Why Everybody Should Own a Dog

I'm a dog person, all the way. Don't get me wrong, I like cats too. Honestly I would prefer the company of almost any animal over a human. But there's a reason dogs are called man's best friend. They are the most pure thing on this planet, and we probably don't deserve their love.

This is my puppy, Rory, when he was still growing. He's a mix between Chihuahua, Schnauzer, and Poodle. But just look at those eyebrows. And that moustache. And those paws. Tell me that isn't the cutest thing ever. He looks like an angry old man but he's not. He's just a sweet little baby, that wants to play fetch and chew on my hair. (Maybe this blog post was an excuse to show off my adorable dog. I bet you're not even mad.)

Everybody thinks that their dog is the BEST dog. And everybody is right. All dogs are the best dogs. Because all dogs are the best. I feel like they have been put on this planet to teach humans what real love is. 

Even dogs that are "mean" and "aggressive." The problem isn't with them, the problem is with us. Somehow, we aren't communicating properly with those dogs. See, the thing about dogs is that they can't speak english. We need to learn to communicate with them in a way that they can understand.

The same principle applies to "stupid" dogs. They're not stupid. You just don't know how to talk to them. Take my roommates dog Sydney, for example.

Sydney is a 9-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She's the biggest cuddle bug you could ever meet, and she's partially deaf. We sometimes make comments about how derpy Sydney is, but that isn't the case at all. I think she is smarter than we all give her credit for. 

One day, I was sitting on the couch watching tv. Sydney was at my feet, staring at me, her tail slowing wagging back and forth. I look down at her, wondering what she could want. She just went outside, so that can't be it. It wasn't dinner time, either. As soon as I looked at her, her tongue flopped out of her mouth in an excited pant while her tail wagged wildly. 

"Whatcha want girl?" I asked. She instantly fixed her gaze on the box of treats sitting on the kitchen counter. Her tail had stopped wagging and she was no longer panting. She was just staring at these treats! She looked back at me, and then at the treats. It took me a few times to get it, but once I shifted my gaze over to the treats, her tail started wagging again. 

"You want a treat?" I asked. She stood up and started spinning in circles. So of course I had to give her one. It was amazing communication on her part, and she was incredibly patient with me while the cogs in my brain slowly turned to comprehend what she was trying to tell me.

Go talk to your dog more than normal today. But don't just talk, listen. We could learn a lot from our furry friends.