There are many folks who have moved the blind movement forward over the years; however, the champions with no voices are the more than eight thousand amazing guide dogs that serve blind people all over the USA on a daily basis without regard for themselves.

Guide dogs gently guide around obstacles, through traffic, through piles of snow, and walk through the pouring rain to get their owner safely to their destination. Never balking, all they want in return is a “good girl,” and a gentle loving pat on the top of their heads or behind their soft ears. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could follow our guide dog’s example and never complain, face challenges, boldly walk forward into the unknown, serve others with unconditional love, and work for positive praise and treats?

Seems like us humans want to lie down, take a nap, growl at others, gobble up all the food, fight with other dogs, and bark just to hear our own voices.

I once read a book entitled, Don’t Shoot the Dog, The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor. In it, Karen spoke about how we all should treat our friends, family members, and coworkers like we treat our dogs. When we greet someone we should (metaphorically speaking) wag our tails, get excited, jump up and down, and lick their faces. In other words, act like we haven’t seen them for years. Anyone who has ever gone somewhere, even if for five minutes, knows that when they return, their dog is going to greet them as though they’ve been gone for a lifetime.

Karen Pryor went on to say that when someone acts badly, we should scold them, “bad dog”, set boundaries, tell them to “go to their place”, and take their treats away. We need to control our doggie behaviors and learn how to play nicely with other dogs.

In a world that feels out of control and full of angry dogs, what if we took matters into our own hands and passed a little love and kindness forward? What if we treated others like we do our furry friends? Guide dogs have much to teach us. I challenge you to follow their lead and gently move forward into new challenges with eagerness, joy, compassion, and love. When an opportunity arises to try something new or go somewhere unfamiliar, wag your tail and say “Yes!” When you face an obstacle, propel yourself forward with eagerness to find a creative solution. Ever enthusiastic, greet life and people like it’s the first time you’ve seen them! In this way, you will change the way you see, and change the way you live.