Love Lessons

This article was on msn.com last Friday and all weekend I've been thinking about how true it is - you dog lovers will understand!

Here's the link to the full article: http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/articlematch.aspx?cp-documentid=16947053&gt1=32023

And just to sum it up...
1. The reasurrance of forgiveness: In order to have a successful partnership, letting bygones be bygones is crucial. An inability to get over issues and move ahead is a key roadblock to happiness. If humans could let the little things go as easily as dogs do, their relationships would be better for it.

2. The security of unconditional love: Forbes says that as a rule, when a dog loves his owner, that bond is lasting and real. When it comes to romantic relationships, humans should strive to emulate a dog's focus on what a person really offers in terms of love, kindness and warmth, he advises.

3. The comfort of consistency: In a romantic relationship, consistency can be quite comforting. What's not to love about a partner who is never moody or capricious? ( I will say that it would be boring to be in a relationship with someone who never had a change in their mood BUT I never get tired of seeing how excited Ellie is to see me at the end of the day, or even when I just go get the mail and come right back. There she is, ALWAYS, greeting me with a huge smile and wagging her butt like crazy! I know I can count on that every day, without question, and who wouldn't love to get a similar reaction from their partner each time they walked into a room???)

4. The need to be playful: Forbes notes that most dogs want to have a good time, keeping things light and not so serious all of the time. In police-dog training, Forbes explains, training is balanced with play and fun. "The harder you go at it in a training phase, the more you have to counterbalance it," he says. "It's the same with a relationship — you have to relieve the pressure through play and good times."

5. The importance of effective communication: (PS If this were my list, this would be much higher than #5!) While communicating with your partner is important in a relationship, it's not merely the act of communicating that will ensure your relationship's success, but finding the way to do so that best matches your partner's needs. Essentially, no one person or dog communicates the same way — each individual has a unique style, and taking the time to learn about your partner's needs is the key to a strong bond.

And, because I'm new to the blogging world and not quite sure about reprinting something someone else wrote here is some more info on where you can find this: Chelsea Kaplan's blog, "The Momtourage" can be found at http://www.themomtourage.com/