I always disliked dogs, those protectors of cowards who lack the courage to fight an assailant themselves.
—August Strindberg (1849–1912) Swedish Playwright, Novelist, Essayist
The dog is a religious animal. In his savage state he worships the moon and the lights that float upon the waters. These are his gods to whom he appeals at night with long-drawn howls.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
The dog was created especially for children. He is the god of frolic.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
The dog has got more fun out of Man than Man has got out of the dog, for the clearly demonstrable reason that Man is the more laughable of the two animals.
—James Thurber
Man is a dog’s idea of what God should be.
—Holbrook Jackson (1874–1948) British Journalist, Writer, Publisher
If a dog jumps in your lap, it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer.
—Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) English Mathematician, Philosopher
The nose of the bulldog has been slanted backwards so that he can breathe without letting go.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Dog. A kind of additional or subsidiary Deity designed to catch the overflow and surplus of the world’s worship.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Extraordinary creature! So close a friend, and yet so remote.
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955) German Novelist, Short Story Writer, Social Critic, Philanthropist, Essayist
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 (b.1932) American Essayist, Novelist
You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Dogs are better than human beings because they know but do not tell.
—Emily Dickinson (1830–86) American Poet
By what right has the dog come to be regarded as a noble animal?. The more brutal and cruel and unjust you are to him the more your fawning and adoring slave he becomes; whereas, if you shamefully misuse a cat once she will always maintain a dignified reserve toward you afterward—you will never get her full confidence again.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
They 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 (1859–1927) English Humorous Writer, Novelist, Playwright
No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does.
—Christopher Morley (1890–1957) American Novelist, Essayist
I love a dog. He does nothing for political reasons.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
The more I see of the representatives of the people, the more I admire my dogs.
—Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869) French Poet, Politician, Historian
To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
My little dog – a heartbeat at my feet.
—Edith Wharton (1862–1937) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
Anybody who doesn’t know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
—Franklin P. Jones
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
—Gilda Radner (1946–89) American Comedian, Actress
The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment.
—Warren Bennis (1925–2014) American Business Academic, Author
Happiness is a warm puppy.
—Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000) American Cartoonist, Writer, Artist
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
A really companionable and indispensable dog is an accident of nature. You can’t get it by breeding for it, and you can’t buy it with money. It just happens along.
—E. B. White (1985–99) American Essayist, Humorist
The Belief that man is outfitted with an immortal soul, differing altogether from the engines which operate the lower animals, is ridiculously unjust to them. The difference between the smartest dog and the stupidest man
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
A dog with two homes is never any good
—Irish Proverb
Who loves me will love my dog also.
—Common Proverb
Dogs are wise. They crawl away into a quiet corner and lick their wounds and do not rejoin the world until they are whole once more.
—Agatha Christie (1890–1976) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright