Why do People love Dogs
92DOGS ARE GREAT
People with dogs have lower blood pressure and live longer.
Dogs have a genius for observing human behavior that they use to love us as we need to be loved.
No other critter yearns to please its master as does the dog.
No other creature gives unconditional love as does the dog.
They have a more highly developed emotional life than any animal.
Who but a dog can exhibit such joy when its friends come home or it's time for an adventure?
FAMOUS QUOTES ABOUT DOGS
Voltaire said: "Judge this dog who has lost his master, who has searched for him with mournful cries in every path, who comes home agitated, restless, who runs up and down the stairs, who goes from room to room, who at last finds his beloved master in his study, and shows him his joy by the tenderness of cries, by his leaps, by his caresses."
Samuel Coleridge said: "The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to him may become traitors to their faith. The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog."
James Thurber said: "Dogs may be Man's best friend, but Man is often Dog's severest critic, in spite of his historic protestations of affection and admiration. He observes, cloudily, that this misfortune or that shouldn't happen to a dog, as if most slings and arrows should, and he describes anybody he can't stand as a dirty dog. He notoriously takes the names of the female dog and her male offspring in vain, to denounce blackly members of his own race. In all this disdain and contempt there is a curious streak of envy, akin to what the psychiatrists know as sibling rivalry. Man is troubled by what might be called the Dog Wish, a strange and involved compulsion to be as happy and carefree as a dog."
DOG IDIOMS
People have a lot of curious uses of the word "dog." These idioms should dispel any doubts about the intimate relationship between humans and dogs since they figure so prominently in our language. Here are some examples: We have to put on a dog and pony show; Every dog has his day; You look like somebody just shot your dog; He's the top dog; He's as mean as a junkyard dog; He's gone to the dogs; It's the dog days of summer; I'm the big dog around here; You are a dog-faced liar; That dog won't hunt; There's a dog leg on the eighth hole; If you lie down with dogs, you'll get up with fleas: What you need is the hair of the dog; It's a dog eat dog world; You're dogging me man; You can't run with the big dogs; You are barking up the wrong tree; If you refer a new customer, I'll give you a birddog fee; I worked like a dog; You're a lucky dog; The dog ate my homework; My dogs are barking; The tail's wagging the dog; There's life in this old dog yet; That shouldn't happen to a dog; I'm in the dog house; Let sleeping dogs lie; His bark is worse than his bite; Call off the dogs; I am as sick as a dog; I'm dog tired; I've been thrown to the dogs; You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.
FAMOUS QUOTES ABOUT DOGS
Miguel Cervantes said: "I know well enough that there have been dogs so loving that they have thrown themselves into the same grave with the dead bodies of their masters; others have stayed upon their masters' graves without stirring a moment from them, and have voluntarily starved themselves to death, refusing to touch the food that was brought them."
Willie Morris, in his fabulous book, My Dog Skip, wrote: "The dog of your boyhood teaches you a great deal about friendship, and love, and death: Old Skip was my brother. They had buried him under our elm tree, they said — yet this wasn't totally true. For he really lay buried in my heart."
Will Rogers wrote: "If you get to thinking you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around."
Aldous Huxley wrote: "To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs."
Robert Benchley wrote: "A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down."
Mark Twain wrote:
"If you pick up a starving Dog and make him prosperous,
he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between
a dog and a man."
MY DOG
I have a little Maltese dog I named Hercules. He will be seven years old January 1st. He only weighs six and a half pounds but I swear his heart must be six pounds by itself. He sleeps right next to my heart—literally. When I am ready to arise, I say to him, "Let's get up!" and he jumps off the couch where I sleep and starts barking until I am standing. Then he stops.
Every morning, I announce to Hercules, after one cup of coffee to clear the cobwebs, let's read the Bible! He barks and barks as one who is truly excited and then settles near my feet, where he sits listening reverently while I read a few chapters aloud.
Hercules gets his Cesar Canine Cuisine at night. I also offer to share with him any food I eat during the day—but he is very picky. He will eat plain potato chips but if they are flavored he turns up his nose and walks away. The offering is the key. If I forget to offer—even if he doesn't want it—he gets offended. He loves vegetables.
