Conversations with a Mako

My mom named me after the Mako shark family. She could not decide between species since I have identical characteristics of both. I am incredibly fast, and I can become airborne at any moment. I am a food fanatic and never miss a meal. I am a rare breed and essentially endangered. Honestly, the resemblance is uncanny. Although Mako sharks describe me perfectly, I like to think my mom named me Mako because they are her favorite shark and I am her favorite dog.

The reasons why I am my mom’s favorite are obvious if you ask me. I take her for walks every day and show her all the nice smelling flowers before I mark them for my future memory. I am also chief editor for all her writing projects as well as advise her on future project ideas. Most importantly though, I show her my perspective on life and teach her something new every day. Everyone needs to live like a dog more often.

Humans spend too much time focusing on things that do not matter. As a dog, you see the world for what it is. There are not enough years to be worried about what you look like, what job you have, or how many items you accumulate over your lifetime. As a dog, you know the most important thing is to be a good dog. This means you do everything you can to make the world a better place. By showing unconditional love, mindfulness, gratitude, and adventure like dogs show, all humans in life will become their best self.

Unconditional love sometimes goes unknown in humans until they meet their dog. As dogs, we will love our humans without waiting for anything in return. Dogs do not just love humans unconditionally. We also love our fluffy brethren whenever we can. By taking a step back and applying the love dogs teach to other humans, more humans would make the world so much better.

Dogs teach mindfulness in so many ways. Humans sometimes worry about why their boss has not replied to an email or worry about what food they will buy at the grocery store. In almost no time, the human becomes worked up worrying about things that are out of their control and fail to notice the world around them. As a dog, we live in the moment. When we go for walks we recognize how amazing it is to walk with our favorite person. We smell all the flowers and shrubs and take time to slow the human down to notice the small things.

Gratitude sometimes goes forgotten in humans. Some humans are not grateful of the wonderful things they have right in front of them. They focus on what they don’t have instead of remembering the amazing things they have and worked hard for now. The excited zoomies dogs show as if it was the first time food has ever been presented or it is the first walk we have ever taken should be a reminder for the humans to take a step back and appreciate everything now.

Uncertainty can be intimidating. Another lesson dogs aim to teach is to become comfortable in uncertainty. We do this through embracing adventure. Anything can be an adventure if you make it one. A quick trip to Starbucks for my human to get her coffee before work is an opportunity for me to smell new smells and meet new people (and get a pupachino). Life is too short and can end at any moment, so there is no reason why you should not enjoy every opportunity to.

These are just a few lessons dogs teach humans every day. I hope you take a second to step back and recognize the love you have received and given, the milestones you have achieved, the small things you have taken time to appreciate, and the unknown moments you have gotten through. I may only be three years old, but if you do consider me a Mako like my mom, I am technically 60 million years old. Go out into the world and live more like a dog.