They're loud, dirty and demanding. Why are we drawn to dogs?
As an open dog lover, I sometimes wonder how that came about. Was I born that way? Is it a choice? Was it the result of my being exposed to our first puppy as a child? I had such a positive experience that I was hooked on canines? I wonder...
Given that dogs can be loud, dirty and demanding, why are we continually drawn to them?
Normally, when a person has these traits or habits, we have a tendency to avoid them, or at least be choosy when we hang out with them, but that isn't the case with dogs. My dog Cleo can be incredibly demanding, but I never consider limiting my contact with her. Would you get up and walk away if your dog came up and wanted to cuddle? Mine does this on her schedule, not mine, and I've acclimated to this.
Why are we drawn to dogs? There is this wonderful quote here from Milan Kundera that resonates with me:
“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace.”
― Milan Kundera
In spite of my dog being loud, dirty, and demanding, she is loving. She is my link to paradise, to a time of peace, and respite. She gives of herself in a way that goes straight to my heart, raising my oxytocin levels and slowing my heartbeat. I feel that she knows what she offers me in exchange for being her guardian, housekeeper and chef, and that it's a fair exchange. Our bond is true, and I am grateful.