You know, I think a person can learn a lot about people from dogs. Often times, canine behavior closely mirrors our own. Allow me to provide an example.
We have two dogs: Jasmine (Jaz) - a 70 lb. Retriever/Pointer mix and Lily - a 15 lb. Dachshund/Xolo mix. As is common with dachshunds, if we allowed it, Lily would gorge herself. The way she eats you'd think she was a Saint Bernard!! Jaz, on the other hand, eats more like a Collie. She eats her food gingerly and doesn't like to eat when anyone is within 10-20 feet of her.
When feeding time comes around, I serve Lily first. I want to get her focused on wolfing down her allotment so she won't go into the other room to discombobulate Jasmine. But for all my careful planning, it rarely works out the way intended. Why, you ask. Because both dogs want to see what the other is eating!
Mind you, they are both eating the same thing. The only difference is in the amount each receives. Since Jaz is far bigger, she receives a much larger portion. Lily receives far less because she only weighs 15 lbs. and we want to keep it that way!
Once I have convinced each dog (convincing Lily involves picking her up to take her back into the kitchen) to eat from their own dish, I still have to stand guard to ensure Lily doesn't try an end run.
People are much the same. We often don't know how to feel about things until we can size up other people's reactions. If others are envious or express congratulations, then we feel good about what we have. If others scoff or pooh-pooh our possessions or relationships, we no longer feel so good about them.
We all behave this way to some degree. We peek to see what our family, friends and neighbors have in order to better judge what we have or don't have. Even a certified nonconformist like me engages in this type of behavior -- the main difference is that I flip things around! When others are envious or express congratulations, then I decide to eschew what I initially thought was good. When others scoff or make negative comments, then I embrace the object of their scorn. :-)
I wonder what my dogs are up to now?
We have two dogs: Jasmine (Jaz) - a 70 lb. Retriever/Pointer mix and Lily - a 15 lb. Dachshund/Xolo mix. As is common with dachshunds, if we allowed it, Lily would gorge herself. The way she eats you'd think she was a Saint Bernard!! Jaz, on the other hand, eats more like a Collie. She eats her food gingerly and doesn't like to eat when anyone is within 10-20 feet of her.
When feeding time comes around, I serve Lily first. I want to get her focused on wolfing down her allotment so she won't go into the other room to discombobulate Jasmine. But for all my careful planning, it rarely works out the way intended. Why, you ask. Because both dogs want to see what the other is eating!
Mind you, they are both eating the same thing. The only difference is in the amount each receives. Since Jaz is far bigger, she receives a much larger portion. Lily receives far less because she only weighs 15 lbs. and we want to keep it that way!
Once I have convinced each dog (convincing Lily involves picking her up to take her back into the kitchen) to eat from their own dish, I still have to stand guard to ensure Lily doesn't try an end run.
People are much the same. We often don't know how to feel about things until we can size up other people's reactions. If others are envious or express congratulations, then we feel good about what we have. If others scoff or pooh-pooh our possessions or relationships, we no longer feel so good about them.
We all behave this way to some degree. We peek to see what our family, friends and neighbors have in order to better judge what we have or don't have. Even a certified nonconformist like me engages in this type of behavior -- the main difference is that I flip things around! When others are envious or express congratulations, then I decide to eschew what I initially thought was good. When others scoff or make negative comments, then I embrace the object of their scorn. :-)
I wonder what my dogs are up to now?
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