Man's best friend, a common phrase in today's parlance. The dog - pure breed or mutt, big or small, cute or ugly - all dogs no matter their size, shape, color or disposition have one thing in common. A dog is a man's best companion, demonstrating unconditional love and devotion to its master that is unwavering and undying.
The phrase 'Man's Best Friend" has a very interesting genesis. The phrase emanates from the closing arguments of an 1870 Missouri trial where a man sued his neighbor farmer for shooting to death his prized Coon Hound. In his closing remarks in the case, Lawyer George Vest, instead of summarizing the case testimony as is custom, delivered instead what has now become known as the Eulogy to a Dog speech. Personally, being a dog lover, I was moved by reading this closing statement, and therefore set forth the relevant portions herein:
Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has he may lose. It flies away from him perhaps when he needs it most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us, may be the first to throw the stones of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog.
Gentlemen of the jury, a man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fierce, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come from encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wing and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.
[Coren, S. “Man’s Best Friend”: The Senator, the Dog, and the Trial.. (Accessed August 16, 2021)].
This case became so famous that a statue of 'Old Drum' (the Coon Hound's name) was erected outside the Courthouse in Warrensburg, Missouri, where it still stands today.
Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of owning a dog will attest to Vest's words. A dog is the one true reliable companion you can count on in your life no matter the circumstances present. Any dog I have ever owned became part of my family and was pampered and spoiled as much as my own three children. People would look at my dogs and remark that they truly lived 'a dog's life'.
Dogs, just like most people, are social animals, and due to the processes of domestication through the generations, they have become reliant on humans for their survival. It can therefore be concluded that the relationship between dog and human has grown into one of a symbiotic nature.
However, I maintain that it is the human that derives greater benefits from this relationship with 'man's best friend'. Unconditional love is virtually impossible to be found in the world in which we live today between people, but between a dog and its human counterpart, unconditional love is present throughout the whole duration of the relationship. Through thick or thin, a dog will never leave your side.
I find myself somewhat melancholy writing this piece. My last dog, 'Truffles", was a mix of a pure bred Golden Retriever and a pure bred Chocolate Labrador. He was a beautiful dog, light brown in color and when the sun struck his short coat it shined with golden flecks. And smart...he was house trained in a matter of days and took right to all the basic commands. He was originally purchased to be my youngest son's dog, but he immediately took to me and quickly became my best friend. We were inseparable.
But all things must end, one way or the other. You see, my ex-wife got 'Truffles' in our bitter divorce (I'm convinced it was solely to hurt me as she never liked the dog at all). My youngest once and a while would bring him to visit, but that was not enough for either of us. I missed him terribly and I've been told he would just unhappily mope around the house in my absence. And now, old age has taken him from me permanently. Even worse, I do not have in my possession any photo to remember him by, and I'll be damned if I'll ask the Ex for one. So rely on my memory I must.
Will I get another dog after 'Truffles'? Yes, once I get my final move south completed and get myself settled in. I miss my dog companion in my life and recognize there is something missing from my existence in the absence of a dog. The lead picture to this article was deliberate, as I'd like my next dog to be a pure bred Golden Retriever. I'd like to get him/her at no more than 8 weeks of age so I can insure proper vaccinations and train the dog myself. Being retired I have the luxury of time to accomplish this task on my own plus this time together will help seal the bonds of companionship and trust between us.
So when I read what this week's word was, this topic immediately popped into my head. I hope you enjoyed reading this piece as much as I enjoyed writing it.
And remember, if you are lonely and need a companion, the better choice is the furry, four-legged variety. Love, the inability to talk back or yell at you, and no nagging - what a great life with a dog!
