101 Things I Love About Dogs

Published February 14th, 2008

There are many times when I think about how great it is to be a dog in my house…don’t have to work for a living, your people bring you cookies, walk with you, feed you, and then you find a sunny patch to just lie and enjoy the day. What a life. I wish it were this way for every dog, because they all deserve it. They carry themselves with so much hope, dignity, and cuteness every day. If you pay close attention, it’s impossible not to love and learn from them.

I don’t feel this list even does them justice, but here are 101 things I love about the canines:

Their eternal optimism
Their leathery little noses
That many of them are social butterflies
The way their footprints look in the snow
That they don’t talk back…most of the time…
How easily they make friends
Their unwavering loyalty
That they always want to be near us
The smell of their feet
That they don’t judge us
They’ve mastered the art of unconditional love
They’re not afraid to just turn their nose up and let their ears flap in the wind
They don’t care if other people gossip about them
They are so in tune with our body language that they don’t really need to hear what we are saying
That they know how to forgive
Sometimes they make us laugh so hard, we cry
They are always happy to see us when we come home
They often show us what it’s like to have grace and dignity under pressure and in pain
They can be great listeners…sometimes that’s all we need
Some if them have very soft ears
When they wag their tails so hard their whole body wiggles
That a tennis ball can give them so much joy
Some of them are small but they all have big hearts
They live every day to the fullest
They never grow up
They aren’t impressed by money…or put off by a lack thereof
Most of them are photogenic
They truly accept that families come in all shapes, sizes, and appearances
No matter their size, they have big presence in our lives
How excited they get when we surprise them
Watching them dream about running..or eating!
When they sit on your feet
When they share in our happy times
When they let you kiss them on the forehead
That they believe in giving second chances
That they are always wearing their birthday suit!
How they can sleep all day, nap a bit in the evening, and then sleep all night…I am so envious…
That someone so cute could have such bad breath
Watching how they swim underwater
How they hog the ball when we play soccer
When the little dogs have huge personalities
That they are always up for a walk
The excitement when they learn a new task
When they hop up on the bed and snuggle in with their family
That they trust us–we should never abuse that trust
When a whole pack of them surrounds me and follows me around
That they accept us just as we are
That they have, and continue to teach me so much
The hope in their eyes
Their chubby little round feet
Their infectious enthusiasm
When it looks like they’re grinning
Watching them run full tilt
That they are all individuals
When they know we are scared, and are protective of us
When they stand close
That they are there to celebrate our successes
That they don’t care about our failures
That even a small dog can take up a lot of room in a big bed
It doesn’t take much to please them
They do what sounds like a good idea at the time…even if its not
They often eat with gusto
They understand that happiness is best when shared
Some of them love to be hugged
When they curl up into a tight little ball
When they communicate by grumping and groaning
That people of all walks of life can share this special bond
Their resilience
Like us, they have their quirks
They teach us about gratitude
There is a little bit of wolf hiding in all of them
Many of them are co-dependent
They aren’t cats :)
Some of them love their stuffed animals
They think it’s socially acceptable to roll around in dead things–or someone else’s poo
They lead by example when it comes to compassion and caring
They show us that love knows no bounds
Some of them are literally therapy dogs
That they force us to think about someone other than ourselves
Their ability to start the next day with a clean slate
They see the real us…and that’s what they love
They understand that looks aren’t as important as what’s on the inside
When they lie on their back with all four feet in the air and tummy to the sky
The gentle, playful, and respectful way they treat their dog friends
That they really choose us–we don’t choose them
Even though people get dogs for many different reasons, they all become family
That they have an endless supply of kisses
How they look when they are soaking wet–and how excited they get
When they howl along with my singing :)
When they sit on our laps
How they lie in the sun
That even though the fur goes grey, their spirit stays strong
They remind us of just how precious life is
That some of them have webbing in between their toes
How they take the time to just sniff the grass
Their genuine curiosity
When they give me a high-five
That they extend to us the privilege of their friendship
How they are creatures of habit
They make us into better human beings
They understand every single thing about being a good friend–without ever saying a word