Along with so many other people, I am a huge dog lover, and this is certainly for good reason. It has been said that perhaps dogs give us the best and ultimate example of “unconditional love”. I recently came across the following quote from an anonymous source, and I believe it gives us all some insightful wisdom. “The reason that dogs have so many friends is that they wag their tails instead of their tongues.”

I do hope you truly enjoy the following quotes about dogs.

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself. – Josh Billings

Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail. – Kinky Friedman

What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight – it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

– Dwight D. Eisenhower

I’m a lot less cranky when it’s just me and my dog. – Bob Peterson

The dog is the perfect portrait subject. He doesn’t pose. He isn’t aware of the camera.

– Patrick Demarchelier 

The love of a dog is a pure thing. He gives you a trust which is total. You must not betray it.

– Michel Houellebecq 

You know, a dog can snap you out of any kind of bad mood that you’re in faster than you can believe.

– Jill Abramson 

If you want to have a good life, you should focus on your family, on your business, on your dog, on your fun, and you’ll have a good life. – Adam Caroll

The bond with a true dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth will ever be. – Konrad Lorenz

People always joke that “Dog” is “God” spelled backwards. They should consider that it might be the higher power coming down to see just how well they do, what kind of people they are. The animals are right here, right in front of us. And how we treat these companions is a test. – Linda Blair 

A dog will teach you unconditional love. If you can have that in your life, things won’t be too bad.

– Robert Wagner

As noted here and elsewhere, dogs are perhaps the best example for all of us of truly unconditional love. The concept of unconditional love has been spoken and written about for centuries. So, what truly is unconditional love, and why should we be aware of it?

Unconditional love is generally defined as truly caring about the happiness and well-being of another person without any thought for what we might get in return for ourselves. Therefore, it is not true unconditional love if do something for others, or receive something from others, with the expectation of getting something in return. Yes, we all can indeed learn about unconditional love from dogs. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Jim Surrell is the author of “The ABC’s For Success In All We Do” and the “SOS (Stop Only Sugar) Diet” books. He has his practice at the Digestive Health Clinic at U.P. Health System-Marquette. Requests for health topics for this column are encouraged. Contact Dr. Surrell by email at sosdietdoc@gmail.com.