Lessons from Dogs and Stairs

Lessons from Dogs and Stairs

Recently, my 11-year-old dog stopped going up the stairs. We live in a 4th-floor walk-up in the middle of Boston, and she goes out at least three times a day. Suddenly, she refused to go.

Reluctantly, I started carrying her up a few steps, trying to convince her to continue on her own. I bribed her with treats and encouragement, but eventually, it became clear—I had to carry her the whole way.

At first, carrying my 22-pound dog up the steep stairs was brutal. My heart raced, my breathing was labored, and I dreaded taking her out. I even noticed pangs of resentment towards her. How unfair! When I used my mindfulness skills to check in with myself, I realized that the entire situation, physically and mentally, felt bad.

In Buddhism, there’s a belief that our struggles are our greatest teachers. Knowing I needed a more sustainable way to work with her, I thought about the future—when she’s gone. I imagined how I’d long to carry her up the stairs just one more time. Tapping into this deep love, I dropped my resistance. I reframed the task as a gift of compassion for her arthritic pain.

For the next few weeks, I carried her up and down the stairs daily. Physically, it didn’t feel good, but mentally I felt encouraged. Step by step, I was reminded of life’s impermanence—both the temporary strain of my body on the stairs and the impermanence of my dog’s life. She won’t be here forever.

What happened next surprised me most. After about seven days of consistently carrying her, I noticed my body getting stronger. It wasn’t easy yet, but it was much less difficult. I wasn’t breathing as heavily, and my body moved with more ease. It was a profound reminder of how quickly change can happen when we persist.

For now, I’ll keep carrying her. When it gets hard, I connect with gratitude for my body’s strength, the compassion of alleviating her pain, and my own desire to live free from suffering. Who would have thought a trek up the stairs could become such a powerful teacher?

A recent photo of Dr. G carrying Olive!