What Dogs Can Teach Us About Life: A Conversation with Mark Rowlands
- Cara Kerouac
- Feb 8
- 4 min read
Have you ever wondered if your dog has life all figured out? What if the key to happiness isn’t in overthinking but in simply being? In this special episode of Kerouac’s Cruising, we sit down with Mark Rowlands, philosopher and best-selling author of The Word of Dog, to explore how our canine companions can teach us to embrace the present, find joy in the small things, and break free from the relentless demands of modern life.
From Shadow, his devoted German Shepherd, to the great thinkers of history, Mark weaves philosophy with real-world experiences, offering profound lessons on how to live more authentically. If you've ever watched your dog chase after a ball with unfiltered enthusiasm, you might just find that they have something to teach us after all.
Who is Mark Rowlands?
Mark Rowlands is a professor and chair of the philosophy department at the University of Miami. He has written over 20 books, many of which explore the philosophy of dogs and what they reveal about the human experience. His international bestseller, The Philosopher and the Wolf, introduced readers to his unique perspective, but The Word of Dog takes it even further—challenging how we perceive happiness, purpose, and what it means to truly live.
Key Takeaways from Our Conversation
1. The Wisdom of Living in the Moment
Dogs don’t waste time dwelling on the past or stressing over the future. They don’t replay old failures or overanalyze their choices—they just live. Mark shares a hilarious yet profound observation about his dog Shadow, who chases iguanas along the canal near his home. Each day, the iguanas scatter into the water, only to return by morning, ready for the chase to start all over again.
👉 Shadow’s lesson? Life is about embracing the process, not obsessing over the outcome.
This is something we often struggle with as humans. We get caught up in self-doubt, overthinking, and regret—what Mark calls the burden of "reflection." While self-awareness has helped humans dominate the planet, it also comes with a cost: we live in our heads more than we live in the world around us.
Can we learn to quiet the inner critic and simply enjoy life, like our dogs do?
2. Breaking Free from the Tantalus Trap
Mark draws a fascinating comparison between modern work culture and Tantalus, a figure from Greek mythology doomed to forever reach for fruit just out of grasp. When we live only for external rewards—money, promotions, validation—we lose the joy of simply doing.
💡 Dogs, on the other hand, do things for the sheer joy of doing them.
Shadow doesn’t chase iguanas to impress anyone. He isn’t thinking, What’s the ROI on this? He chases them because it’s fun.
How often do we do things just for the joy of it?
Mark challenges us to reclaim that sense of play and purpose—whether it’s hiking with our dogs, creating art, or simply watching a sunset.
3. The Magic of the Marginally Positive
One of our favorite takeaways from Mark’s book is the idea of embracing the marginally positive—finding happiness in small, simple improvements rather than waiting for some huge, life-changing event.
🔹 Example? Every time Mark asks his dog Shadow if he wants to come for a car ride, Shadow explodes with joy—even though he knows it’s just a quick drive across town and back.
For Shadow, even a tiny upgrade in his day is worth celebrating.
💡 What if we did the same?
Instead of waiting for huge life changes, we can start appreciating the little wins—the warmth of the sun, a great cup of coffee, a quiet moment with a loved one.
Traveling with Dogs: Lessons from the Road
As fellow dog lovers and full-time travelers, we couldn’t resist asking Mark about his experiences traveling with his dogs. He shared some wild stories about flying across the Atlantic and navigating dog-friendly hotels in Europe. His number one tip?
👉 Don’t panic. Something will always go wrong—but you’ll figure it out.
From crates that didn’t fit in rental cars to sneaking extra-large dogs into hotels with strict pet limits (we've been there!), Mark’s adventures reminded us that travel, much like life, is best approached with a sense of humor and adaptability.
The Kerouac Connection: How a Beatnik Inspired a Philosopher
In an unexpected twist, we discovered that Jack Kerouac—yes, that Kerouac!—was a key inspiration in Mark’s journey toward philosophy.
After reading On the Road, Mark was intrigued by a reference to Nietzsche. That curiosity led him down a rabbit hole of philosophy books, ultimately causing him to switch from engineering to philosophy—a decision that shaped his entire career.
As second cousins of Kerouac ourselves, this moment felt like a full-circle connection. Life has a funny way of weaving unexpected stories together.
Final Thoughts: What Can We Learn from Our Dogs?
Mark’s insights left us reflecting on our own journey—how we’ve worked to escape the grind, prioritize freedom, and build a life that feels authentic.
But if there’s one thing we walked away with, it’s this:
🐕 Dogs don’t wait for happiness. They find it in every moment.
Maybe it’s time we start doing the same.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation
📺 Watch on YouTube
📖 Get Mark’s book, The Word of Dog
What do YOU think?
What’s the greatest lesson your dog has taught you? Drop a comment below! 👇🐾
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