Why do we love our dogs? Because…

By Lexiann Grant

Although we started out as work partners, thousands of years ago, dogs first loved us. In return we fed them, then grew to love them. There are more reasons than can be named why we love our dogs. What’s not to love?

To celebrate this loving relationship, here’s a list of some of the top reasons why. We love them because they...

...Fill our hearts and homes with laughter.
...Do something remarkable every day.
...Greet us enthusiastically even when we’ve only been gone for one minute.
...Show us how to give and receive unconditional love.
...Share our sorrows and our joys with us.
...Introduce us to their fascinating, simple world.
...Play funny jokes on us.
...Reduce our stress.
...Howl songs of delight to us.
...Are cuddly, huggable and love to be touched.
...Want to go with us everywhere we go and do whatever we do.
...Clean up the food we spill on the floor.
...Depend on us to care for them and teach them.
...Live with mindfulness of the present.
...Keep us on our toes.
...Do disgusting things that bewilder and amuse us.
...Change a bad day into a good one with a wag of their tail.
...Allow our inner child to come out and play.
...Relieve our boredom.
...Offer us an excuse to tell unexpected visitors why the house isn’t spotless.
...Lick our tears away.
...Watch over us when we are sick and guard us from peril.
...Make us proud of their achievements.
...Express themselves and their emotions honestly.
...Usually understand us, even when we don’t know what we mean ourselves.
...Quickly forgive us our wrongs.
...Teach us valuable life lessons, like patience, acceptance and devotion.
...Don’t criticize or judge us.
...Make us feel secure after we have a nightmare.
...Never let us sleep by ourselves when we are lonely.
...Don’t care how we look or what we wear.
...Are always beautiful regardless of their appearance.
...Give us a reason to get up in the mornings.
...Eat the same food each day but relish every meal.
...Are poetry in motion.
...Provide us a piece of heaven on earth.
...Are our family members and best friends.
...Live in our hearts and memories forever, even after they’re gone.
...Are our soul mates.

Read more articles by Lexiann Grant