What did your dog teach you about being a dad?

In honor of Father’s Day, I reached out to four dog-loving dads and asked them what their dogs have taught them about being a father.

It turns out, we can all learn a lot from our dogs, whether we are parents or not. They teach us about patience, living in the moment and appreciating what life has to offer.

Here’s what four dads had to say about raising dogs and kids:

Stephen Williams, Utah 

 “I was lucky enough to have a dog on my own many years before getting married and having kids. The two most important things he taught me are patience, and that all the effort is worth it.”

Williams works with Best Friends Animal Society. (bestfriends.org) His dog Gandalf passed away in May 2015.

Garry MacDonald, Washington 

 “Dogs and young children love unconditionally. They aren’t affected by gender, intelligence, size, shape, athletic ability or sexual orientation. Fathers should aspire to this level of love and acceptance of their children.

“As we age and lose our innocence, we sometimes forget how to spend every day enjoying life. My dogs are a constant reminder that it doesn’t have anything to do with age or circumstances and everything to do with attitude.”

MacDonald fosters pets for Motley Zoo Animal Rescue. (motleyzoo.org)

 Rick Park, Washington

“My relationship with my dog has advanced to the point where I trust him to be in the yard without a leash, no fence either. We consistently taught him key principles that keep him within our yard’s boundaries. A powerful analogy for raising my kids – drive home consistent principles and they’ll do the right thing.”

Park fosters pets for Motley Zoo Animal Rescue.

Michael Hand, Utah

“I would say that my dogs have taught me about perspective. When our dogs have done things we didn’t like or that frustrated us, it was always helpful to look at it from their point of view.

“Like, ‘Hey, you left that sandwich there and I’m going to eat it because, you know, I’m a dog.’

“It’s easy to apply that style of thinking to young children. Like, ‘Hey, Dad, if you didn’t want me to cram my toys into your guitar, you shouldn’t have left it leaning against the couch because, you know, I’m a kid.'”

Hand works with Best Friends Animal Society.

How about the rest of you? 

I don’t have kids, but my Lab mix Ace has taught me about the importance of making time for those who are most important in my life, no matter how busy my schedule becomes. Daily walks with my dog are an important start to my day because they make me pause and think about who and what matters most.

How about you? What has your dog or cat taught you about being a parent or about life in general?