June 26, 2026 | Read Online​

Seven Lessons I’ve Learned as a Dog Dad

We adopted a second dog, Kiki, last fall. She’s 60 pounds of exuberance in motion. Taco, our Brittany, is eleven years old. We felt it was time to give him a companion and us a transition. I went to the bookstore to get a book on dog training (it’s been a while) and left with two volumes of dog poetry.

Maybe I won’t have a better dog. Maybe the dog will have a better owner.

Father’s Day, I took them both to the neighborhood dog park and mused on some lessons they’ve taught me.

1. Love Unconditionally – There is nothing like coming home to your dog. Taco has a bobbed tail, but it wags like a runaway metronome. After a day at the office, it’s like I’ve returned from a foreign war.
   My favorite coffee mug reads: “Be the person your dog thinks you are.” The irony is that our dogs love us completely and exactly as we are.
2. Live in the Moment – With no paw phones to distract them, no past regrets to haunt them, and no future dreams to chase, dogs live life fully present. Kiki and Taco have inventoried every speck of our backyard. They are on a first-name basis with every tree, shrub, blade of grass. For every scent we notice, their snouts pick up thousands more. The corner fire hydrant is like the Sunday olfactory edition of the New York Times. It’s amazing what we miss as we scurry through our days.
3. Play Every Day – In the absence of a toy, Kiki will still happily chase her own tail. She has a yellow squeaker she tosses in the air and catches before galloping around the house. What’s the human version of the zoomies? Whatever it is, it is some distillation of joy.
4. Find Your Pack – To my consternation and delight, both dogs sleep with us. Taco will cuddle for a few minutes while we read, then retreat to his bed under the window. Kiki takes up residence between our feet. We are a pack. We belong together. Your pack is where you feel safe and loved.
5. Take Naps – Between work, food, walks, and play, there are naps. Lots of them. Long car ride? Stick your head out the window for a while and then nap. Nothing to do on Sunday afternoon? Nap. Naps punctuate every sentence of their day. No wonder they’re so happy.
6. Wag Your Tail – Let the world know you're happy. Let strangers know you’re friendly. Excitement isn’t just in our heads – it’s visceral.
7. Anyone Can Heal and Have a Home – Kiki is a rescue. She clearly spent some rough nights on the streets. She has scars on her face and probably a few on her heart. When she first went to the dog park, she made herself small, tail tucked. She’d hang close to my legs. Fearful. Every trip since, she has grown more confident and adventurous.

A tough start in life doesn’t determine your future. We’re all, in our unique ways, rescues. Friends, family, and a home are out there waiting for us all.

One question to ponder in your thinking time: Who in my life is healing from a rough start, and how could I be part of their pack?

Make an Impact!
Jay Papasan
Author | CEO | Coach

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