40 Heartwarming Dog Quotes That Celebrate the Unconditional Love of Our Furry Friends

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Dog quotes that tug at your heartstrings

Unconditional love. It’s the credo our dogs live by. They’re the most loyal friends we’ll ever have. Their love and affection know no limits—but it sure doesn’t hurt to sweeten the pot with a good belly rub or dog biscuit! Regardless of treats, dogs are there in times of joy, deep sorrow and everything in between. We shake our heads and laugh at their weird dog behavior, especially when the madcap dog zoomies hit. To celebrate our cherished pups, we gathered some of the best puppy quotes we could find. Fair warning, these dog quotes will make you laugh and cry—simultaneously at times!

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“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring―it was peace.” —Milan Kundera

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“If you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater, suggest that he wear a tail.” —Fran Lebowitz

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“Petting, scratching and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer.” —Dean Koontz, False Memory

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“Yet in writing about your dogs, you very quickly realize that you are writing about all aspects of your life, because there isn’t really a part of it that the dogs don’t touch. They entwine themselves around it all—the serious matters and trivial, the fun and the less so. As you have read, they are there for the exciting adventures but also for the mundane. They are with you for everything, and everything is all the better for them.” —Andrew Cotter, Olive, Mable and Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs

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“Dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them’s making a poop, the other one’s carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge?” —Jerry Seinfeld

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“Dogs rule and cats drool.” —Michael J. Fox as Chance the dog, Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco

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“The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.” —Samuel Butler

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“Dogs die. But dogs live too. Right up until they die, they live. They live brave, beautiful lives. They protect their families. And love us, and make our lives a little brighter, and they don’t waste time being afraid of tomorrow.” —Dan Gemeinhart

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“Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails.” —Max Eastman

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“I suppose there’s a time in practically every young boy’s life when he’s affected by that wonderful disease of puppy love. I don’t mean the kind a boy has for the pretty little girl that lives down the road. I mean the real kind, the kind that has four small feet and a wiggly tail, and sharp little teeth that can gnaw on a boy’s finger; the kind a boy can romp and play with, even eat and sleep with.” —Wilson Rawls

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“When the dog looks at you, the dog is not thinking what kind of a person you are. The dog is not judging you.” —Eckhart Tolle

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“I’m so hungry, I could eat a shoe.” —Dom Deluise as the dog Itchy Itchiford, All Dogs Go to Heaven 2

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“Interact with a dog—pet him, talk to him, feed him a cookie, go for a walk with him—and you feel better.” —David Frei, Angel on a Leash, Therapy Dogs and the Lives They Touch

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“Dogs don’t like to be left alone. It’s not like when you leave he goes, ‘Great, time to finish writing my novel!’ No, when their humans leave, dogs get depressed, and they show it.” —Janeane Garofalo as Abby, The Truth About Cats and Dogs

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“Those of us with dogs will tell you that our dogs define the neighborhood culture and social scene. The dogs are the great equalizers, bringing people together every day. It often starts with the very simple request: ‘May I pet your dog?’ There is no phrase that brings together people any better than that one does. Diplomats should all get dogs and get to working making friends with each other.” —David Frei, Angel on a Leash, Therapy Dogs and the Lives They Touch

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“When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.” —Nora Ephron

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“Even the tiniest poodle or Chihuahua is still a wolf at heart.” —Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

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“Today our family lost a true friend and loyal companion. For more than a decade, Bo was a constant, gentle presence in our lives—happy to see us on our good days, our bad days and every day in between.” —Former President Barack Obama

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“Like all dogs, Skip was colorblind. He made friends easily with people of all races and origins. The town was segregated back then, but as we know, dogs are a whole lot smarter than people.” —Harry Connick Jr., narrating My Dog Skip

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“It’s hard not to immediately fall in love with a dog who has a good sense of humor.” —Kate DiCamillo

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“Everybody should have a shelter dog. It’s good for the soul.” —Paul Shaffer

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“Buy a pup, and your money will buy love unflinching.” —Rudyard Kipling

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“I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.” —Doris Day

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“Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot little puppies.” —Gene Hill

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“They [dogs] never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation.” —Jerome K. Jerome

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“The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” —Charles De Gaulle

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“I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive.” —Gilda Radner

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“One of the greatest gifts we receive from dogs is the tenderness they evoke in us. The disappointments of life, the injustices, the battering events that are beyond our control, and the betrayals we endure, from those we befriended and loved, can make us cynical and turn our hearts into flint—on which only the matches of anger and bitterness can be struck into flame. By their delight in being with us, the reliable sunniness of their disposition, the joy they bring to playtime, the curiosity with which they embrace each new experience, dogs can melt cynicism and sweeten the bitter heart.” —Dean Koontz 

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“Happiness is a warm puppy.” —Charles Schulz

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“The mission of the dog … is the same as the mission of Christianity, namely, to teach mankind that the universe is ruled by love.” —Henry Childs Merwin

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“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.” —Mark Twain

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“The more boys I meet, the more I love my dog.” —Carrie Underwood

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“The more I know about people, the better I like my dog.” —Anonymous

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“And I thought we would be together, go on and on just like that, forever. But I was young back then. God I wish I didn’t know little boys grow up and dogs get old.” —Luke Bryan

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“The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.” —Anonymous

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“Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.” —Mark Twain

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“I hope to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.” —Anonymous

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“Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.” —Orhan Pamuk

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“Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.” —Anonymous

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“Did you know that there are over 300 words for love in canine?” —Gabrielle Zevin