Sometimes they ask me what a dog is. Then I tend to answer with what it is not. It is not a substitute for a relationship that broke up or does not exist. It is not a substitute for the child that was never born. It is not a substitute for the loss of a family member.
No, the dog is not a substitute. He is a companion for a whole lifetime. You will share your sorrow and your joy with him, he will keep you company, he will be happy when he sees you and he will show it to you, and he will ask only a little from you. To love him, to care for him, and to look after him. That is how he becomes irreplaceable to you.
If you love him truly…
