In praise of dogs

There are a number of things one can say about dogs to make the case they are indeed our “best friend”. The advantages of having them around range from the purely utilitarian to the more emotional benefits. From guarding our homes, helping us herd our livestock, and flushing out birds on the hunt, to greeting us as though we were a long lost friend when we get home from work, the value of our relationship with dogs is nearly impossible to dispute. But fundamentally, I think what lies at the root of our friendship with Canis lupus familiaris is purely and simply their consistent capacity for unconditional love.

Dogs are perhaps the one friend we have in this world that come with virtually zero risk. With more than one out of every two marriages ending in divorce, and God knows how many relationships that never even make it to marriage, it is obvious even love stories that start out with the greatest passion frequently have unhappy endings. Humans, no matter how good at heart or well intentioned, might as well come with a “love at your own risk” label.

Our capacity to hurt those we love or to turn molehills into emotional mountains is almost unlimited. Bookstores would go out of business were it not for the volumes of fiction inspired by this all too human ability, to say nothing of the contemporary non-fiction offering ideas about how best to cope with it. Best friends and lovers alike all seem to get on each other’s nerves sooner or later.

Not so with dogs. Even people suffering from the deepest and most complex neuroses can usually find love and companionship in a dog. If they can’t, it’s the neurosis and not the dog that gets in the way. A dog just loves you for who you are, even happily adapting to our mental hang-ups by becoming a kind of enabler, validating our quirks by adjusting its behaviour to accommodate them while the rest of the world just thinks we’re crazy. Who wouldn’t consider such an animal humanity’s best friend?

Obviously, our dog Zeus - whose name appears in the title of this blog - is the inspiration for this post. From days spent in the wilderness to endless hours in the car to Zeus the office dog, he rolls with the punches like no human I’ve ever known, myself included. Only the introduction of another dog to the mix ruffles his feathers, but he accommodates himself to even that fairly quickly. Unlike dogs, we humans have too many stories running in our heads all the time. Frequently contradictory and usually far less than accurate reflections of reality, they make it difficult for us to remain conscious of our own motives, let alone remain secure about the motives of others, even those we love.

For canines it’s a different story. In Zeus’ case life boils down to a few simple pleasures: a ball to fetch or rope to tug on, a good bone, an occasional swim, food and water, and a place to lift his leg or take care of other business. Being with us is important too, though he would no doubt quickly share his love with another family if it became necessary. But as long as he is with us, we know that even if we were homeless and without a penny to our name, we would never have to question his fidelity. He would love us to the bitter end. How many people do you know with certainty would do the same unconditionally - no strings, shame, or guilt attached? And to think we still cling to the notion we’re the superior species on the planet.