Our Love of Dogs - Researching on Dog Breeds and a Look at Puppies [Pets:Dogs] First, you should know that a dog is for life, it is not a toy or a clothing accessory; it's a living creature that when shown love can give back unconditional love. The decision to adopt a dog should be treated with the same careful attention that you would use if you were deciding where to live, to have children, or whether or not to get married. A dog is man's best friend even when the man is a soldier.