I'm a firm believer that the world is divided into two kinds of people: dog people and the rest of y'all.
To someone that doesn't own a dog, a dog is simply just a dog. But for those of us that have or have had a dog, it's not nearly that simple. The day you become a dog owner, your world changes. Your dog becomes equivalent to a kid to you. When people ask me when I'm going to get married and have a tiny human, I remind them that I already have my dog, Bear, and that's enough for me, at least for now.
Dogs are selfless. In the year that I've had Bear, he's never been mad or upset at me for something that a parent or significant other would. He never gets mad when I come home later than normal or if I come home smelling like I cheated on him (petting another dog.) As soon as I open the door, his beaver tail is wagging and he starts running in circles around me. I don't think I've ever had a single person be that happy about seeing me my whole life.
If you're as easily stressed like I am or let your anxiety control your actions and moods, you know that one of the best forms of therapy has four legs, a wagging tail, and fur. I can only name one or two things that make me feel better than my dog does when I've had a bad day. Walking/hiking with Bear, playing fetch with him or even just petting him can change my mood almost completely. Dogs aren't used as service animals for any reason. They literally help reduce stress.
Dogs are one of the most loyal creatures, far more than people. I know you've watched the videos where a soldier returns home and sees his dog for the first time in over a year or two. The dog absolutely loses it, and jumps and licks all over the soldier. When they say dogs are a man's best friend, it means just that. Just like they're your dog, you're their human. I've often wondered if Bear has named me.
They also know how to make you laugh, whether they mean to or not. They can make some of the most hilarious faces when they sneeze and when they're pouting about tearing something up. Or if your dog is anything like mine, it's pretty funny when his face is covered in caked on mud and he's still "smiling." If your dogs' personality is anything like my dog's, just about everything they do can make you laugh, from how they run to even how they twitch/snore in their sleep.
About nine times out of ten, I'd choose to hang out with my dog over people. I can say just about anything and he just tilts his head to the side like he knows exactly what I mean. Sometimes I swear he's about to say something back to me by the way his eyes are looking at me. And despite what I think sometimes, he doesn't just love me and hang out with me for my food. I could just sit outside in the yard with Bear laying on my lap–mind you, he's a full grown Labrador–and be perfectly content. More often than not, I choose to be lazy or play with him than go to a party or bar with my friends.
I've always thought I loved dogs until the day I brought home Bear. My camera roll on my phone is full of hundreds of his pictures. And I have to watch myself because if I'm not careful, he's all I'll talk about. I'm really not sure how I went twenty-one years without Bear, and I'm definitely not sure what I'll do without him once he's gone.
That being said, in my opinion, dogs are one of God's greatest creations. Take care of them. They're not yard ornaments.
