Why A Dog Is Man's Best Friend

Do you know why people say, "A dog is man's best friend"?

Almost everyone has heard or used this catchphrase without knowing where it originated. Well, let me take you out of your curiosity and let you know why we say, "A dog is man's best friend."

The statement was made in a courtroom speech in 1870 by George Graham Vest in Warrensburg, Missouri. Mr. Vest was representing a farmer who was suing for damages after his dog Old Drum was shot by a neighbor. Mr. Vest's speech came at the closing of that trial when he said, "The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog." The phrase was later shortened to "man’s best friend" and we have become accustomed to saying it ever since.

Now you know why the statement was made about the dog and not the cat or some other pet.

Now let's talk about what it really means for a dog to be man's best friend.

Not every dog is friendly by nature. However, many stories have been told how dogs have warned their masters and saved them from danger. We have heard about dogs being separated from families and traveling many miles to get back to the home they knew and loved. A dog is not only a man's best friend, but a dog is a woman's and child's best friend as well.

If you would ask the owner of a dog why he thought his dog was his best friend, he would say some of the following things.

• "My dog is loyal. I can trust him more than I can trust some humans."
• "My dog is has unconditional love. He is right by my side no matter what."
• "My dog is a great companion. He never complains of having a headache when I want to spend time with him.
• "I can make my dog laugh without having to struggle through a joke that is not even funny. And my dog makes me laugh."
• "I contribute much of my good health to my dog. I am forced to take him on long walks. That means while I am exercising him, I am getting exercise myself. My dog keeps me active."
• "My dog never fails to greet me when I come home. No matter how hard my day has been, he makes meI feel more relaxed and less stressed."
• "A best friend is someone whom you can count on. I can always count on my dog to be there for me."

A dog is capable of being man's best friend even when the man is not literally with his dog. A dog can guard the man's property when he is at work. A dog can keep the man happy at work just thinking about spending time with his dog when he gets home.

Reports have been given that if a person owns a dog, he will be able to maintain a healthier life. He will be able to relax, cope with stress and have a lower cholesterol level and lower blood pressure. Having a dog lessen the number of heart attacks among dog owners and prolong their life expectancy. Dogs have been known to comfort terminally ill patients.

So, now you know why a dog is man's best friend.