Hercules has many peculiarities but perhaps the most striking to me is that when he gets groomed, he will yap and yap until everyone present says these words: "You are pretty boy, Hercules!" Then he goes silent. By any of this I want to dispel any thought Hercules is a yapper. I can't stand yappers. Except in the few situations I have described—and if anyone comes within two blocks of our home on foot—he is a very quiet dog.
When I put my shoes on he gets nervous. He has a little bowl of dry food at all times, which he concentrates on if I am getting ready to leave. He munches and looks at me with a pitiful, expectant gaze. If I say, "I'll be right back," he knows he is not going and stays at his bowl. He will not say goodbye. If I say, "Come on!" he gets so happy I think he might burst. And he runs to the front door, where he jumps up and down until we leave.
Once in the car—yes, I'm a bad dad—I let him hang his head out the window. But I am careful not to follow anyone closely, lest debris fly up at him from their tires, and I drive slowly for his pleasure. Hercules knows our routes pretty well. For instance, if I go straight down my street past the interstate highway, he stays where he is; the instant I get in the left hand turn lane—leading to the entrance ramp—he heads for the floor under my seat. He knows it is too windy on the highway to have his head out the window. When I exit the interstate; he senses the car slowing down; and immediately comes up into my lap expecting me to open my window—which I do.
When I grab his leash, Hercules goes crazy with excitement, knowing this can only mean one thing: we are going for a walk. Now, he does his business in a designated spot in the house where his newspapers are, so it's not excitement to relieve himself. It is to experience the glories of the outdoors that only a dog—with 100,000,000 times our sense of smell—can fully comprehend. We walk the same route every time and he hikes his leg to pee on the same telephone poles, trees, and bushes every time. But first he sniffs them diligently, what I understand to be reading his "pee-mail."
SONG ABOUT DOGS
Old Dog Tray
by
Stephen Foster
The morn of life is past,
And evening comes at last;
It brings me a dream of a once happy day,
Of merry forms I've seen
Upon the village green,
Sporting with my old dog Tray.
Chorus:
Old dog Tray's ever faithful;
Grief cannot drive him away;
He's gentle, he is kind,
I'll never, never find
A better friend than old dog Tray.
The forms I called my own
Have vanished one by one,
The loved ones, the dear ones have all passed away;
Their happy smiles have flown,
Their gentle voices gone,
I've nothing left but old dog Tray.
Chorus.
When thoughts recall the past,
His eyes are on me cast,
I know that he feels what my breaking heart would say;
Although he cannot speak,
I'll vainly, vainly seek
A better friend than old dog Tray
Chorus
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POEM ABOUT DOGS
EPITAPH TO A DOG
Near this spot Are deposited the Remains
Of one who Possessed Beauty
Without Vanity, Strength without Insolence,
Courage without Ferocity,
And all the Virtues of Man
Without his Vices.
This Praise, which would be unmeaning
flattery, If inscribed over Human Ashes,
Is but a just tribute to the
Memory of "Boatswain," a Dog
Who was born at Newfoundland,
May, 1803,
And died at Newstead Abbey
Nov. 18, 1808.
Lord Byron
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stars439— Thank you for taking the time to come by to read my article, my friend. It is always a distinct pleasure to hear from you. I know you are a cat person but still you left such gracious words here about dogs. I surely appreciate that.
I can see that you have had dogs that you loved deeply in the past, so you know what it's about. I hope you, Joann, and Becky are doing well. God Bless You All!
James :D
Nice article, people can learn a lot from a dog far as loyalty and unconditional love, nice article rated up.
Dogs are just wonderful, adorable, protecive,and have a great potential for loyalty, and I have cried many many serious tears over dogs that I have loved like family that have come , and gone. They are definitely our best friends, and become part of our hearts. God Bless You for you're wonderful honorarium, and fine testement to the awesome "dog." It is allways like you never to miss the beat of the fine drummer ( no pun intended ) to pay tribute to the good, and wonderful , and amazing joys of life that deserve them. God Bless You our fine writer, and brother. And your family.
frogyfish— It is a pleasure to hear from you again. I am well pleased to see that you enjoyed my Hub and took the time to let me know.
