The world can be pretty much divided into 2 groups: dog lovers and non-dog lovers. (I know. I know. If Howard Cosell were still alive he would excoriate me for the “non-dog lovers” appellation. It should be dog non-lovers, but I like to get my “non”s out of the way early in a word, so it’s non-dog lovers for this essay. Ok?) The purpose of this article is not to convert anyone from the non-dog loving camp, but just to talk a bit about the benefits we humans get from these guys. And, of course, eventually convert all of you.

I’ve owned dogs for the last 27 years. 5 furry losers. Every one of them was unique with a distinct personality. Every one wormed their way into my heart. Every one of them gave me a lot more than I gave them. And I gave them a lot. The pit bull pictured above is my current companion, Lucy. That picture was taken by my wife on Lucy’s ride home with us from the Fulton County pound. If you look carefully, you can see in her eyes that look that says, “Yesssss”. I won’t bore you with stories about each of these dogs. I know that’s too much like being regaled with other people’s stories about their grandchildren. Nope, nope, don’t even try to talk me into it. No stories. Not even about Tuffy.

I was thinking about the dogs and humans the other day and I came up with 4 stages that I think most successful dog-human relationships go through over time. This is from the human perspective, by the way. I think the canine view of things would be much different. They’re pretty cynical, you know.

Infatuation When you first bring them home, the excitement is palpable. Everything they do is fascinating. “Oh look, he crawled under the chair!” You’re coming home from work and all you can focus on is seeing the new dog. Puppy or not – they can do no wrong. They are just the best. (Some of you may recognize this stage from your human to human experiences). This stage passes both in pets and in romance.

Understanding There is a strict line of demarcation between the Infatuation phase and the Understanding phase. After he destroys your best pair of shoes or doesn’t seem to be getting this whole housebreaking thing or he runs away and stays just out of reach for hours as you try to rein him in, the infatuation quickly dissipates. He may not be the best dog ever after all. During this stage, you and your friend work out the rules of your lives. When I do this – you do this. If you do that – I’ll do this. Here’s what I like and here’s what you like. We can do this. Ok, I got it. The Understanding stage takes about 3 or 4 months and it sets up the rest of your lives together. It’s not hard. You just have to remember that there are 2 thinking, feeling beings involved and the furry one really wants to do what you want. So, success is pretty much up to you.

Trust and Loyalty This stage makes up most of your life together. This is really the dog’s power stroke in life. After the two of you understand each other’s needs and come to a meeting of the minds, a dog will look at you for the rest of their life with unabashed affection and deep, abiding trust. In their eyes, you hung the moon. You can have the worst day of your life. Really screw up at work or disappoint your loved ones by being human and your canine companion always sees you  in the best light. Where else will you find that? Your children? Yeah, for a while, but then they hit 14 and you’re done. Dogs are unique.

Care and Support A sad fact of life is that the canine life span is about 15% of a human’s, so most dogs in our lives will age pretty quickly and move into old age at an alarming rate. That’s when the human gets to give back some of the love. You’re there to make sure they have what they need and you don’t leave them behind – not on walks and not in life. All the way to the end, you’re there and not complaining. A good dog has earned that much and more. It’s part of the human-dog compact. There’s a special circle of hell reserved for those people who take an aging dog to the pound because they’re “too much to handle”. For the first 4 of my dogs, I’ve been there to ensure their quality of life all the way to the end and it’s not a sacrifice. It’s an honor.

I’ve met so many people who have told me that they never had a dog in their lives and then, for one reason or another, got one and their lives were so enriched. If you’ve thought seriously about getting a dog, go ahead. The road of life can be a little rough sometimes – maybe a little lonely, some ups and downs, some unforeseen detours. Get a dog. The trip will be much better for both of you.

BTW: I like cats, too.