What My Dog Has Taught Me About Love
This year, I’m going on a Valentine’s Day date with my dog!
No awkward small talk. No 'will there be a vegan option?!' panic. No endless 'Valentines Gifts for Him' searches! Just me, Chicken, and a very wholesome plan involving sniffing, snacks, and vibes. ✨
We’re super excited to be heading to a Dobbies My Paw-fect Valentine 2026 event, and while some people are picking out Valentine’s cards or searching for the perfect way to say “I love you,” I've found myself reflecting on all years of walking, caring for and loving dogs, and how much they've taught me. My own dog Chicken, has truly deepened how I understand love.
🐰Chicken in Bunana 🍌
Love doesn’t rush (even when snacks are involved)
Chicken understands patience in a way most do not.
She will:
Sit very politely for a treat
Wait by the door for mama/dada like it’s her full-time job
Watch me eat an entire meal
Living with her has taught me that love isn’t rushed or demanding. It doesn’t need constant reassurance or immediate responses to feel secure. Love is patient, trusting, and steady.
Love waits. Love trusts. Love "stay"s.
Last years valentines dog cookies bake!
Love lives in the moment
My dog is not worrying about tomorrow.
She is not replaying yesterday.
She is focused on:
This walk
This belly rub
This exact square of sunlight she’s using to solar-power charge in
She finds joy in the tiniest little things and somehow makes them feel important.
Spending time with Chicken is often a needed masterclass in slowing down, and remembering that there’s a lot of beauty hiding in very ordinary moments!
Love is unconditional
Chicken does not love the highlight-reel version of me.
She loves me:
In pyjamas, with terrible hair, on my “why do I have teenage acne, I’m 30” days
On low-energy days or days where I amstruggling with health problems
When I’m grumpy, distracted, or dramatically sighing for absolutely no reason
There’s no judgement (aside from a little side-eye here and there!) and no pressure. She loves the real me.
🐻Chicken in Strawbearies🍓
Love should be playful (and ofc occasionally unhinged)
Dogs don't overthink joy.
Chicken will:
Chases squirrels like today’s the day.
Rolls in grass (and… sometimes things we’d rather not discuss 🦊💩)
Dance and scream every time she sees Grandad, and celebrates his return to the room after leaving for 2 minutes like it’s a plot twist.
She reminds me that that love should absolutely include laughter!
+ If you’re not occasionally being silly together, are you even doing it right?
Love is loyalty… and forgiveness
Chicken is loyal without making a big deal about it.
She’s there for:
The good days
The boring days
The “everything feels a bit much, Chicks” days
And no matter how many times:
We trip over each other 😂
I forget to reorder her favourite treats, or she steals mine
Dinner is slightly late or the weather on the walkie is particularly British
She forgives.
Love understands space, boundaries and rest (and knows when it’s nap time!)
Chicken does not feel guilty about resting or having some alone time.
If she needs time for herself she takes it, sometimes she'll ignore me for a bit or slip into another room, to a quiet corner when the Star Wars mum and dad are watching and it all gets a bit too scary, and come back when she’s ready.
There’s no drama, no explanation, no resentment. The connection doesn’t disappear just because she needed space. Needing time to yourself doesn’t mean you care less and taking space isn’t rejection. Stepping back can actually protect connection, not weaken it.
She is also my constant, much-needed reminder that rest isn’t lazy, it’s necessary. She definitely isn't a dog who will push through exhaustion to keep someone else comfortable.
Love allows vulnerability
Chicken is unapologetically herself.
If she’s scared, she shows it.
If she needs reassurance, she comes closer.
If she’s overwhelmed, she doesn’t pretend she’s fine.
There’s no masking and no pretending to be tougher than she feels.
Living with her has taught me that vulnerability isn’t a weakness in love, it’s the foundation of it. Healthy relationships aren’t built on having it all together. They’re built on feeling safe enough to say this is hard, I don’t know, I'm bothered by this, or I need a bit of support right now.
Real love isn’t about being perfect or unshakeable! It’s about being open and honest (...and occasionally needing a cuddle!)
& Love keeps trying.
Dogs don’t quit easily.
They’ll try again. And again.
Whether it’s learning a new trick or plotting how to reach something that’s very clearly out of reach.
Lets say Chicken misreads a moment, gets overexcited, reacts too quickly, or does something that clearly wasn’t the right call... she doesn’t get stuck there. We reset, we adjust, and we try again.
You misread each other. You say the wrong thing. You handle moments badly. What matters isn’t perfection, it’s what happens next.
Love isn’t about getting everything right the first time. It’s about effort, patience,slight clumsiness, adjusting and learning.
🐸Chicken in Frog Chérie🍒
So…
Valentine’s Day makes love feel loud. Big. Performative.
But dogs show us something quieter, and in my opinion much better!
Love that waits.
Love that forgives.
Love that shows up every day.
Love that takes a time-out when it needs to!
Love that chooses you, exactly as you show up.
Dogs really do set the standard.
I’ve never taken Valentine’s Day too seriously, to me it feels a bit forced, loud, and over-thought. This Valentine’s Day, just remember that love doesn’t need a designated day, a card, or a big gesture to be real. Sometimes it just looks like a dog who loves you exactly as you are , and honestly, that feels pretty perfect!
Thank you Chicken!
🐾💘
Pssst...Still for a gift for your Paw-some Valentine?
We recommend..
Valentine’s Gift Ideas (Yes Your Dog, Obviously)
If your Valentine has four legs, here are a few thoughtful, dog-approved gift ideas that we love!
Something cosy (from us) 🧡
Poochie Keen suits are soft, comfortable, and designed for real dogs and real life. Because keeping your dog warm and comfy is one of the simplest, most practical ways to show love!
🐕 A collar upgrade
A new collar feels like a small but special way to say “you’re very loved.” Spaghetti Loops have a range of amazing and unique collars that will make your pup stand out this Valentines!
👉 Shop Here!
🦴 Treats they’ll actually care about!
Valentine’s treats from Peanut Paws. Cute, fun, and guaranteed to get tail wags! Sometimes love really is snacks.
👉 Shop Here!
