There's a reason dogs are known as “man's best friend." And it's not because they're so cute and cuddly. Well, that's part of it, but the real reason mankind holds such a fondness for canines? Dogs truly have all the qualities of the ideal best friend.

Dogs are the best listeners. Maybe the only words our four-legged friends understand are “biscuit" and “walk," but that doesn't really matter. Bad day? Go home, relax on the couch, invite Fido to join you, and just talk it out. What you'll find is, dogs listen without judgement. They sit there while you talk and complain and vent, and they don't try to help you find a solution or tell you how annoying you are. All they do is snuggle with you, look at you with their comforting eyes, and let you work it out yourself.

Dogs always have your back. They warn you when someone's at the door. They clean up the food you dropped on the floor. They bark at strange cars parked outside your house. Doesn't matter the situation, you can always count on Fido to be by your side.

Dogs have great long term memory. Studies show that canines possess declarative memory, which includes remembering facts and sequence of events. This means they are able to recognize people after extended periods of time and recall commands. Forming a relationship with a dog means a friendship for life. Chances are you've seen one of the many viral videos of a deployed soldier's heartwarming reunion with their dog. I mean, how precious is that?

Dogs love unconditionally. The devotion of a dog is different than the kind of love found within human relationships. Lock your mom and your dog in a trunk for three hours and see what happens (please don't really). Mom will more than likely emerge annoyed while the dog will run up to you and greet you with a sloppy kiss. It doesn't matter that you locked Fido in the trunk for three hours; he is just absolutely, genuinely happy to see you again. Dogs show true affection without any limitations.