Why Dogs are Better Than Humans

My dog is a golden retriever named Gingerbelle. She is my best friend in the entire world. On two different occasions (one emotional, one physical) she saved my life, and for that I am forever indebted to her. Caring for her well-being has taught me a very important lesson about life.

Dogs Are Better Than Humans

Now, if you don't own a dog (or if your dog isn't your best friend) then you might be quick to disagree with me. But if you read on, you will understand why I believe this, and why I feel that dogs are truly a gift from God, meant to help humans survive on this Earth.

The most loyal human cannot even hope to compare to the least loyal of dogs. Yes, there are times when Gingerbelle will leave my side to visit a friend, especially if there is hope for dog treats or belly scratches. She doesn't mind prancing herself over to a fellow canine to sniff his backside in greeting. But she always comes right back.

On Black Friday, 2011 I left the house while it was still dark. Poor Gingerbelle misunderstood my intentions and expected that I'd return within a few moments, as per usual. My sons and husband told me when I returned late that night that she spent the entire day lying around, looking depressed, and refusing to eat or drink until I got home.

Each night, Gingerbelle sleeps on the foot of my bed. When one of my sons tries to hug me goodnight, she noses her way between us in attempt to shove them away. And if my husband tries to cuddle, look out! Gingerbelle crawls between us and growls in his face before cuddling against me. I could not ask for a more faithful companion.

Gingerbelle does not know that my Fed-Ex delivery person is Hispanic. She does not know that her groomer is Italian. And she does not know that I am white. And if she did know, I'm not sure she'd even care. She bases her opinions on people by what is on the inside. Here are some examples:

• The Bank Teller - LOVE
  She always slips a dog treat into the bank envelope when I use the drive-thru window for banking business. Not just that, but she also tells Gingerbelle how adorable she is looking. Whoever says that dogs don't know what you're saying, hasn't met my dog.
• The Meter Reader - NO LOVE
  The first time our new meter reader met Gingerbelle, she barked up at storm at him. He made no attempt to greet her, but told her that she was a ... bad dog. In her eyes, he was a stranger on our property. She was only doing her job by letting us know he was there.
• The Firemen - LOVE
  The guys at my husband's firehouse are all dog lovers, and Gingerbelle knows it. She knows that even though her long, silky blonde hairs are going to stick to their dark blue uniforms, they're going to pet and love on her anyway. They're fairly awesome guys.
• A Certain Family Member - NO LOVE
  When someone walks into the house for the first time, it's customary to greet them, right? This person knows that I both own a large-breed dog, and that I value this dog more than I do most people. So when Gingerbelle rubbed, cat-like against the person's legs, there was really no need for the person to scream and overreact, thus scaring the poor dog.

Every day I strive to be half as awesome as my dog is on this front, and gauge my likes and dislikes about people based who they are, rather than what their features represent. More often than not I do okay, but after all...I am only human.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone lies to me. Lying is a horrible breach of trust. If I made a habit of lying, I would be setting a terrible example for my two teenage sons. Therefore, I am always shocked and disheartened upon catching someone else in a lie. It is so easy to get caught lying, that I'm not sure why people even try.

Gingerbelle is incapable of lying. You might be thinking, "Well, duh. She's a dog, and cannot talk." But she is expressive! When she smirks, one eyebrow raises higher than the other. When she is sad, her entire face droops. She and my husband's dog are such rivals, I am sure she would readily blame him if she could, when I catch her misdeeds. But when she is guilty, she is unable to look me in the eye and just hangs her head in shame.

In summary, if people were half as awesome as dogs, I'd have far more people fall in the category of true friends in life, and far less in the "mere acquaintances" one. Fortunately, for as long as the Good Lord allows me to be her caretaker, I have Gingerbelle, the best friend a human could ever hope to find.