Why Dogs?

[Daisy&Lucky's Mom]

[QUOTE=JeanKBBMMMAAN;2377981]Being inclusive of all breeds because these are questions I sometimes wonder about.

Why do we love dogs so much?
They are soft cuddley warm loving and never critize and share most of our interests.
Why are some people able to walk by a dog and some are not?
I think its how you were raised and you as aperson. Even as a kid I always wanted to pet a dog .Other people just dont see their possibilities or the love dogs give. Sad to be them.
Why do we spend our time, money, and give our love to an animal that supposedly (I don't buy it!) is only trying to use us for our thumbs and food? We need each other and they meet needs for companionship,fidelity, protection and combat lonliness.
Why does it bother us so much when they are sick, or worse, when they are getting ready to leave us and when they are gone? The pet who lives a long life is still gone too soon.Everytime they are sick we get touched by the realization that we will lose them and we want to do everything in our power to stop that.
Have you always been like this? NO.I Always loved animals ,dogs especially but Daisy brought it all home. I remember arguing that she was sick and the vet saying i was wrong and overreacting and i kept fighting.She had parvo and we almost lost her. She is my first and she made me realize that to lose her i would lose my heart.
Is there a 12 step program and would you even care if there was?
No

[msvette2u]

For me, it's all animals as well.
They don't have a voice and I can be their voice. They do so much for me in return it's impossible to list it all. On all levels. Physical, emotional, mental, etc.

My family used to criticize me (my mom anyway) about "all those dogs", and when they moved back to this area again (lived in AZ, then AL) I told my mom I did not want to hear one thing about my dogs - that they were my family when nobody else was here, and they are going to continue to be my family. I've had a rough time on and off w/my family so I think she "got it".
Not a word has been said

[KentuckyGSDLover]

One of the most fascinating documentaries I've ever seen and answers many of those questions is "Dogs Decoded." Netflix carries it and there is also an online stream:
Dogs Decoded | Watch Free Documentary Online

[Debbieg]

Originally Posted by JeanKBBMMMAAN

Being inclusive of all breeds because these are questions I sometimes wonder about.

Why do we love dogs so much? Because they give so much; bond with us, accept us for who we are, are happy to just be with us; don't care if we are rich , poor, how we look, they will never ditch us for someone better.

Why are some people able to walk by a dog and some are not? Maybe they have never given their heart to a dog, allowed themselves to be loved by a dog.

Why do we spend our time, money, and give our love to an animal that supposedly (I don't buy it!) is only trying to use us for our thumbs and food? Because what they give is priceless.

Why does it bother us so much when they are sick, or worse, when they are getting ready to leave us and when they are gone? Because we don't want to lose their presence in our life.

Have you always been like this? I have always loved my dogs, but now that my children are grown I am appreciating the bond with my dogs deeper than I could before.

Is there a 12 step program and would you even care if there was?

My relationship with dogs has enhanced my life. Why would I want to overcome it. It is not an addiction than needs to be overcome.
I
Great thread Jean!

[Mrs.K]

They don't cheat.
They don't lie.

[selzer]

Dogs help us to experience our inner child, our inner joy, our inner self.

Dogs love us unconditionally, or they are happy to see us, every day, all the time, always wanting to be with us, not concerned with our looks, our weight, our language, our intellectual acumen, they do not judge us.

They are dependent, but they can be trained, they will work for us, they give those of us who are shy something to take the focus of people off of us and onto them. So we feel comfortable in a class of dogs and people, where we feel uncomfortable everywhere else.

They are an animal, and they bring us closer to raw emotions.

More cannot think, skin kid (not mine) is crying.

[amaris]

Why do we love dogs so much?
Because they give you so much unconditionally, love, loyalty and adoration. And for me because i've been protected from other people as a child by my grandmother's large mutts. i think they just accept you for who you are, forgive your flaws, love you for your finer bits...they don't ever try to abuse their relationship with you in anyway or misuse you in anyway. More thn i can say about some people i've had in my life before.
Why are some people able to walk by a dog and some are not?
No idea, not dog people? I'm personally really bothered by people who just dislike dogs without any personal bad experience with dogs. It's just like why are you so afraid to approach them, scared they'll see you for what you really are?
Why do we spend our time, money, and give our love to an animal that supposedly (I don't buy it!) is only trying to use us for our thumbs and food?
Cause they're family, and family stick together
Why does it bother us so much when they are sick, or worse, when they are getting ready to leave us and when they are gone?
Haven't been there yet, not looking forward to it
Have you always been like this?
Have always always been a dog person, maybe because I've never had a bad experiences and i've always loved being around them and my odd dog growling/barking at me incidents have always been my fault. Loved dogs for as long as i can remember, always will love them. Future spouse HAS to love them too, one of my deciding criteria when deciding if i should date a guy now or not :P
Is there a 12 step program and would you even care if there was?
Would consider it depending on how painful losing Munich is gonna be in (touch wood) hopefully a good 12 yrs from now <3

[Pepper311]

I am addicted to fish keeping. I have dogs because I enjoying sharing my life with an animal that understands me better then I under stand myself at time. Dogs read us better then any human can. My dog is my best friend. She keels my secret she is always there for me, she makes me smile, she can sooth me, watching her run free on hikes being free living how wish I could at time.

Dogs are animals that just fit so perfectly into our lives.

I can't be friends with someone that does not like animals. I think people that don't like animals are weird and can not be trusted.

[LARHAGE]

I have been dog and horse crazy my whole life, in fact I have never lived a day in my life without a dog, I bought my first horse when I got my first good job and it's been a life long dream fulfilled, the dogs really became even more important to me when I purchased my first house all by myself, I live alone in a rural area and they have become not only my protectors, but my constant companions, I marvel at how they don't care about themselves, it's all about me, when I run out to bring the horses in from a blowing snow storm they could remain safe and warm in the house, but they trudge along with me, even the little terriers who have a harder time of it, when I take a shower I look out and they are curled up on the bath mat, waiting for me to come out, no matter where I go, they are there by my side, making me laugh, and hug them, last night watching the Super Bowl, I dozed off and awoke to myself covered in dogs, all snuggled up together, through my animals I have met my best friends,people like me, animal lovers, we have been friends through the years all bound for our love of our dogs and our horses. I'm not one of those women that goes goo goo over human babies, but last week a patient brought in a Dachshund puppy and I had to hold it and play with it, my co-workers laugh at me cause I won't even go look at a human baby, LOL! My heaven on earth is a trail ride on one of my horses, with my dogs running alongside on a beautiful scenic trail, it just doesn't get better than that.

[SamanthaBrynn]

I haven't always been a dog lover. I mean...I like dogs as a child and teenager but I was always leaning to I'm gonna have a huge family. Something changed for me and I got Casper after we were married a few months. Then we recently got Callie and sadly, my hubby doesn't want to have children, so these ARE my children. They just happen to be furry and have 4 legs. I love them. I would do anything for them and I think they know that. Maybe Casper a little more than Callie right now, but they know. Now that I'm being a total sap, I don't care if there's a 12-step program and some people just don't understand but I'll probably always be the crazy dog lady.