Most of us miss out on life’s big prizes: The Pulitzer. The Nobel. An Oscar. An Olympic gold medal. Nevertheless, we’re all eligible for life’s small pleasures: A pat on the back for a job well done. Viewing a glorious sunset. Enjoying the warmth of a backcountry crackling fire, and the rewarding companionship of a family dog.

W.C. Fields said, “I never met a drink I didn’t like.” Will Rodgers said the same thing about his fellow man. Many of us feel the same about dogs, and the special qualities and magic they possess. There may be other members of the animal kingdom on planet Earth that are more loyal, but dogs have to be on the top of the list. Dogs just want your love; in exchange, they will give you a bushelful of loyalty, and much more. Dogs don’t care what color you are, or whether you have any mental or physical disabilities. They don’t care if you’re rich or poor, how smart you are, whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, your religion, or what kind of car you drive. They just want to love you for what you are, even when things are not going well during your daily activities.

Any dog, regardless of breed, color, or size, is clearly a special kind of gift everybody should experience at least once in his or her lifetime to fully round it out. The best time to appreciate what a dog is all about starts with a youth’s early years. This is a part of one’s lifespan that sweeps in like a chinook, rich in promise to be savored, yet a reach of life that can’t be grasped or brought to heel.

At this special time in life, a youngster growing up with a dog has three things going for him: a wagging tail; a wet tongue; and the incredible trait of being able to communicate the delight of friendship and love that can be resumed instantly regardless of the length of time it has been in abeyance.

Like snatch-visions from a speeding train, a growing pup and carpet puddling, gnawed shoestrings, and other skirmishes with household items are soon forgotten as time passes and maturity arrives on the scene.

For the many eons we humans have lived on this planet, the one species that has always been faithful during stressful and difficult times is the domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris.

Dogs are adored by many of us because of the amazing qualities and talents they possess. Dogs, in reference to loyalty traits, certainly must rank at the apex of the animal species pyramid. Our four-footed best friends provide unconditional dedication, which is especially important during difficult times. A 2009 study by scientists in Japan found that staring into your dog’s eyes raises your level of oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone.”

Dogs have served and protected us during military and police operations, rescue and drug searches, human therapy coping situations, and much more:

• Dogs can help in coping with a crisis. Veterans with a service dog were found to have fewer symptoms of PTSD, and showed improved coping skills.

• A regional survey of pet and non-pet owners by the Human-Bond Research Institute found that 85% of responders believe that interactions with dogs reduced loneliness. Most researchers agree that human-pet interactions can help address social isolation.

• Some species of dogs can smell up to 60 times better than humans. This makes them great hunting dogs, and retrievers for upland game bird and waterfowl hunters. They also get an A+ grade in their search for illegal drugs and lost hikers.

• Dogs can make you look more attractive – even virtually. If you’re a male looking for a date, a dog’s presence may make you appear more likeable and attractive. In a series of studies, men were more likely to get a gal’s phone number when they had a dog with them. I would like to think that achievement is worth a couple of hearty woof woofs.

As a retired wildlife biologist and hunter, I have difficulty trying to describe what a good hunting dog really means to a waterfowl hunter. It’s like trying to describe the feeling you get in a duck blind with your lab on your left, your son on your right, and above you a trio of drake mallards with wings whistling in the crisp autumn sky zero in on your spread of decoys. As you watch the scene unfold and listen to the excited whimper of your lab eagerly waiting for a retrieve, it all becomes part of you, and you a part of it. Each part adds strength to the whole, and life to its soul. There’s a feeling of secret comfort, and a private peace that no words can ever adequately describe.