Man's Best Friend

Abby & Me in 2006

It's long been said that dogs are man's best friend. And why not? Dogs are great. Whenever you come home, they're there to greet you and are always more than excited to see you. Dogs do whatever they can to protect you when they feel you are in danger, and whatever they can to help you in you've been physically or emotionally hurt. There's that old joke, as well: Why do men love dogs more than women? If you lock a woman and a dog in the trunk of a car for a few hours, which one is excited to see you?

My family adopted Abby from the Humain Society in the summer of 2006, when she was just eight weeks old. She instantly became part of the family, and it really has been a blessing having her around. Now, at age five, she is still a bundle of energy and a crazy dog. Crazy in a good way.

Dogs make great companions. They are an added member to the family and I believe that they can even help sustain a marriage. Every night, weather permitting, my parents walk our yellow lab/vizsla mix, Abby, around the block. Not only are they walking the dog, but they are walking with each other. Our subdivision has a loop that is a little over a mile long, so that's 25 minutes every night that my parents spend with each other outside of the house.

Here's why I really think that dogs are man's best friend: dogs epitomize what a man wants to be. This may sound silly at first, but think about it. A dog is full of energy and can be truly happy. After a long day at work, men just want to sit down on the couch and unwind from a stressful day. During this time, things like salary, bills, and family issues are probably running through his mind. A dog can be fully happy and contempt with a full stomach and chasing a ball in the backyard. To a dog, that's as good as it gets, and as good as it can be.

Dogs also have the ability to love unconditionally. They hold no records of wrong for more than a few minutes, and are excited to meet anyone new. As men, and as humans, it's only natural to withhold entire forgiveness and not to be able to forget wrong-doings. I believe that men really wish they could love someone to the level that a dog can and be bonded for life. Just like Dug (from Disney's Up) says, "Hi, my name is Dug. I have just met you and I love you!"

What guy doesn't want to be a hero? Movies have always portrayed the knight in shining armor, and it is something that men aspire to be. A dog has the ability to scare of criminals, or pull their owner from a river just by following their instincts. Human intuition would cause us to hesitate or assess the risk involved. None of that ever even occurs to a dog.

The bottom line is, dogs are great. Even petting them helps relieve stress. Some of my favorite breeds are: labs, golden retrievers, huskies, basset hounds, and Burmese mountain dogs. If you don't have a dog at home, I feel bad for you.

"No home is complete with the the pitter-patter of dog feet."

Also, I do have three cats at home, and they're great, too.