The love of a dog
As Valentine’s Day approaches my thoughts go to the unconditional love we get from our pets. For me, it’s dogs. But for you cat (or other pet) lovers out there, I’m sure you share many of these same feelings.
If we are lucky enough we all get to experience many types of love in our lives including love from our families, siblings and children, from friends and neighbors and, if we are really lucky, the romantic love of a significant other, who may become our life partner, husband or wife. Great philosophers say that we all want a witness to our lives, someone who sees firsthand our day-to-day habits and rituals. Someone who sees us at our best but also at our worst, and loves us “because” not “despite.”
Dogs love us because. They don’t judge. They don’t see our faults. They are there for us on the good days and on the days we may struggle. They comfort us when we feel a loss and they are there to share our wins. They lay by our feet or snuggle up to us on our couches and take away the stresses and worries of our days. There is nothing better than the warm welcome you get from a pup upon returning home. Whether you’re gone 5 minutes or 5 hours, the tail wags and overwhelming joy is the same. It truly is unconditional love.
My heart warms when I see the positive impact dogs can have on the elderly and others who may be hurting due to depression, physical injury or illness. The energy and joy that a dog brings to a home is palpable. I know when my father was in his last years, just petting my dog could change his mood in a few minutes. Simply put, dogs bring love and they really ask for nothing in return.
It is for all these reasons that I knew I wanted to allow dogs to visit Manninen’s Cabins because dogs are truly part of the family. My cabins have hosted dogs of all sizes and breeds, from Akitas to Min Pins. I see the joy a family gets from sharing their vacation with their furry family members. The love is returned.
Loving people is difficult. They often disappoint or misunderstand us, say hurtful things, and sometimes even withdraw their love and break our hearts. On this Valentine’s Day, I hope you all have a wagging tail to come home to.
My pups, from left: Grace (2001-2011), Porter (2004-2019), Liberty, Tex. Photo of Tex courtesy KLEM Studios.