I appreciate your recognition of the pictures I selected. Thank you very much for visiting and for your kind comments. :)
willy— You are quite welcome. Thank you!!
Aw-w this was awesome! Loved your words and pictures...especially that 'before ande after'. Thanks for a great hub to share the best friends in the world!
thanks alot
Kristeen— Thank you for coming to the defense of dogs everywhere and this Hub. Your remarks are right on target.
I surely appreciate you chiming in. Thanks again! :-)
carlislehall, Its okay if you don't like dogs. No one is making you "love" them. No one is making you have one. Why would you feel the need to be on the attack toward those who do? Why does it matter to you if some people do love them and if you have never had a dog how would you know whether or not they feel love?
If you feel that cold hearted toward a helpless animal, how much more so do you feel that way toward fellow humans? I'm just saying...
CarlisleHall— Thank you very much for reading my article. I do appreciate your comments.
You write, "What a bunch of malarkey. There is no evidence whatsoever that dog owners have lower blood pressure"
A quick Google search shows 1,840,000 websites that beg to differ with your assessment, including the BBC. I cannot say that I know for sure. I am no doctor or researcher—just a lowly reporter.
I think the therapeutic effects of dogs even visiting old folks in nursing homes and people who are gravely ill have been widely documented.
I think you are completely off base in your claims that dogs feel no love. Greyfriars Booby lived on his masters grave for 14 years—and his master was not around to give him steaks. Dogs clearly grieve. They are clearly capable of sadness. They are surely capable of love—love not only is an emotion but a devotion. Love is a commitment not a passing fancy as postmoderns might claim. Love is an action verb and by that mark dogs certainly exhibit love.
What a bunch of malarkey. There is no evidence whatsoever that dog owners have lower blood pressure or live longer. This is like another claim I saw that petting a dog lowers blood pressure. If a person hates dogs and just thinking of them increases his/her blood pressure, do you really think petting one would lower it?
And as for that “unconditional love” dog owners are always talking about, dogs do not “love” at all. They do whatever is necessary to survive and if a dog happens to have an owner who requires their dog to dance around like an idiot and wallow all over them, that’s what the dog does – not because it wants to do this or because it loves its owner, but just to get fed. I have a proposition for all of you who think your dog “loves” you “unconditionally”: Have a neighbor start feeding your dog steak and hamburger instead of the processed dog food it gets at home and see how quickly your “loyal companion” transfers all that “love” to the neighbor!
pstraubie— Welcome to the HubPages Community! I lived in Florida for 18 years and when I saw on your profile page that you were from Citra I had to scramble to see where that was because I had not heard of it. I see it now, right by Ocala there.
I have made myself a note to come over and check out your Hubs, which I will do soon.
I loved reading your warm words. I am glad we are in agreeance, and I am well pleased to find a kindred spirit when it comes to dogs.
Thank you for reading my article. I appreciate your kind comments.
Sometimes I really like to read what somebody has written when I can just sit and nod my hig, knowing I so agree!!! Everything you said is so true. I do not have a pup right now..I did but he passed away and I am not quite ready for another. When you wrote about how they love to please us and how they know when we need to be loved...I could feel my little pup was a loyal and loving companion. Right now I have 3 kitties...one is and inside outside cat ...the other 2 adopted me and live outside. The inside outside kitty thinks, believes, knows I was put on the planet to adore her!! So unlike a sweet sweet pup.So glad you shared this....
Deni Edwards— Thank you very much for your gracious laudations! I appreciate you taking the time to review this Hub. I am glad you liked it. :-)
This is quite a treat for dog lovers--including myself! You've pretty much summed up everything wonderful about dogs...Beautiful!
Levertis Steele— How good to see you here! I am well pleased to see that we are kindred spirits when it comes to our love of dogs. I just think they are precious.
I enjoyed reading about Buck. You should write about him.
I am glad you like this Hub. Thank you for reading it. I appreciate your kind comments. And you are most welcome. :D
My family has had many wonderful and lovable dogs, but not one was as memorable as Buck, the one of my childhood who lived to be very old. He was not just a dog, but a member of our family. We walked through the woods together, cried together, kept secrets together, listened to each other and even ate together, sharing the same utensils. Kids are nastily kindhearted innocents! Yuck.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Thanks for sharing and rehatching old memories of my past dog years.
