MARRIAGE ADVICE: Treat Your Partner Like a DOG

I found this and thought it was kind of interesting. What do you all think?


Clinical psychologist Suzanne B. Phillips says there's an easy way to improve your marriage — treat your spouse like a dog. Phillips says that in her work with couples she has found that no matter what their differences, her clients seem to share a soft spot for their pets. We'd all be happier, Phillips says, if we showed our romantic partners the kindness and unconditional love we lavish on our dogs and cats. Here's a quick summary of the theory:

Greet your partner as warmly as your petAnimal lovers generally drop everything when they get home, and shower some attention on their pets. Next time you walk in the door — "no matter how you're feeling" — try giving your significant other "a positive, even animated, hello and often with a display of physical affection," Phillips says. Animated hellos and warm hugs shouldn’t be reserved just for the dog, says Sandy Maple in Strollerderby.

Re-evaluate grudgesOur pets "throw up on rugs, pee in the house, and steal food from countertops," says Tara Parker-Pope in The New York Times. "Yet we accept their flaws because we love them so much." Phillips says we should try being just as forgiving when your spouse messes up. And remember: Your dog's mistakes aren't deliberate attempts to ruin your day — your spouse's slip-ups aren't, either.

Appreciate the benefits of devotion"Pets are home to stay," Phillips says. They don't "live with the fear of being betrayed," or being dumped. "Just consider," says Phillips, "how the absence of such fears enhances the trust and connection you feel from them!"

Sources: PsychCentral, Strollerderby, New York Times

That's too funny.......not funny haha, just funny coincidental.

When I was pregnant with our first I grabbed up all kinds of pregnancy/baby/parenting books. One was very small, not very impressive looking parenting book that was written by a man. I tossed it aside totally disgusted after reading the first page, where he made the statement that children are basically like puppies. The idea of anyone comparing my yet to be born first child with a dog!! How dare he??

It wasn't till I think child No. 3 that I came across that book again, stuffed away in a box. Honestly, how he explains child rearing in comparison to raising and training a puppy was amazingly simple, forthright and bloody well bang on. It made complete sense and if followed would likely lead to much happier, well adjust children than are being churned out now. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the book......but sure wish I had a copy to hand on to any of mine who might have children of their own.

When I first seen it I was thinking WTF but when I tried really thinking about it and not just a first glance it got me thinking. When was the last time I got so excited to see hubby get home from work than I ran to the door to greet him with a kiss? When do I go and sit beside him just to show him I appreciate him? Things could be different if I was still like that. We have been together for 18 years next month and over the years we have tended to forget about the little things that could make our relationship stronger.

Really makes you step back and think on another track doesn't it?

It hit home for me anyway. Not that I view either one of us as dogs but I think the analogy could create positive change.