“Chaos was the law of nature;
Order was the dream of man.
Chaos often breeds life,
when order breeds habit.”

— Henry Adams

More than one dog is a pack. I have five smaller dogs, 4 French Bulldogs and an English Bulldog. They have been given a nickname at doggie daycare  “Team Chaos”.

My little tribe is not aggressive, but fiercely loyal to me and each other. They enthusiastically greet any new two-footed or four-footed friends. They are pure love and can be a pack of energy that when they move together can be overwhelming as well.

Three of them are just coming up on their one-year birthdays.

These many dogs need a competent, confident, and loving Alpha leader. Big Boy and Buddha Bear taught me to be the firm, fair, never forceful, consistent leader of the pack.

There are so many parallels between building trust and a relationship with animals and how we want to be treated in our human relations.

Oh, how I wish that all my human relations were supported by the unconditional love, loyalty, and positive regard that my dogs greet me with all day long. Our mornings start with quiet greetings, rubs, and cuddles. It sets me on a positive track for the rest of the day.

I am an early riser. The dogs too have rituals and routines. I notice that they can slow me down and contribute to my becoming more present. I am not talking to myself in our remote working conditions, I am talking to my dogs. They are good for one’s mental health.

Crook, the senior Frenchie, likes to supervise Zoom calls. Minster, his sidekick from a different litter is currently distracted by the wooing of the two young Frenchie girls. The wrinkled English Bulldog, Winston, is the embodiment of loyalty. He was the dog nanny to the two little Frenchie sisters. Loves his older brothers. And is never more than three feet from my side.

When Team Chaos is dropped off at doggie daycare, the little girls go off to chase the big dogs, Minster chases after them. Crook acts like an old man and moves from doggie bed to doggie bed looking for the perfect snooze spot.  Winston runs to greet each of the handlers. He is a people dog. He will snuggle you until you tell him that he is your favorite. He especially loves male bald heads for licking and the laughter that ensues.

If only we entered every meeting or introduction with the same exuberance, open-heartedness, and absence of judgment.

I take my inspiration from these natural teachers.

They like to work as well. All of my dogs have asked to be service dogs. Buddha Bear came with me on client visits. He was always able to reach someone who my efforts could not. Crook now wants this position. With Minster at his side, they have sat in performance reviews, strategic planning, and coaching. The dogs love road trips and staying in a hotel or friend’s home.

They remind me to stop, eat, walk, laugh, and cause me to care for myself as I care for them.

Have they also complicated my life? Yes!

It is a complication that I embrace. This pack of mine enriches my life, contributes to my well-being, and helps to make me the best version of me.

• Do you have a human pack or animal pack that keeps you on your toes and contributes to your life and learning?

Leslie

“I hope to be as good as my dogs already think I am.”

— Anonymous