Homer, my Dalmation-Lab mix, is my “right-hand-dog.” When I am stuck on something, I often ask “What would Homer do?” Snoozing most of the day, concerned only with calm comfort and food, he is the antithesis of me and is one of the wisest creatures I know. OK, that’s a bit of a stretch because there’s nothing overtly smart about Homer, but he is the king of letting things roll off his black and white back. And letting it roll is exactly what I most need to be reminded of.

If you don’t have a dog, that’s ok. Ask advice of any pet, or your friend’s dog, or a zoo animal. Consider how that creature perceives the world. What’s important to that animal? If you were to borrow his perspective how would that change your thinking about your problem?

Horses, birds, fish, lizards…no matter whose opinion you consider, expect to find a very particular and valuable bit of wisdom.