Tails from the trail and tips on training your human

Lessons from a dog: Dogs are precious creatures and bring infinite joy into the world and our lives. They change many of our lives for the better, helping us see things more clearly ad acknowledging all the good we have in our lives, and opening up our hearts to love and acceptance.

Though we may be the more intelligent beings, dogs can actually teach us a few things in life that are worth learning. Their attitude towards life is worth being inspired by, and maybe all of us should be looking at our dogs and picking up a few things from them. Here are all the lessons that were inspired by dogs to us.

Love without Boundaries

A dog’s love knows no bounds. Dogs love without hesitation, without boundaries, without conditions. That kind of love is hard to find in a selfish world like ours. Many of us humans only love conditionally, and only try to seek our own happiness in the relationships we build. Dogs, on the other hand, love so fully that nothing beyond the object of their love is important to them.

Dogs take whatever love you give them and multiply it by a thousand before giving it back to you, which makes them such good companions to keep around. Be sure that you will never feel alone as long as you have a dog by your side. We must learn to love the same way; fully and truly. We must absorb the love from the world and give it back tenfold. With such love around, nobody need ever be unhappy.

Discipline

Dogs are extremely disciplined and principled creatures. It might take time for you to teach them something, but once they learn the behavior, you will never see them deviating from it (unless there are other issues). Dogs build healthy routines of waking and sleeping, of eating and of exercising. Of course, they need our help in building up habits.

Disciple is one of the most important things in life, and a sure shot ingredient in the recipe for success. If we too adopt the same discipline in life, we might achieve so much more than we thought ourselves capable of.

Exercise Regularly

Exercising regularly is mandatory for both humans and dogs, but dogs definitely take the win here. How many of us actually take the time out of our busy schedules to go for a run or a walk or a swim? Not many. Dogs, on the other hand, realize how important it is to walk and exercise regularly and take absolute delight in them. In fact, they often remind you to take them out if you have forgotten. With a dog in house, a dog parent usually does get more exercise that he would have gotten were he not a dog owner. Dog parent or not, we must always give due important to our health and squeeze a few minutes f exercise in our daily schedule for a healthy and happy life.

Don’t Waste Food

We know that world hunger is a problem. We are aware that many children starve to death in poor countries, where there is no food. We now that people around the world suffer through draughts and famines, and that it takes millions of lives each year. You dog does not have access to the same knowledge and ye he is more careful with his food than we are.

Dogs know never to waste food. Notice that whenever you give your dog food, he always licks his bowl clean, wasting not even a grain of it. We must adopt the same habit. We must never waste food, and always be mindful and grateful for the blessing of food on the table and a full stomach.

Loyalty in Friendships

Loyalty is a dog’s biggest trait. They are not called a man’s best friend for no reason. They have earned that title, and upheld it for centuries. A dog’s loyalty knows no bounds.

Human friendships are often conceited, deceitful and selfish. Though it is natural to feel some of those things sometimes, we must continuously strive to be better in our friendships and relationships. Loyalty is the basis and the foundation of all relationships and we must cultivate that in all the relationships we build around us. Loyalty is a great virtue which will earn you many friends in your life.

Delight in the Nature

Dogs love the outside! There is no better thing to them than being taken outdoors and left to run around, play around and goof around. They love nothing more than to feel the wind in their hair and the sun on their face. The sight of the oceans excites them, and the thought of going hiking in the mountains electrify them. They thrive in nature and they delight in nature. Nature makes them feel alive, free and happy.

The same should also be said of us. We have gotten so used to our unhealthy, sedentary lives, so engrossed in our mobile phones and televisions that we have forgotten what the world outside was like and what it offers us. Leave the couch today and go someplace where you can truly appreciate the nature. Where you can see the beauty in the world that you so mindlessly drive by every day. Feel the happiness that comes from being out in the world. If nature does not make you feel happy, you are doing something wrong.

