It has always pleased me that dog spelled backwards is God. I’m not saying that I believe that dogs are God, but I do believe that well balanced, happy dogs exhibit the fruits of the spirit that the apostle Paul writes about in Galatians.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
-Galatians 5:22-23, Bible - New International Version

Any dog owner will tell you that you get more love from your dog than you will ever deserve. A dog is a pack animal and since domesticated has worked well with humans as his pack leader, and by the way, a human should always be the pack leader for the dog to work well in the human environment. As a follower, your dog will want to please and appease you, providing you with a never ending source of agape love.

As for exhibiting joy, I see it in my dog’s eyes every time we play tug-of-war, catch, and give treats. Even the mention of the word “Walk?” brings on unbridled joy!

Have you ever watched your dog sleep? Or even better, let your dog fall asleep on your lap (provided he’s small enough!)? It is like the peaceful sleep of a newborn baby and it puts my mind at peace just thinking about it.

Dogs, like humans, may need to be taught patience but it seems to me that they learn it easier. I think it goes back to the love and trust they put in us as their pack leaders. They understand that if we ask them to wait, the reward will come. Why can’t I learn that lesson once and for all?

A well balanced dog will always treat others kindly. I have witnessed our Border Terrier, Rosie, comfort a sick kitten. It is always thrilling to see dogs with patients at hospitals and assisted living homes. I recently read about a Golden Retriever visiting an older woman who was dying. She kept saying that she was cold and he gently climbed up on the bed and lay next to her without any prompting. With a smile, her last words were, “Oh, he’s so warm.”

Dogs are born good. Only people create bad dogs.

It’s not surprising that the word faithful is most associated with the word dog. Dogs are considered to be the most faithful of friends. There are many stories of dogs refusing to leave their owners when they are in danger, or of risking their life to save their owner.

How did Rosie know to be gentle with our sick kitten? How did the sweet Golden Retriever know to gently climb up on the bed with the dying woman to warm her? The owner said it was something the dog had never done before and really was never allowed to do. Most dogs seem to know when gentleness is required instinctively. It is beautiful to watch and experience.

Finally, the most difficult of the fruits of the spirit for most people is self control. This can be difficult for dogs as well, but once again, well balanced dogs in a healthy pack, be it wild or human, seem to have no problem with it. In the wild, the pack will not even think about eating until their leader has finished. I believe that self control may be more challenging to domestic dogs because we like to spoil them so!

Dogs are amazing animals. Their capacity to love, learn and give is endless. I have even noticed that all my dogs will eventually come up to me and lick my hand to ask for forgiveness if I have scolded them. They want more than anything to please us, and I feel it is our duty to them to make their short lives healthy and happy because all too soon, they are gone. Maybe that’s why their lives are so short… they are way too good for this earth.