When you get home from work, your dog bounds up to you with their tongue hanging from their mouth – seemingly full of uninhibited joy and affection. What’s their secret? Is there any advice from dogs we can use for that same joy? Here is some advice from dogs, your dog might give you (if they could talk):

1. Don’t be too Self-Conscious

Your pup sees you spending hours in front of the mirror, frowning over your figure and making those puzzling expressions at yourself while putting on makeup.

How can you possibly enjoy life when you are that worried about how you look? Sometimes, it’s super fun to put together an extra-polished outfit, but don’t agonize over it, they would say.

2. Jump in and be Social

Your dog’s joyful energy is so strong it can probably be felt in the next township. They can’t imagine feeling withdrawn or inhibited around others because they are a true extrovert. If they saw you feeling shy, they’d be confused. Why are you hiding your wonderful self from these people?

3. It’s Okay to Relax on Your Own, Too

Even your dog isn’t always eager to hang out. They like time to reflect on their sharp observations of the world and hone their deep analyses of canine society.

Your dog knows you shouldn’t always expect yourself to want to be social. If you don’t feel like going out in public, there’s usually a good reason. Listen to yourself and respect your own inclinations. Or, as your pup might put it, go with your instincts.

4. Be a Morning Person

Your dog’s favorite time of day is probably the morning. They like to seize the day, bright and early, sometimes to your chagrin.

If they saw you lazing around in bed until noon, they might have a few pieces of unsolicited advice. The morning is the best part of the day, they would say. Why would you waste that bright sunshine to sleep?! How boring. Play outside with me.

5. Life is Short, Eat What You Want

Your pup usually does exactly what they want, and this extends to eating. In this world of gas station fast food and all-you-can-eat buffets, eating is a little more complicated for humans.

So how about this, your dog says. Just eat when you are hungry. That’s what they do. Why would they eat when they’re not hungry? And, if you just eat when you’re hungry, you can eat whatever the heck you feel like without worrying about the repercussions. Also, your dog thinks you’re beautiful, so don’t worry about that.

6. Unplug and Get Outside

Your dog is so confused when they see you moping around the house staring at screens. How could that be more important than playing outside?

Here is their advice on the matter: really evaluate how much screen time you need. Discard the rest. Then, play with them. Maybe teach them how to play frisbee.

We love our dogs and they return the sentiment; perhaps we can learn a few life lessons from them too.