Why Spend Valentine’s Day with your Dog? Unconditional Love, baby.

Some might think that spending Valentine’s Day with your dog is sad or lonely, but I think that they have it pretty darn good. There’s nothing that feels better than the unconditional love a dog gives to their human. There are millions of people whose “better half” walks on four legs, and they are more likely spending Valentines Day with their dog instead of a two-legged counterpart.

Here’s my top 5 reasons why celebrating Valentine’s Day with your dog is the best.

1. A dog doesn’t know what Valentines Day is.

And isn’t that wonderful! No trips to the mall or florist. No expensive dinners. No need to spend big bucks or stress out over the perfect gift for your dog. Max will be perfectly happy with whatever you give him. Even better, you get to buy what you like because your dog will like anything that has to do with getting your attention. Just add a few belly or head rubs for good measure, and both of you are happy!

2. A dog doesn’t care about Valentines Day gifts, either.

Think about it. Give a dog a gift and what do they do? Sniff it, and look at you as if to say, “Okay … now what?” That’s because a dog has no expectations. They live in the moment. Dogs don’t care about material things (unless its food, of course), but they do care about spending time with you. So if an unexpected neighborhood walk comes with that new Valentines Day dog collar that you fell in love with and had to buy for him, know that its the walk and your company, and not the dog collar, that made your dog’s Valentine’s Day great.

3. A dog’s love and devotion is testimony to unconditional love.

While I love what Valentine’s Day stands for, I think we often forget about a dogs love for his owner. A dog is called “mans best friend” for a reason. Loyalty, devotion and unconditional love – a dog gives you all these things. Whether you inadvertently insult them, come home late without an explanation, or yell at them for sneaking the nachos off the coffee table, their heart is yours without judgment. They won’t throw you out of bed, or give you the cold shoulder for a week like some of us would do. Which leads me to the next joy of being a single dog owner on Valentine’s Day …

4. You don’t have to make-up with a dog.

Valentines Day is a “make-up” day for a lot of people. But with dogs, there’s nothing to make-up for. Dogs don’t harbor resentment or hold a grudge. While you may feel a little guilty when you lose your patience with your pup for whatever reason, s/he isn’t waiting for an apology or something to make-up for your blunder. They are just waiting for things to blow over so that you will talk to them in that sweet, welcoming voice you usually do. If you are feeling guilty for something you said or did to them, you could always find a nice little doggy cafe or park in your area to toss a few balls around or soak in some sun. Even better, your dog won’t know that you did it out of guilt either!

5. After the holiday is over, things don’t change.

And that’s the beautiful part. The party isn’t over for them. They still love you with the same intensity as they did before Valentines Day. Everyday is a day full of joy with their human. That’s one of the many reasons that I love dogs.

So be sure to remember your dog on February 14th, but skip the card and Flowers …

This post originally appeared on The Artful Canine’s Blog Site. If you’re not reading this via email or RSS feed from The Artful Canine’s Blog Site, it may have been stolen.

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