Dogs Can’t Do Math By Darlene Braden People make meanings to situations quickly and easily. For example, if your boss walks by you and doesn’t say “Hi,” you may think, “Oh, they don’t like me.” If a coworker is late to a lunch date, you may make it mean that they: a) don’t care about you, b) are inconsiderate or c) you are not important to them. In addition, people use meaning equations, similar to math equations, to attach a situation or feeling to a meaning. For example: I am fat = I’m not acceptable = I’m useless = I don’t exist. In another example: I am afraid of making sales calls = I won’t make money = I am a failure = I am incapable = I’m worthless = I don’t deserve to survive = I don’t exist. Most limiting beliefs eventually equate with death or non-existence. No wonder the limiting belief of being unlovable is so drastically painful. It is not your life that causes prob¬lems; it is the meanings you create in your life that causes problems. People make meaning equations constantly and continually from every conversation they have, everyone they meet, things that happen around them and things that don’t happen. People form their own perceptions and perspective all day long as though their way of thinking is a tangible reality. Modeling others that are successful is a great way to learn. Have you ever thought of mod¬eling your dog? If you have a dog you will realize that they simply do not place meanings to objects or events. They don’t know the meaning of the word “why.” They never ask, “Why did you set me down? Why did you put me in the laundry room? Why can’t I go with you?” They just accept what “is” even though they may think, “I want to stay on your lap. I don’t want to go in the bathroom. I want to go with you.” But they don’t ask “why.” Here is an example of a day with my dogs. We have two dogs, a Cocker Spaniel and a Maltese. When we go on vacation we take the dogs, of course. Beau is the Maltese, and he is really just like a 4-pound mouse with long, white hair. He is a wimp and I like to take him in my little doggy purse wher¬ever we go. Lacey is a bigger dog, very stalwart and hardy at about 25 pounds. Sometimes when we go, we take Beau and leave Lacey in the hotel or washroom in the condominiums. I started to feel bad about Lacey’s abandoned feelings. I imag¬ined that she felt sad because Beau got to go with us and she had to stay behind. Then it occurred to me that Lacey ac¬tually didn’t understand the same way a human would. As I contemplated the situation more, I realized that maybe Lacey was actually pretty smart because she didn’t attach the meaning of feeling bad that Beau got to go and she didn’t. The actual meaning she makes is: “I am alone in the washroom.” Period! Here is another example. Beau can’t eat table food be¬cause he will just throw it up. So when we give table food to Lacey and not Beau, what meaning does Beau make? The meaning is simple: “I want food and I’m not getting any.” Contrary to human be¬liefs, he is not making it mean that we like Lacey better. We humanize our dogs and imagine that they think as humans do. They don’t. They are only classically conditioned to paired stimuli. They connect two things together like the command “sit” with “get a treat” or “come here and get petted.” They pair the two activities without attaching any meaning. When they poop, they get put outside. Soon they are trained to choose their behaviors with the attached outcome. But they never reason “why.” This is why dogs always forgive so easily and love unconditionally. They are 100 per¬cent in the present moment. They don’t create any meanings to situations and never ask why. Wow. The lesson here is to act like your dog. Dogs don’t want to know about every other dog you’ve had. Dogs are more excited to see you the longer you are gone and dogs never expect gifts. How can you learn to be more like your dog instead of going through long equations? What if you just started accepting what “is” and saying “oh” more often? Chances are that the equations you make now are just unnecessary mind chatter. Be more like your dog and man’s best friend.
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