Hope you and yours wherever you are in the United States take the opportunity to give thanks for the benefits and luxuries you may have received. If you are not in the United States, no problem, have a great day and be thankful in it. There will be no dissenting today…

I’m thankful for the dogs that I have (and had) in my life. I’m very thankful that my wife, like me, loves dogs too. Our house smells like dogs. Our floors gather much dog hair on them, as does our furniture and clothes. We have slobber and water stains on our walls. Our dog food bill is expensive as we go through 135 lbs (61.25 kilos) of dog food a month. Our vet bills are pretty steep too. Then there is the large amount of waste that I get to clean up regularly… I’m thankful for all of it. Every stinky awful pile of it… I’m sure our trash guy enjoys it just as much as I do…

My wife and I love the giants. Mastiffs. A breed that is a noun and verb at the same time. These big lugs of slobber, love you like no other creature on the planet. Have a rough day at work, no worries, when you get home you will get a hard lean on, maybe a full on mastiff hug when you first sit down, or my favorite (or is that least favorite) head of dripping water awesomeness set upon one’s lap. How about that for a greeting?

Since our children are older and are off doing their thing our mastiffs have become our children. We spoil them. We advertise our love of them everywhere. Our car has a decal on it that makes it a Mastiff edition. We have signs that mastiffs and their human servants live on the premises. Across the back window from our fire dancer decal (advertising my indoctrination into the Dave Matthews Band cult) is our dog sticker that reads, “Your stick family drowned in our English Mastiffs drool!” Our whole lives seem to be devoted to our canines… Why not? These companions reward us with love that is unconditional, devoted, and full contact.

I’m thankful that every morning upon waking our Old English greets me as I put my slippers on (You don’t walk in our house barefoot.) She puts her head on my lap, and with a quick scratch we are up and off to the stairwell to begin our day. I’m thankful that our mastiffs take a turn with a greeting and a scratch. Our old man Bull Mastiff loves to straddle your legs when you are trying to put shoes on for a back and rump scratch. It is a rugby scrum full contact love. It doesn’t matter who wins, as long as the pile is having fun.

I’m thankful when I go to work, I see signs of the mastiffs on my clothes. I went to the dentist recently and I saw a slobber stain on my right shoulder. Of course we had to share pictures of the pups with the hygienist who was taking x-rays. I see their love everywhere I go.

When we come home from work and stay in for the evening the love that greets us at the door is priceless. I think Bully and Dane owners understand the vicious tail wags, the squeals of delight, and dancing feet. Then the smiles when we say hello and give a quick scratch. Then there are the snuggles. We used to allow the dogs to sit on the couch with us. When you have a 160 lb lap dog there is no need for a weighted blanket. This large lap dog laying against or across you then starts breathing in time with you. You mindlessly stroke their head, ear, neck, or back. All of the troubles of the day… go away… I’m so thankful for their empathy and compassion. I feel dogs make us better humans.

We have his and her mastiffs. These pups really do have a preferred human, but my wife’s little girl still loves me. My old man still loves my wife especially when she has food. These gentle souls and their awkward large bodies really are a part of who we are.

My blog’s profile picture is with our old man. This selfie was taken a short time after we lost our English Mastiff rescue named Mia. Mia was our old man’s surrogate mother. She made him feel safe when he was wee little puppy. When we lost Mia he mourned with us for weeks. This was one of many odd cuddling positions he performed after her death. I still find him regularly snoozing next to the urn that contains her ashes… Does he really know it’s her??? How I wish, I could ask him…

I’m thankful that our dogs have more empathy and love within their bodies than an entire county or state of humans. We truly don’t deserve their awesomeness… Don’t forget to share some of that Thanksgiving feast with your dog baby (No turkey skin, chocolate, etc.) Enjoy your day and be thankful in it… especially when your dog chases their tail… round and round they go!!!