55 Paw-Some Dog Quotes to Celebrate Our Furry Friends

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 have 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 homemade dog biscuit! Regardless of treats, fancy dog beds, or chew toys, dogs are there in times of joy, deep sorrow, and everything in between. And it’s those in-between times that give us the best material for our dog Instagram captions. We shake our heads and laugh when the madcap dog zoomies hit, and ohh and ahh over their adorable dog sleeping positions.

To celebrate our cherished pups, we gathered some of the best puppy quotes, funny quotes, and pull-at-your-heartstring dog best friends quotes we could find. Fair warning, these dog quotes will make you laugh and cry—simultaneously at times! You may even want to include a dog quote with one of the best gifts for dog lovers for your friend at the dog park. After you’re done scrolling, keep the good vibes going and check out the loyalty quotes, dog jokes, one-liners, dog memes, and just for kicks, cat quotes, even your dog will appreciate.

1. “There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.”—Bernard Williams

RELATED: Why Does My Dog Lick My Feet?

2. “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

RELATED: 12 Pet-Friendly National Parks You Need to Visit with Your Dog

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

RELATED: 23 Things You Do That Your Dog Actually Hates 

4. “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

RELATED: 10 Incredible Benefits of Owning a Pet

5. “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

RELATED: 15 Rugged Mountain Dog Breeds That Love Adventures

6. “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

RELATED: This Is Why Dogs Spin Around Before They Poop

7. “A dog is one of the remaining reasons why some people can be persuaded to go for a walk.”—Orlando Aloysius Battista

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

9. “The dog is the perfect portrait subject. He doesn’t pose. He isn’t aware of the camera.”—Patrick Demarchelier

10. “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

RELATED: 70 Funny Dog Photos You Need to See

11. “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

RELATED: 25 Life Is Short Quotes That Will Help You Savor Every Moment

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

RELATED: 12 Secrets Your Dog’s Tail is Trying to Tell You

13. “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

14. “You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, ‘Wow, you’re right! I never would’ve thought of that!'”—Dave Barry

RELATED: What Do Dogs Think About?

15. “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

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

RELATED: Reasons Behind Your Dog’s Weird Behavior

17.”I guess you don’t really own a dog, you rent them, and you have to be thankful that you had a long lease.”—Joe Garagiola

18. “Interact with a dog—pet him, talk to him, fed 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

19.”Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love, they depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog, it merely expands the heart. If you have loved many dogs, your heart is very big.”—Erica Jong

20. “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 in The Truth About Cats and Dogs

21.”My cats inspire me daily. They inspire me to get a dog!”—Greg Curtis

RELATED: 21 Dogs That Get Along with Cats

22.”Dogs teach us a very important lesson in life: the mailman is not to be trusted.”—Sian Ford

RELATED: Why Do Dogs Seem to Hate the Mailman?

23. “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

24. “Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.”—Franklin Jones

25. “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

26. “I just want to be in my sweats, walk my dog, watch TV and eat pizza.”—America Ferrera

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

RELATED: 30 Toy Dog Breeds That Stay Puppy-Sized Forever

28. “Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face he gets mad at you? But when you take him in a car, he sticks his head out the window.”—Steve Bluestone

29. “Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul, chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we’re the greatest hunters on earth!” —Anne Tyler

30. “If you think dogs can’t count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.” —Phil Pastoret

31. “If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.” —Woodrow Wilson

32. “If your dog thinks you’re the greatest person in the world, don’t seek a second opinion.” — Jim Fiebig

RELATED: This Is What Happens to Your Dog When You Say “I Love You”

33. “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

34. “The friendship of a dog is precious. It becomes even more so when one is so far removed from home…. I have a Scottie. In him I find consolation and diversion… he is the “one person” to whom I can talk without the conversation coming back to war.” —Dwight D. Eisenhower

35. “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 man.” ―Mark Twain

36. “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., narrator, My Dog Skip

RELATED: 20 of the Best Dog Movies to Watch with Your Pooch

37. “I’m a lot less cranky when it’s just me and my dog.” —Bob Peterson

38. “In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.” —Edward Hoagland

39. “The greatest fear dogs know is the fear that you will not come back when you go out the door without them.” —Stanley Coren

40. “People leave imprints on our lives, shaping who we become in much the same way that a symbol is pressed into the page of a book to tell you who it comes from. Dogs, however, leave paw prints on our lives and our souls, which are as unique as fingerprints in every way.”—Ashly Lorenzana

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

RELATED: Here are 15 dog cartoons to get your tail wagging

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

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

RELATED: The Ultimate Roundup of the 50 Cutest Dog Breeds as Puppies

44. “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

RELATED: 20 Most Loyal Dog Breeds That Will Always Be by Your Side

45. “I heard somebody define heaven once as a place where, when you get there, all the dogs you ever loved run to greet you.”—Robert B. Parker

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

RELATED: 50 Adorable Puppy Pictures That Will Make You Melt

47.”Dogs are wise. They crawl away into a quiet corner and lick their wounds and do not re-join the world until they are whole once more.” —Agatha Christie

48. “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

49. “Dogs are my favorite role models. I want to work like a dog, doing what I was born to do with joy and purpose. I want to play like a dog, with total, jolly abandon. I want to love like a dog, with unabashed devotion and a complete lack of concern about what people do for a living, how much money they have, or how much they weigh. The fact that we still live with dogs, even when we don’t have to herd or hunt our dinner, gives me hope for humans and canines alike.”―Oprah Winfrey

50.”Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made.”—Roger A. Caras

RELATED: 8 Signs Your Dog Really Does Trust You

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

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52. “If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” —Will Rogers.

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54. “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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55. “Happiness is a warm puppy.”—Charles Shultz