Hillbilly Zen— I like your "handle." :)
Thank you for taking the time to come over and read my Hub. It is one of my personal favorites among those I have published. I very much appreciate your gracious compliments, as well as the voted up, funny, beautiful and interesting!
I do believe we will have dogs in heaven. I enjoyed your thoughtful remarks. Merry Christmas!
Fantastic Hub! As the well-trained human of four canines (aka The Hell Hounds), your words resonated with me. You've captured the human-canine symbiosis perfectly, and Arch Dynamics' link is hilarious. I got a fan letter from a retired minister who enjoyed my column in the local paper. His position on dogs going to Heaven was that upon his arrival at the Pearly Gates, if he found out dogs weren't allowed he was going to ask for a "transfer"!
Voted up, funny, beautiful and interesting.
sharewhatuknow— I know what you mean. It is sad that life includes death. We must accept it for we have no other choice but to tilt at windmills. Thank you for being my HubPages friend.
The 81-year-old gentlemen that I do in-home-care for has a golden retriever. She is now 13 years old. She lays where ever he is seated or lying down. I do hope he goes before she does. Why? It would just tear him apart if she went before him.
moonlake— I am sorry to hear that your brother-in-law passed on. Dogs are loyal that way, though, aren't they?
Thank you for complimenting my Hub. I like cats. I never had one but I enjoy them when my friends have them. I appreciate the visit and your comments.
During the Spring my sister-in-law went outside to check on my brother-in-law and found him on the ground. He had passed away and his dog was laying on top of him. This dog never left his side. I love dogs but I also love cats and think cats also know when your sad or sick.
Great hub.
SanneL— I am a fan of Max von Sydow. I love his performace as the only short-haired Jesus I have seen depicted.
Your (fuzzball) Max shares his birthday with my Hercules!? What a coincidence! That's cool. And God Bless You for rescuing Max.
I am so glad that you enjoyed this Hub. Thank you for this visitation and for your warm words. I enjoyed reading your comments and you are quite welcome. :D
Kristeen— You are most welcome, my lady. I agree with you that dogs do understand much more than we give them credit for. I cannot imagine a world without dogs.
I am sorry to hear about your beloved Lhaso Poo. :-(
But I am well pleased to read how much you enjoyed this Hub and I appreciate your outstanding remarks about it. Thank you for reading my article and for your blessings.
God Bless You! :)
James -- It's so wonderful to read about your love for your four-legged friend. I hope Hercules is doing fine these days? He is very cute!
I too have a very handsome fuzzball named Max,(named after the Swedish actor, Max von Sydow) He will be eleven years old January 1st. Same birthday as your Hercules. I feel so blessed to have Max in my life. He has brought so much happiness and joy, since the day we rescued him as a stray puppy from the street.
This was such a beautiful tribute to your dear friend!
I enjoyed it very much. Thanks.:)
James, I truly enjoyed reading this hub. I love dogs and it made me laugh. We just recently had our little Lhaso Poo put to sleep. I can relate to the fact that you didn't want to love one again after the deaths of your collies. It is hard to let go. They sure bring a lot of joy and laughter to life though. They are creatures of habit. They get used to a routine and you better not change it. I think they understand more than we give them credit for. Be Blessed. Thanks for sharing the fun.
sharewhatuknow— Hello there. I too love doggies so much. They will be in heaven—that much I know. They have to be. :-)
I don't think I have seen that particular program you mentioned but I have seen documentaries about dogs that show how they can tell when their master is sick, and even detect cancerous tumors!
Thank you for your heart-felt comments.
Hi James, I know you did not mean to make me cry. It's not your fault whatsoever. I just love doggies so much and I know that once bonded to a person, they do love back unconditionally and have such amazing loyalty.
There was a special on NOVA a couple of weeks ago about dogs and how some are now being trained to smell blood sugar changes in their diabetic owners. If blood sugar levels started to fall dangerously high or low in a child, the dog will detect it and warn the child's parents by going to them and acting "out of sorts," so to speak. This behavior lets the parents know that doggie is saying..."go check on your child."
