants me or anyone else with two legs to play fetch with him. That is his goal. It is his daily goal. It is his life goal. He does not give up. He doesn't take no for an answer. And the thing is he doesn't get his way right away, but he does get it eventually. Oh and before anyone say's poor dog. Trust me Mac is well taken care of. He gets 2 long walks a day. Plays on the beach in the morning with me, afternoon with hubby and night with the family. He has the ball thrown for him a couple times a day by any of us. And when Lauren is home she takes him and the pup out for a jog. Trust me he's spoiled.
In thinking about Mac and his incredible persistence I had to ask myself how often do I give up after rejection or failure? All the time I'm afraid. If I were as persistent as Mac I'd be thin and I'd have an acting and singing career. That's the truth of the matter. Sadly I am consistently inconsistent but I'm working on it. And I learned that from a dog. Go figure.
No matter what you apply it to - whether it's changes to a more natural lifestyle, fulfilling dreams, your family life, marriage, career - be persistent. Have focus. Never take your eye off the prize just like Mac. That's what I'm trying to do. Be more like Mac - except for maybe the toilet bowl thing, and the begging - I don't beg.
You see? You CAN teach an old dog new tricks and my dog taught me.
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