10 Proofs a Dog is Really a Man’s Best Friend

We have all heard the statement, “A dog is a man’s best friend.” This could be true because res e arch shows dogs we domesticated during the upper paleolithic period, 35,000 BP or Years before the Present.

Moreover, modern statistics reveal that pet dogs account for 471 million globally and cats follow at 370 million. Now that is a huge number of animals that shows the love humans also have for pets.

But how have the dogs proven the all-famous statement? Here are ten instances where a dog proved to be man’s best friend.

10. A Faithful Dog

In the early 1920s, Eizaburo Ueno, a professor of Agriculture from Tokyo University adopted a little Japanese Akita puppy. He named the dog Hachiko and loved him dearly, even treating him as his son. The dog would see off his owner to the train station each morning as he went and came from work.

However, on May 21, 1925, a typical day like any other, Hachiko was in his usual spot waiting for his master. But Eizaburo did not show up. He had succumbed to a cerebral hemorrhage at his workplace.

Following Eizaburo’s death, Hachiko moved in with the Ueno’s family gardener. However, Hachiko would go to Shibuya Train Station every morning and afternoon hoping to see his master who never showed up. He did this for 10 years until his death and his story moved the nation. Today, Hachiko is honored with a statue, museum, books, murals, and two movies; Hachiko Monogatari (1987) and Hachiko: A Dog’s Tale (2009). [1]

Hachiko statue in Japan — Hachiko statue in Shibuya.Image by Nick115 from Pixabay

9. Dogs Bark Save Sleeping Family

A Barnstead, New Hampshire family had all the reason to celebrate owning their two dogs. This is after the pets beat anxiety and barked to alert their master of a fire that had engulfed the home.

Travis, who was deep asleep, woke up in time to save his two daughters Madelyn and Grace. Unfortunately, the house did not have any smoke detectors so the family would have realized about the fire a little too late. Travis called the Barnstead Police and Fire Department who managed to put out the fire after one and a half hours.

The cause of the fire was not determined but Travis said it originated from the barn and spread to his house and truck. “The pets have raised their status in our lives,” said Joanne, Travis’s wife who was in Connecticut when the fire broke out. [2]

8. Chihuahua Saves a Sick Veteran

Rudy Armstrong, an 86-year-old North Carolina retired veteran has all the reason to thank his dog Boo-Boo for saving his life. Rudy, who lives alone with his furry companion in a houseboat, noticed he could not move his hands or legs and could not call for help.

Brown Chihuahua laying on an open book. Image by Aaron_H from Pixabay

Knowing that he was coming down with a stroke, he said to his Chihuahua, “ok Boo-Boo, get some help.” Boo-Boo located the dock master who discovered Rudy and called the emergency services.

What had started as a typical day for Rudy and his dog turned out to be an emergency situation, but Boo-Boo was there to save the day. Rudy reunited with his furry friend after five days at the CarolinaEast Rehabilitation Hospital gardens. [3]

7. German Shepherd Dials 911

Back in 2008, Buddy, a trained German Shepherd saved his master by dialing 911. Yes, you heard that right, the dog called the Scottsdale emergency services and asked for help.

His master, Joe Stalnakar was incapacitated at the time by a seizure. But he had trained his furry friend how to call for help if his seizures kicked in.

A German Shepherd standing on a field. Image by No-longer-here from Pixabay

Scottsdale emergency dispatcher Chris Scott heard the dog whimper and bark on the other end of the line. Moreover, Joe’s number was flagged as it indicated there was a trained assistance dog in the residence. The emergency services arrived three minutes later to discover Stalnaker and took him to a hospital where he recovered after two days. [4]

6. Great Pyrenees Thwarts a Kidnap Attempt

A Tennessee-based shelter organization, Big Fluffy Dog RescueJepson, had all the reason to praise one of their dogs. This was after a Great Pyrenees dog stood up to two potentially dangerous men who pulled up in an unmarked van and attempted to grab its rescuer.

