We all have a best friend. Sometimes our best friend is male, sometimes female, and sometimes has fur, four legs, and a wagging tail. When it comes down to it, dogs are the best friends of all, and we definitely have a lot to thank them for.

From the second they come into our lives as puppies, dogs have an uncanny knack for making us smile. Whether they are stumbling over their paws and tripping on their floppy ears or curled up in your lap, sound asleep and snoring, they give us laughter, warm hearts, and happiness. Even if you’re having a terrible day, you can always come home to the excitement of a dog who is overjoyed to see you. A dog doesn’t care what has gone on in your day or what you’ve done; they just want to sit on you, cover you with slobbery kisses, and love you unconditionally.

This unconditional love goes beyond welcoming you home after work; a dog’s unending loyalty and desire to please us makes them pretty perfect companions, too. For instance, there are many stories of dogs whose loyalty has spurred them to return to the same place day after day to wait for their owner, even if they weren’t trained to do so. There are also countless dogs that are trained to do specific, often times heroic, tasks, such as tracking down criminals, sniffing out drugs at airports, and finding land mines on the battlefield.

There are dogs who search though rubble and the remnants of avalanches to find victims who have been trapped alive. Some dogs are even trained to assist handicapped people, detect seizures and other medical problems, and provide mental health therapy. These dogs are able to accomplish so many feats that humans are incapable of, and it is all because they are eager to serve us. What better deal is there?

So with this in mind, let’s go home and give our dogs nice long tummy rubs and a couple extra treats to thank them for being our best friends. They will certainly love you right back.