Being patted is what it is all about.
I am as confounded by dogs as I am indebted to them.
It's our mortality that terrifies us, because what we're really seeking is immortality - that is, after all, a fool's errand.
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
If you don't own a dog, at least one, there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life.
Generally, or at least very often, people with a deep interest in animals are the best people around.