This program was awesome to watch. Great article you wrote regarding wo/man's best friend !
Pinkchic18— Thank you for the accolades! I am glad you enjoyed this Hub of mine. I appreciate the visit and your comments. :-)
I love this hub! So many cute dogs and great quotes. My husband and I just decided it's time to get a dog but we have to wait until spring. So this helped me get my fix (for today) lol Keep up the great work on hubpages!
sharewhatuknow— I didn't mean to make you cry by any means. I know it hurts to lose a dog that has been your loving companion for a long time. But I think you ought to dip your toe right back in. Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, right? :-)
Thank you for visiting. I appreciate your lovely comments.
This hub makes me want to cry so much. And I am now. I am 47 and have had several dogs who were so beautiful, so loving and protective of me. They are gone now. I don't have a dog at this time...it hurts too much to lose another one of these awesome creatures !!
jloeding— I am glad you like this Hub. It is one of my favorites among my own works. I appreciate your recognition of the photographs I selected.
It is good you have a loving dog to keep you company. I am sure you do love her.
Thank you for visiting. And you are most welcome.
A great description of 'man's best friend'. Beautiful pictures too. I have a rat terrier who is such a great friend, especially since I lost my husband. She follows every step that I take...always at my feet. I sure do love her. Thanks for the enjoyable article.
marimccants— Thank you!! Thank you very much! :D
Great article. You have great information, James. Keep writing.
angie ashbourne— Thank you! I appreciate you letting me know that you are a dog lover and enjoyed this Hub. :-)
James
Hi! James I have a dog and two cats, they get a long great. I enjoyed this hub. Angie
Eiddwen— There have been lots of comments on this one, to be sure. Thank you for the kind compliments. I appreciate you reading my work and letting me know that you enjoy it.
Faithfully Yours,
James :D
Oh wow I didn't think that I was going to come to the end of your comments here.
It's easy to see why you have so many followers though, your hubs are brilliant.
Here's to many more hubs to share.
Take care
Eiddwen.
Wealthmadehealthy— Thank you very much for your kind comments and gracious compliment. I love dogs. They are precious creatures indeed. It is a joy to hear from you again. I'll have to come over to see what you've been writing soon. :)
What a beautiful hub. I have two dogs...and they are so special to me. A dog is more than just man's best friend..and I am so glad Hercules enjoys the morning bible time. I should read aloud to my dogs as well.
Eiddwen— Yes, this article did produce a lot of comments. I appreciate the bookmark. Of my Hubs, this is one of my favorites. Thank you for reading and for your remarks.
James
Oh wow I thought that I was never going to get to the end of the comments here. However it is easy to see why there are so many !! I am bookmarking into my 'favourite hubs'.
Take care
Eiddwen.
FloraBreenRobison— I have a whole set of Robisons in my family. God Bless You!
RNMSN— I just love reading your ruminations about your cat who is named and who acts like a dog. Thank you for sharing!
Love and Blessings to you!
James
My cat often behaves a if it is her name on the deed, not mine. :)
oh wow James you mean it is OUR home??? and all this time Dog hs been letting us know loud and clear it is HIS home and we are here only by his gracious acceptance!!!!!!
I am so glad to hear it! I will let my David know that!! :)
Dog loves my David the best....cant tell why, David mutters threats and calls him a dumb cat and Dogamus keeps on purring and David gets this sheepish grin on his face all the time hes rubbing Dog between his ears!James, get this...Dog loves that dried salmon stuff from petsmart..I just dump a few pieces out/he eats away/but just let Dvid be in the kitchen when I do it and Dog will just sit there, back straight,left ear twitching and David will say "Boo, you KNOW he wont eat it like that, you have to break it up for him!" and my David will get a fork and stoop down and get it all nicely smashed...dude that blows my mind :)
oh James you should have seen him catch the pack rat! gross, totally, and of course he wanted it inside...david barely made it to the sliding door to shut it before Dog got there with his prize that was half his size/and Dog is 18 pounds tom cat/well not tom anymore....lets not discuss surgery here :)
so instead Dog ate every bite of that rat in front of us on the porch ugh crunch crunching...its hard to give praise to the cat named dog when you are trying to steal your hubbys cap so you can puck in it :)
what was that you said about enjoying our conversations?????
love to you
barbara b
RNMSN— That is a great name. So, a while became nine years. God bless you for providing this animal a wonderful, loving home.
