5 things you didn’t know about my dog
As the meme keeps spreading around the internet I find myself tagged again by my friend Andrew over at Traffick, who has really done the 5 things meme proud with his posts about the Page Zero team the last week or so.
Since I’ve already done the “what you don’t know about me” bit, and I don’t feel like baring my entire life to the internet, I started wondering if perhaps there were some lessons to be learned from my pooch. He’s had an interesting life, and it’s not his fault he doesn’t have opposable thumbs and can’t blog for himself.
Without further ado, five things you didn’t know about Hudson, age 9 1/2:
- He doesn’t trust people he doesn’t know, and it takes a while for you to earn his trust. But once he gets to know you he is incredibly loving and loyal. [reminds me of how consumers reward brands and eachother in our real-time marketplace]
- He doesn’t like playing fetch, thinks it’s beneath him. Give him a spot on the leather sofa befitting his stature, thank you very much. [once again I'm reminded of consumers - one size doesn't fit all; we are all unique and individuals, even if we're from the same species]
- He thinks his water bowl is trying to kill him. Why? Who knows. I think it has something to do with the mean dog who keeps staring at him from beneath the water. [okay, this one is just strange, it doesn't really remind me of anything except Bellevue...]
- He thinks walks are official squirrel-hunting expeditions. [perspective is everything...]
- He gets very upset if his rountine is changed, but if the change is consistent he gets over it. [change is hard once something is integrated into your life; but we are all able to adapt if it improves our lives]
So that’s Hudson in an unauthorized nutshell. What about you? Any life lessons/ truths you could learn from your pet?
Tags: 5 things meme
Now that is an interesting perspective and one we can all learn from.
For example, one of my pooches decided she couldn’t get up on the bed anymore (she can, but is being a diva). We put a step stool beside the bed, taught her how to use it, whining stopped.
Last night, she whined again from the moment we got home, even when snuggling in a lap. When she finally got her nose out of of her butt (she sleeps curled up that way), we noticed her eye was red and puffy. Trip to the emergency vet resulted in eye drops for an infection.
Lessons learned? She was whining each time to tell us something, the first time we solved it by not just giving her a tool, but showing her how to use it. The second time it was by paying attention to the fact that she was trying to tell us something but obviously can’t communicate it to us in “our” language. Once we finally stopped to take stock of the situation and investigate, we found the problem and solved it.
If Marketers can learn to follow these same principles, there will be a lot more happy consumers out there..
See you can learn a lot from a dog - thanks for the inspiration Tamera!
Posted on 10-Jan-07 at 3:03 pm | Permalink
Good points Rebecca. Listening and understanding is so key to every thing we do. Sometimes it really does mean putting yourself in the other persons shoes (or paws as the case may be).
How’s she doing after her trip to the ER?
Posted on 10-Jan-07 at 4:49 pm | Permalink
well well well Thats good philosophy and gives me a simpler perspective to life in this durdgery filled days i amm going through. Thanks
Sometimes it really does mean putting yourself in the other persons shoes (or paws as the case may be).as tamera wrote above
Posted on 11-Jan-07 at 2:13 am | Permalink
Nice analogy! Do you know the Dan Bern song ‘Opposable Thumb’? It’s all about his dog with opposable thumbs…
Posted on 11-Jan-07 at 9:04 am | Permalink
She’s doing much better - thanks for asking. The drops are really helping! Note to other dog owners - they really don’t like eye drops.
Posted on 11-Jan-07 at 12:10 pm | Permalink
Good stuff!
I think this is what I’ve learned: if I were to try to hire people who thought like Walter (my cat), my company would be f***ed! :)
Walter:
- also really hates to change his routine
- will almost go through a window screaming and hissing at the cat he hates the most
- won’t come out with me for beers
- has smelly feet
- has zero work ethic
Posted on 12-Jan-07 at 11:43 pm | Permalink
Tamera - Hudson seems like a fine fur-kid.
Little Bat - my pug - hates walking in the snow. But with her “super boots” she literally dives into the snow banks. It’s a pretty simple solution that makes all the difference to her.
I think this is a good client service lesson. In creative agencies we can get tied to a “process”, a way of doing things or an “our way or the highway” creative philosophy. But sometimes a simple change in approach can be all it takes to get a client to dive into a new idea. So, every so often, consider giving clients some boots. It just might change their whole outlook.
Posted on 18-Jan-07 at 12:05 am | Permalink
Great analogy Aimee!
Posted on 18-Jan-07 at 3:12 pm | Permalink
Ich besichtige deinen Aufstellungsort wieder bald fur sicheres!
Posted on 12-Apr-07 at 6:33 am | Permalink