How we Benefit from Owning a Dog

From ancient times dogs have benefited human beings. They participated in hunting; they guarded, protected, carried and fetched.

Dogs still do all these things, plus they guide the blind, alert the deaf to noises, warn of impending epileptic seizures, assist the crippled, comfort the ill, depressed or institutionalized, diagnose melanoma, locate people buried in avalanches, earthquakes or bombings, and find contraband such as drugs, explosives and illegally transported agricultural products. On farms they guard the sheep, round up cows, eradicate vermin, herd and guard. Dogs like to work.

For most of us, however, dogs fulfill more mundane responsibilities:

•  Dogs are natural bootlicking sycophants, therefore making sure someone adores you.
•  Dogs do a lot of disgusting personal hygiene, therefore allowing us to get shouting out of our systems. ("If you're going to do that, do it outside!")
•  Dogs alert us to intruders. ("No! No! That's the refrigerator repairman. Come baaaack!")
•  Dogs help us get up early. ("Nooooo, not yet. Hold it for a while, please! Oh, darn!")
•  Dogs help us get to know our neighbors. ("Don't get so hot under the collar! I'll be right back with the pooper-scooper.")
•  Dogs bring us things, therefore aliing decorative tooth-marks to items like slippers and the newspaper.
•  Dogs alert us to the presence of nasty things in our yard. (Phew!! What did you roll in?)
•  Dogs are always there for us. ("Do you always have to lay in the doorway? Moooove!")
•  Dogs help us budget our money. ("The vaccinations and worming cost how much?")