Wait a minute . . . are you saying your cat caught and ATE a chipmunk?!
Yes, I love the rain. Rain is good.
I haven't seen the Bible for women but I am glad it pleases and edifies you.
Thank you for coming back. I enjoy our conversations, as infrequent as they are. :D
James
my pleasure James/yes his full name is Dogamus Primus...Katie Baby adopted him then she moved back home (albeit brieflt) and when she left (again) she said, "you guys keep Dog a while for me, K?" that was 9 yrs ago... and yep a scorpion but hes all better now...we sat outside and watched the first monsoon rain thank goodness of the season(he caught and ate a chipmunk n the first of the pitter patter but wanted in when it started thndering!) and yes it came from the south so Hereford and Sierra Vista and even more importantly the Huachucha Mtns got a long/good and much needed drenching!! thank the Lord!
my current favorite Bible is one for women..and on the sides it has all these lovely poems and writings by and about women through the ages and before every chapter they give a bio of whatever women are mentioned in that chapter :) cool
love to you James!
barbara b
RNMSN— Hello Barbara B! Wait a minute . . . you have a cat named "dog?" :D
It got bit by a scorpion!?
Hercules enjoys hearing the Bible read aloud but I haven't detected any difference in his enthusiasm about any particular books. I think he likes them all equally.
Thank you for the love! I send my love back to you!
I appreciate the visit and your lovely comments. :)
James Dude! your hub just keeps getting the its!! this is wonderful dont see how I could missed it!hubby and I have inherited katie Bby's cat named dog...now 9 yrs...we thik he got a scorpion bite yesterday...puked all over the porch and very slow today but ususally Dog is the Dog...not at all like a cat...
but when its time for Dog the cat to go, we are hoping for a shepard black and tan just like the happy one in your pic!!!
way to go and love to you!!!
hey! which part of the Bible stories does hercules like the best? all david and goliath stuff or the 3 guys in the fire or the story on the mount? :)my favs are still Ruth and other women of the Bible
love to you
barbara b
FloraBreenRobison— Hello! I call myself "daddy" to my Maltese "Hercules" too. And believe me, he knows me by that name and no other. I think dogs will be with us in heaven. As Will Rogers implied, it wouldn't seem like heaven without them.
Well, thank you for visiting and commenting. Welcome to HubPages!! :-)
Hi, James.
I've always referred to myself as "Mummy" to my tabby cat. Even people with children tend to do this, but those of us-me-without any children can be particularily silly about it. And I have no interest in a Heaven without all my cats, referring to a famous quote by Will Rogers about dogs.
tinamarie9884— I am glad you made it! And I am well pleased that you enjoy my Hubs. I love dogs! They are great animals and pets. Thank you for visiting and commenting. :)
James, Well I did make it over. I loved reading your hub. Some of my family members have dogs. They are great animals and pets to the famlies that have them!!
Alexander Mark— This is one of my personal favorite Hubs among those I have published. Thank you for taking the time to find it, read it, and comment on it.
I think I will put out some more Hubs soon, though I am also working on my book now. I am in research mode in regard to finishing my series on the History of Christianity. I have read and taken notes from 14 books about the Christian Faith in 19th Century and I am writing every day about that.
I love "Hachi!" A great dog movie, to be sure.
I like the imagery you imagined. Hercules might indeed think he owns the whole world. I have tried to make him feel that way. During the short life of a dog, I think it should be joyous.
I find it hard to imagine heaven without dogs. You know?
I so enjoyed your comments. Thanks again and you are welcome.
Since I am deprived of any new hubs from you, I went backwards in time and found this diamond. I couldn't help myself, about mid-way through, I had to load up the movie Hachi online and scoffed at the idealistic yuppie-ism, the canned plot and then bawled my eyes out at the ending. Then of course, being an emotional wreck, I continued reading your hub while my face dried and I had to laugh at Hercs antics and personality.
