“If you can start your day without caffeine, if you can always be cheerful and not pay attention to pain and malaise, if you can resist complaints and not bore people with your problems, if you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for this, if you can understand your loved one when he does not have enough time for you, if you can skip the blame on the part of your loved one when things go wrong because of your fault, if you can calmly accept criticism, if you can relate If you can do without lies and deceit, if you can fight stress without drugs, if you can relax without a drink, if you can fall asleep without pills, if you can sincerely say that you have no prejudice against skin color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or politics means you have reached the level of development of your dog.” - Winston Churchill  

Dogs are the rhyme in our love poems and the rhythm in our dance. They are mankind’s best and oldest friends, our guides, healers, protectors, and our dearest fur babies. And they have been for close to 30.000 years. With the month of love quickly approaching, we want to honor our furry friends and the unconditional love they have been providing us with for thousands of years. Everything is about love this month, so let's take a moment to appreciate the best love of all - the love of our dogs. 

Dogs and Humans: A Love Story through the ages 

Since the early days of their domestication, dogs have proven to be our most reliable friends. They have shown us time and time again that their unconditional love is unparalleled. No creature on earth is as loyal or as loving as our four-legged friends. Our bond may have started tens of thousands of years ago around a campfire, but it has evolved into one of the purest forms of friendship in existence. The bonds between dogs and humans run deep and are a hard-won gift that didn’t just happen overnight. According to several studies, the bond we now enjoy with our four-legged friends was a process that went through hundreds of years of perfecting.  
There are countless theories surrounding the evolution of dogs and how they came to be the favored companions of humans. Some theories suggest that dogs evolved from an ancient species of fox, while others claim that they evolved from gray wolves. And there are hundreds more theories regarding how the human – dog relationship began. Regardless of how they evolved and how our bonds with them began, there is one thing that we know for sure, the love between man and dog has stood the test of time.  

Related: 6 Reasons why you should get a dog

During ancient times, some 15.000+ years ago, settlements often relocated due to natural disasters and harsh weather conditions. Although this alone is not surprising, the fact that there have been archaeological discoveries of humans and their dogs buried together thousands of miles away from their original home is. This means that wherever humans from that era moved on to, they always took their treasured pets with them. And it once again proves that the relationship between humans and dogs has been a strong one for over 10.000 years.  

Dogs and Pharaohs 

Although Pharaohs have always been thought of as cat people, there have been numerous discoveries pointing to the fact that they cherished dogs just as much as they worshiped cats. The Saluki, Basenji, Greyhound, and Ibizan are just a few of the ancient dog breeds that have been represented in ancient Egyptian art dating back thousands of years ago. There are depictions of them on statues, tombs, sculptures, and on various tablets from that era all pointing to a strong relationship between them and pharaohs. 

Hero Dogs 

In the last few decades alone, there have been countless stories about dogs saving their owners, other people in danger, children, or even other animals.  

A German Shepherd named Trakr dug tirelessly through the ruble at the World Trade Center until he was victorious in locating the last survivor of the 9/11 attack. 
A Pit Bull named Stubby was the most decorated dog in the first world war. Stubby was trained by his handler to salute, march, and to detect and alert to poisonous gas and other dangers. Pit Bull Stubby saved countless lives during the war and was eventually promoted to Sergeant.  

Related: 6 Fun and Interesting Facts about Dogs 

A Golden Retriever named Kelsey, saved her owner during New Year’s Eve, when he fell in the snow and was unable to move. For 20 hours, Kelsey lay on her owner, licking his face and hands and keeping him warm, all while barking/calling for help. Kelsey kept her owner warm for more than 20 hours until neighbors heard her and called an ambulance. She never moved or left his side and was unhinged by the frightening fireworks that would scare any dog into hiding. 

Hachiko 

Hachiko's story is one of true and unconditional love, heartbreak, and pure devotion – a testament to the powerful bonds between humans and dogs. Hachiko was an Akita adopted by professor Hidesaburo Euno from Japan. Professor Hidesaburo Euno commuted to Tokyo by train every day for work. His loyal dog Hachiko always accompanied his owner to the train station to see him off and to greet him upon his return. This went on for several years until professor Hidesaburo suddenly passed, leaving Hachiko on his own. For over 8 years, Hachiko stood at the train station, as he did every day, waiting for his owner to return. Even as years passed, Hachiko’s devotion and loyalty were never diminished. He waited until his last moments, hoping for his owner’s return. A statue now stands tall where Hachiko once stood. It is a true monument dedicated to the love a dog has for its owner. 

Dogs and Humans: A Love Story in our times 

The relationship between humans and dogs is stronger now than it has ever been. If the pandemic years have taught us anything, it’s that no matter how hard things get, we always have our dogs near to cheer us up and make us feel loved and un-alone. 

Related: Pandemic Years, Mental Health, and Dogs 

Dogs are still our heroes now. They are also our therapy doctors, guides, and partners in adventures. They are our family members, our babysitters, and our best friends. The bond between human and dog has been, is, and always will be unbreakable.  

If you’re looking to adopt a puppy and bring a forever-friend into your life, see our available puppies that are waiting to love you unconditionally. 

Scroll down to see FAQs about the bond between dogs and humans!