Dogs know how to prioritize what’s important, but do we? They love and love, and take care of the people and their surroundings, while we do nothing but harm. Look around you; are there any natural spots that are untouched and unharmed by the human existence?

We must come together now to save the planet. One easy way to do that is to donate to organizations that are working to clean up the planet and prolong the life of the earth. Our money could help them save all of us. We owe the planet this much, at the very least.

by Maria A Davidson

We are in business to provide great products for the outdoorsy hikers, campers and their dogs; and to help clean our parks, rivers and oceans for a better planet earth for hikers and their dogs.

Parks Clean

Parks are high-traffic areas in most cities. This means that trash is bound to show up in and around your park and playground.

When discussing ways your family can help clean your local park, don’t overlook a literal cleanup! Picking up trash will make a huge difference in the appearance and vibe of your park. A clean area will encourage others to keep the park pristine. When picking up trash and debris, make sure to wear gloves to protect yourself, and put trash in appropriate receptacles or lawn bags. You can also contact your local trash company to schedule a pickup when you are finished.

Rivers Clean

The storm drain on your street collects the water from your roof, driveway, and sidewalk and funnels it directly in your local lake or river. Nutrients from grass and leaves, pet waste, and fertilizers “enrich” our lakes and streams — feeding algae blooms and harming fish. Chemicals from washing your car in the drive and household chemical spills add up, taking a nasty toll on our favorite swimming areas and fishing spots. Soil can also be picked up by runoff, reducing the clarity of water and hurting fish.

So as you prepare your lawn and garden, here are a few helpful tips to keep our lakes and rivers beautiful and safe for all of us.

Use mulch and vegetation to keep soil from washing away.
Sweep or rake grass and leaves away from street curbs.
Mulch and compost grass clippings and leaves.
Keep paved surfaces to a minimum.
Capture water runoff with a rain garden and rain barrels.
Wash your car on the grass, where the water will get filtered.
Keep chemicals away from storm drains.
Collect your pet’s waste.
Aim your rain-gutter downspouts onto grass.

Beaches Clean (do it for the ocean)

In 2007, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the National Clean Beaches Week Resolution to recognize the value of beaches to the American way of life and the important contributions of beaches to the economy, recreation, and natural environment of the United States.

Clean Beaches Week, celebrated annually July 1-7, offers the perfect opportunity to encourage stewardship and volunteerism along our coastlines. But where do you even begin? Follow these tips to get started.

Identify a clean-up site. Choose a place that needs some TLC, making sure that volunteers can safely access the site. Get permission, if needed, for your clean-up event, perhaps from the local parks agency.
Choose a site coordinator. (That might be you!) A beach clean-up takes a lot of work and needs an organized person to keep everything on track before, during, and after the event.
Visit the site in advance. The coordinator will need to know where to set up a volunteer check-in station, where to leave trash and recyclables, and what area(s) volunteers will clean.
Gather supplies. Depending on your location, you’ll need supplies such as trash bags, a first aid kit, hand sanitizer, wipes, and large coolers of water. You should also provide (or ask volunteers to bring) items such as reusable work/garden gloves, reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and bug spray.
Plan how to handle the recyclables. Reach out to recyclers in your area (and perhaps your community’s solid waste departments) to make arrangements for accepting any glass, plastic, and aluminum that you collect.
Line up event partners. Contact local businesses for donations of drinks, food, and supplies. Ask a local solid waste hauler to donate their services for trash removal.
Plan for handling hazardous waste. Determine how you’ll dispose of any medical and sewage waste you might find. One solution: A wide-mouth container with a tight-fitting lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. Clearly label that it contains hazardous waste.
Get volunteers to help. Recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Create an event on Facebook and ask volunteers to sign up online. This will give you an idea of how many people to expect and will help communicate event details.
Stay safe. Be prepared for a variety of health emergencies, from minor cuts and scrapes to heat stroke.
Take photos! Post pics online to share the success of your event and recognize volunteers for their hard work.