I now have embedded permanently in my head, an image of you either in an old bomber or even a BMW 740 with this cute, white little dog with his hair done up, looking for all the world as if he owned the world as he peeks over your arm.
You know, I may have mentioned this somewhere before, but I believe it is possible we will see our beloved canine friends again. Sometimes, in my happiest and most restful sleep, I dream of a Cocker Spaniel - our family dog - that wasn't perfectly bred, so usually had nasty slobber and gunk coming out of his eyes, but he was loyal to a near fault, stubborn and faithful (didn't I mention that?) and was smart enough to understand he could flip his bowl if he kept scooting it around the floor until it hit something and then he could grab it and bring it in to the living room to let us know it was time to eat right at 5pm everyday.
You cannot buy that kind of love. Thank you for this dedication to man's second best friend.
kashmir56— I surely agree with your words, friend. I appreciate the vote up and awesome! :)
Thank you for coming by to read my Hub. It was nice to see the compliments you left me.
Hi James, a wonderful and awesome hub on dogs, you will never find a friend more loyal than a dog they are just so amazing and loving!
Awesome and vote up !!!
Gypsy Willow— Thank you! Poor old Otis. Otis is a girl?
I wish dogs lived longer too. I'll bet millions of people wish it were so. Perhaps there is a lesson in the very brevity of their lives, intertwined with our love for them; and their love for us.
Wonderful hub. I cannot imagine life without a dog. Sadly my Otis is slowing down with age but still she enjoys life to the full even if a little more slowly. I wish dogs had a longer life span.
carolp— Thank you! I agree. He is quite cute indeed. I will come over and read the Hub about your Eurasier. :-)
Your dog is so cute....i love dogs, i have an Eurasier dog,i wrote a hub about her too. Wish you have many wonderful years with her.
annna— Thank you!! Thank you very much! :D
marcoujor— You are welcome. I am glad you enjoyed this piece. "Work like a dog" I think comes from the days before dogs became pampered pets and they were primarily used to work.
I will be over soon to read your tribute to ALVIN. Welcome to the Hub Pages Community!
dogs arw the besttt
I don't get the "working like a dog" comment... or maybe in my house, that "is" how I want to work... in honor of a special boy's birthday, ALVIN (who would have been 16yo today), I was inspired to write a little tribute. Thank you~~ I enjoyed this much.
DogToys— Thank you very much! Welcome to the Hub Pages Community.
Dogs are fantastic animals, their my life.
Il_Padrino— You're welcome. Good luck to you. I love dogs the most. But I also appreciate cats.
Thanks. Cats are free. They do what they want to do. Of course it's only my opinion. When I see big dog I also see myself when I was 5. That was terrible.And that's all.
Good luck James :)
Il_Padrino— That would be a good reason. I like cats, too. Welcome to the Hub Pages Community!
I don't like dogs, but I love cats. Maybe because in childhood some dog wanted to eat me.
IN2DEEP— Rescuing dogs from shelters is a noble act. God Bless You for it.
Thank you for taking the time to review this humble Hub of mine. It is, if I may say so myself, one of my favorites I have ever written—just because I love the subject so much. I love dogs. What would the world be without them?
I enjoyed reading your comments. I appreciate the visit.
I love my dogs-They always get so excited to see me-wether I am gone for 10 minutes or 10 days-Not just wagging the tail-but the whole body-The smiling teeth and some great expressions-knowing when to give attention and when to just lay at my feet-The drool as they patiently wait for me to share my dinner.The way they jump up from a sound sleep ready to play-my dogs are awesome- They are all adopted from shelters so they are very thankful for the great home we provide as I am thankful to have found them--great hub
Gashu— You may be right. I never loved my dog for those reasons. I love him because of who he is. He is a gentle, loving creature with a huge heart. Yes, he is always thrilled to see me more than any person. And I understand this is part of a dog's pack mentality. But I swear it is more than that with my Hercules. I am telling you he is genuinely happy to see me.
I am not saying dogs are better than people by any stretch. It is not his job to be better than people. He cannot be. He can only be who he is. My best friend.
