Do Our Dogs Really Care About Us?

If you’re like me, you’ve probably wondered whether your dog actually cares about you. Yeah, sure, they bark at you, lick on you and do other cute things that are truly endearing. But when push comes to shove, does your dog have feelings for you and do they really care about you?

Now, I’m no vet or a clinical psychologist, but I have owned dogs for over forty years and I can whole heartily answer this question with a bonafide YES! How do I know this? Because I’ve seen and experienced the care that dogs have for us (and others).

Five years ago, I experienced a somewhat life-altering injury. Not to bore you, but I ruptured my Achille’s tendon and was bedridden for almost six months as my tendon healed. During that entire miserable time, my dog (a 14-year old whippet) was my constant companion. She would not leave my side until my wife entered the room in order to help or check on me. Only then, would my dog take a break long enough to get some water or even take a restroom break. As soon as she had finished with her business, she would jump back on the couch or bed and stand and hover over me until she made sure I was OK. Only then would she lay down in her spot to keep me company. Her caring approach towards me was that much more meaningful because she was deathly ill at the time herself with a very severe case of canine anemia.

Within a couple of weeks of me making a full recovery from my injury, my beloved dog passed away. I truly believe she had the will and determination to make sure I was OK before allowing herself to expire. To say I was absolutely crushed by her passing would be an understatement.

So yeah, I’m certain our dogs really do care for us. And that’s why it’s so important that we take care of them because they add so much to our lives. I believe in many ways, dogs (and our pets) are truly a matter of life and death when it comes to quality of life.