B is for Bandit… 27 Life Lessons from the World's Laziest Farm Dog

Bandit is my parent's beagle mix farm dog, and to say the least, he is worthless. He allows the rabbits to eat the garden. He would probably be good for nothing in protecting the horses from a predator. His method of dealing with strangers is to immediately search them for cookies. But Bandit is part of our farm family, nonetheless, and to say he is completely useless would be untrue. Bandit has been a part of our family since I was fourteen and in the last ten years, he has taught me a great deal about life. Here are 27 things I have learned from this dog over the years:

1. Pedicures are overrated. So is a good hair day. 
2. Origin is unimportant. We originally thought he was an Aussie mix, but if he has any in him, his beagle features are dominant. 
3. Friends come in all shapes and sizes. His best friend was my rescue horse, Squire, who died in 2011.
4. Sometimes a few barks are all you need to get the job done. 
5. Take time for a long nap in the sunshine.
6. Dream big. Bandit hopes to be a horse when he grows up. 
7. Just because it looks gross, doesn't mean it isn't tasty. 
8. Home is really the best place to be. 
9. When you find yourself in conflict with a crazy person, roll over and play dead. 
10. Never get between a mama deer and her baby. He did this by accident and she tried to kill him. He's still wary of them, which explains why they're always in our yard. 
11. Things are unimportant. People are everything. 
12. Life is short, eat more cookies. 
13. If you can't eat it or play with it, pee on it and walk away. 
14. Some things are simply not important enough to get worked up over. 
15. Be a friendly neighbor, but be careful if you haven't gotten to know them yet. This was learned the hard way when he tried to make friends with my neighbor's new miniature donkey. 
16. There is comfort in routine. 
17. If it's gross out, stay in the barn. 
18. One man's trash is another dog's treasure. 
19. Take the time for a good stretch. 
20. Approach challenges with enthusiasm. 
21. There is never a bad time for a belly rub. 
22. Play the games your friends want to play, even if you're not that into them. 
23. Eat every meal like it's the best thing you've ever tasted. 
24. Be extra gentle with babies. He's never been around little ones much, but every time he meets them he's super tolerant and sweet. 
25. You really can brush off enough hair to make another dog. 
26. Live life with unconditional joy. 
27. Wag your tail and smile. 

What life lessons have you learned from your pets?