Hmm... sometimes, it just seems like people love dogs more becuause they can control them better and get them to do what they want, for example, when people say:
"Dogs are better than people because they don't complain, answer back, blah blah...".
It's a bit offensive really, it's sort of like saying: "I want a boyfriend/girlfriend who never talks and just gives me sex when I want it, and cooks for me".
I love dogs too, but I mainly see their "love" as their way of looking towards their owner as the leader, and the person who provides them with food. Of course they're going to want to protect you :P
duffsmom— Mine too! Hercules is a lovely soul; a tiny guy with a huge heart. I'll bet your four keep you busy. What kind are they? Thank you for visiting my Hub.
My favorite creatures on earth-I have four large dogs which just might be overdoing it a bit! Very interesting Hub. Hercules sounds like a wonderful best friend.
magnoliazz— Good of you to come back by and vote this Hub up! :D
Thank you. I love Yorkies! It sounds as if Hercules and Heidi have much in common. I used to take Hercules everywhere I could. He is such a lovable and loving fellow.
I appreciate the visitation, and your warm words.
Just stopped by to vote this hub up again! Your Hercules reminds me so much of My Yorkie Poo Heidi, she sleeps right on my chest too, and once she knows I am awake, she barks until I get up, just like your little dog.
Heidi is so upset when I have to go away that most of the time I take her with me if I can. Like you little dog, she loves to ride in the car and sniff the air...LOL!
KoffeeKlatch Gals— I surely agree with you. Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate your big heart!
James, What a wonderful testimony to 'man's best friend'. I believe the main reason people love dogs is all that unconditional love they recieve.
wininginweb— Thank you for the compliments. I appreciate the visit and your comments. Welcome to the HubPages Community!
Really it's a good hub.you have messaged very well
tlpoague— Ha! I like that first sentence. I've never had to put one down. That must be awful. Maltese do not shed at all. They hair hair instead of fur.
I am glad you enjoyed this Hub. Thank you for the visit and the comments. :-)
We gave our daughter a dog to replace a boyfriend. It is so funny to see how much they act like children. It was a sad day when we had to put him down, but she has raised one of his offspring just like it was her own child. Needless to say, that is one spoiled dog. I am curious to see what her kids will be like when she gets older. Great hub! I am wondering though, are Maltese shedders or are they like a Lhasa?
Kristeen— I love dogs too! There are great and loyal companions, as you say. Thank you for visiting and commenting. :-)
Cute pictures James. They made me smile. I love dogs and have never been without one. They are great and loyal companions.
PegCole17— I am with you. I can't imagine a heaven without dogs either. I appreciate your warm words. Thank you for reading my article and leaving your comments. :)
James, You're a constant surprise and what a lovely tribute to (wo)"man's best friend". My first dog at 4 yo still remains in my heart. She was my little sister in times of joy, sadness and loss. So many since then, each of them loved and loving and irreplaceable. It's true, I can't imagine a Heaven that doesn't include all my beloved pets.
izettl— We've got the tail wagging the dog here! Those wet dogs are funny. Take away all that fluffy hair and there ain't much left. Thank you for your kind compliments. Always nice to hear from you, melady.
in my dog-owner relationship, I think I am the dog. My dog is just not a typical dog. He is a chihuahua that acts like a cat and I don't like cats, but I've had him for 7 years which makes me the loyal companion and love him unconditionally.
p.s I love the picture of the wet dogs. too funny. Oh and great hub too- loved the quotes.
shepherdgirl— I'm glad you did. I love that Dave Barry quote! He is a very funny man. Thank you for visiting my Hub and leaving your remarks.
lambservant— Thanks! I surely agree with your words. I am well pleased that you loved this Hub. I love it myself. :)
Love the hub. I am raising my sixth German shepherd and she is just a riot. My husband and I cannot live without our shepherds. My favorite dog quote is from Dave Barry (I think) "Put your dog and your wife in the trunk of your car for two hours and see which one is the happiest to see you when they get out".
Love the hub. Man cannot live without dogs. The only one more unconditionally loving, more devoted, and more joyful at seeing us, and more faithful is Jesus.
James A Watkins Hub Author 2 weeks ago
Coolmon2009— Thank you!! Thank you very much! :D