by Rex Trulove

Created on: January 04, 2010

There is a saying on a plaque on the wall that says, "A dog is man's best friend because it wags its tail, and not its tongue". It is meant to be humorous, but in many ways, it is totally true.

Many people think that we assign emotions to our pets that they don't actually exhibit or feel. It could be more possible they never had a dog as a pet, because dogs disprove this assumption in many ways. A pet dog requires and wants four basic things: Food, water, shelter, and love. Love may be listed last, but it is by no means the least important to the animal. In fact, a dog will make do with little food; barely enough water to survive, the only shelter by snuggling up next to its owner, but will lose the will to survive without love.

What it gives in return isn't just love, it is unconditional love. When the dog loves you, it doesn't look at your character flaws, doesn't complain about your life choices, and doesn't get upset because you spoke a harsh word that was uncalled for. With that last, they will sometimes have hurt feelings, but these can soon vanish when the dog receives the love they relish.

They will often listen to you while you speak of things the dog probably couldn't care less about. Often, the listening is very attentive, as if they are hanging on your every word. Few human friends will do that.

Many times, a dog will sense that you are down, when even family members don't. The common reaction is to try to do something to cheer you up, even if that means to lie next to you and rest their head in your lap. How very valuable to a true friend that trait is.

The unconditional love also means that the dog is totally devoted. Once the trust is established, they will stick with you through thick and thin. They will share your joys and happiness, be there through your sorrow, always trying to give you love and never expecting a great deal in return.

This is shown by a story given by Stuart Hamlen, radio announcer, many years ago. He and his wife had been on vacation, taking back roads to see what people normally didn’t see, when they came upon an old house that looked like it could have fallen with the slightest gust of wind. Still, they wanted to take some pictures of the rustic house, so they went to get permission from the owner.

The Hamblen's found him, dead, in his cot, apparently of natural causes. On the floor, beside the old man, was an old dog, so skin and bones that it was apparent it had been there for a long time, waiting for his master to get up to fix them something to eat. The dog wagged its tail when Stuart approached, but didn't leave the spot on the floor, willing to be faithful to the end.

Stuart Hamblen ended up adopting the dog after notifying authorities about the departed master. For the rest of the dog's life, it was just as loyal to Stuart. Yet, it had been willing to die next to its original master. How many friends will you ever have that are that devoted to you?

Incidentally, this is what inspired Stuart Hamblen's song, "This Ole House".

People seldom show this sort of unconditional love. Dogs do. Is it any wonder that dogs are considered man's best friend?

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