Female volunteers at the shelter had witnessed a fair share of sexual harassment. This was according to a statement Jean Harrison, the founder, released to a local news station.

Great Pyrenees laying on a leafy ground — Great Pyrenees laying down. Image by jathomas from Pixabay

However, this was not a typical day since the attackers met their match. Intimidated by the dog’s fierceness the two men had no choice but to drive away. “Had she not been walking the dog on that day, and the dog keeping away the attackers, we could have been news,” Jean said. [5]

5. Staffordshire Bull Terrier Bites Abusive Boyfriend

An Aberdeen lady had a reason to enjoy owning a dog during a nightly domestic brawl. The Staffordshire bull terrier tried to save her favorite human by getting between her and her abusive boyfriend, Liam Gove.

Liam proceeded to hit the dog several times before turning to his girlfriend. He managed to land two blows on her face which knocked off her two front teeth and left her nose bleeding. However, the dog intervened and bit him so hard that he had to spend two days at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Staffordshire bull terrier laying down on hind legs. Image by Sandor Foszto from Pixabay

Christy Ward, the Fiscal deputy said that the argument broke out when the girlfriend overheard Liam calling a taxi, she demanded to know where her lover was going off to. Liam Gove pleaded to domestic aggravated assault charges and unnecessary harm to an animal. He received a sentence of 300 hours of unpaid work and a 5-year dog ownership ban, and he had to complete the Calendonian program. [6]

4. Taz, the Big Hero

Bobbi Trivette, a Tennessee-based lady had all the reason to thank her dog Taz for saving her life. The domestic violence incident that happened in 2018 between Bobbi and her boyfriend had turned tragic to the point he strangled her.

In a statement, Bobbi revealed that her fiance was accusing her of cheating, controlling her, and often taking away her car keys and phone. On that fateful night, her fiance snapped and flung her across the room. He then proceeded to pick her up and dropped her on the floor through a table, breaking her leg.

After that, he started choking her but she managed to utter the word Taz. The dog responded by biting the fiance hard on the face, giving Bobbi a chance to slip away. The fiance shot Taz three times but he survived for some months. [7]

3. Retriever-Pit Bull Cross Dials 911

Terry McGlade, an Ohio-based retired vet had his dog, Major, to thank for its heroic act of saving his life. The dog pulled his master’s iPhone from his pocket and made a 911 call by placing its paw over the screen repeatedly.

The extraordinary thing about Major is that although he was trained to detect his master’s seizures, Terry never thought the dog could use his phone. Luckily he did and the dispatchers responded after receiving several calls from the address.

The emergency team found Major in the front yard and guided them to the unconscious Terry. “I would have been in severe trouble had Major not called for help,” Terry said to a local news post. [8]

2. Untrained Dog Saves His Master

On a typical day in Wichita Falls, 81-year-old Johnny McKnight was in his backyard cutting trees. However, the saw slipped, caught his left leg, and cut so deep that it nearly got to the bone.

Alone and helpless, he called out for help and his dog, Rambo, responded. Rambo nudged his master to stand by biting on his trouser and Johnny stood and hopped to his house.

Johnny’s wife Althea, who was showering at the time, was unaware of the situation outside. Rambo barked to alert her and that was when she heard her husband and called 911. ”I feel blessed to have this dog because he really saved me,” Said Johnny. [9]

1. Labrador-Springer Spaniel-Cross Saves Owner Twice

61-year-old Sharon Brooks knows the real definition of the statement, a dog is a man’s best friend after her dog, Judy saved her twice. The first incident happened in 2010 during her diabetic attack when the dog offered her a chocolate bar.

Judy leaped into action the second time in 2014 when Sharon choked on a piece of toast in the kitchen. When Judy walked in, she quickly realized something was wrong with her master and jumped on her shoulder blades, pounding on the back, and dislodged the toast.

“I was starting to feel dizzy and could not get my breath,” Sharon told a local news post. ”I panicked but Judy came in right on time to help. I do not know what could have happened if she was not there. Truly, a dog is a man’s best friend, and mine certainly is.” She added. [10]

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