Joan Wester Anderson the author of many books on angels took a look back on her books and found dogs riddled through each story after story. Ironically, she’s never owned a dog. But now she has written a wonderful book on man’s best friend,
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Angel Tails: True Stories of Heavenly Canine Companions.
Therese Borchard has a wonderful interview with Joan and it includes this snip:
I was impressed with how much dogs love us. It doesn’t seem to matter how we treat them, or whether or not we deserve their loyalty. They live completely in the moment, and as long as we are with them, they are content. Kind of sounds like an angel, doesn’t it?
Indeed. Since we’ve been talking about forgiveness on the blog so much lately, I think that dogs are possibly the best example we have of God’s forgiveness. Dogs forgive perfectly. I know from my own experience with my own best friend, Haze.
I’ve stepped on him, rolled over on him while sleeping, and even clipped 
his skin with his harness. All accidents to be sure. But he doesn’t know that. I’ve also just been mean to him. I’ve ignored him when I know he wants to play or go for a run. I’ve fed him late and forgot to leave the lights on leaving him alone at home in the dark for far too long.
And yet…Haze runs for the door every time the lock clicks. He licks my face (and my bald head) every day and he follows me wherever I go.
This past week when I heard about my sister’s cancer, he climbed up on my lap and let out a slight whimper, as if to say, “I know, pal. You’ve had a tough day.” When we got better news on my sister’s prognosis, he seemed to jump with glee when I came home elated.
One of the reasons that I got a dog was because two friends had dogs that I loved to play with. Paul Daly had Sparky. A small little mutt who loved to play with toys and loved to be petted. And my now deceased college roommate, Dave Connors, had a Pekinese named Jingles. After Dave’s death that dog was the saddest thing I have ever seen. He just spent the day of the funeral whimpering. He knew his friend was dead and he mourned like the rest of us. I had a good cry with that dog that day and it convinced me that I needed to get one of my own one day.
So if you don’t have a dog, spend some time with someone who does and see what they love about them. If you have a dog, go give him or her a big hug and a kiss and an extra treat just for being a loyal, ever-present friend.
And remember, the word God is not that far from Dog.
Read more from Therese’s interview with Joan: http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/2011/05/god-spelled-backwards-is-dog-heavenly-canine-companions.html#ixzz1N1xA8BWo
And send us some of your dog stories to share.