LINKS  Purrs 'n Wags  The Scoop  Spot Light  FAQs    SEARCH OUR SITE    Home About Us What to Expect We Love Referrals Who'll Feed Fluffy? Contact Us How Old Dogs Taught Me New Tricks by Leigh Anne Jasheway We can learn a lot about living from our canine friends. The dogs in my life have taught me most of what I know. Copper and Slate were my first floppy-eared companions; they were dachshund brothers who both lived to a healthy old age and, in so doing, educated me on the best ways of approach aging. These are some of the new tricks I learned from my old dogs. No matter what your age, you'll feel younger if you calculate it in dog years. A little extra floppy skin around your neck is nothing to worry about unless it's loose enough to step on. Even if you've never caught a squirrel in an entire lifetime of trying, as long as you believe you might, you'll have a reason to get up every morning. There's almost no problem in life that doesn't improve with a few kisses and a pat on the head. A full-body massage doesn't hurt either. When life takes away your pleasures, find other pleasures. Sulking is for cats. Some bones are meant to be buried and forgotten. Some are meant to be savored with relish. It takes years of practice to be able to sniff out the difference. If you need help getting up on the sofa or going for a walk and someone wants to help you, let her. Don't think of it as being needy - think of it as fulfilling someone else's wish to be needed. It's always much nicer to snuggle up next to a soft, squishy body than one that is rock heard. Obedience is highly overrated. Practice not doing what anyone-including yourself-expects. Life is better when you run off=leash. Even if you no longer burn up the track. A loyal friend will accept you no matter how gray your muzzle, bad you breath, or nasty the reputation of the dog that just romped through the park with you. It's better to bark at nothing than to stifle your feelings. A ride in the car with all the windows down on a warm day will always pick up your spirits. Unless you're going to the vet to get fixed. Reprinted with permission from Reader's Digest New Choices magazine (www.newchoices.com). Copyright 2001.