The pet dog has often been referred to as the four legged psychologist. He knows how to get on the good side of just about anybody. Let's have a look at what makes man's best friend such a winning relationship builder.

Your Dog Is Always Happy To See You

Everyone likes to feel important and that's exactly what your dog does for you when he is so incredibly happy to see you. Even if you've only been gone for an hour your dog will make no secret that he is happy to see you back again

How often do people make you feel that welcome?

Your Dog Lives in the Present

Your dog is very focused in the present moment. He is not interested in making you feel guilty for what you did last week or two years ago. You dog wants to enjoy the present moment and he wants you to enjoy it with him.

Your Dog is Happy to Give to the Relationship Before Taking from it.

Your dog is more than happy to give to the relationship before you give to him. From the time you first bring him home as a puppy he will offer you unconditional love.

But your dog is also good at receiving. He is happy for the attention and food that you give him and he knows how to enthusiastically accept what he is given without any feelings of guilt on his part.

Being good at both giving and receiving is a key to good relationships.

Your Dog is Happy Being Himself

Your dog doesn't put on airs and graces. He doesn't try to be someone else in order to impress those around him. Your dog is comfortable being himself and leaves the choice of accepting him or rejecting him up to the people he has contact with.

One of the cardinal rules in building strong long term relationships is to be yourself. Then you mix with people who like you for who you really are and not build relationships with those who can't accept you as you are.

Your Dog Knows How To Have A Good Time

Your dog sees a relationship as an opportunity to have fun. He wants to go for a walk with you or play in the park or anything else that looks like it might be fun.

We humans often get so distracted by the process of living that we forget to have fun with our life partner. If we learn to approach our personal relationships with the same enthusiasm and fun that your dog does then there would probably be a lot less divorces.

Your Dog Doesn't Talk

I have purposely left this one to last.

I have always believed that one of the greatest relationship building qualities a dog has is that he can't talk. This means that your dog never argues with you, never expresses a negative opinion, never says the wrong thing at the wrong time, never criticizes you or sums you up in a verbal expression of judgment.

Of course, as humans we have to talk, but if we could take the dog's example and never argue, criticize, pass judgment, complain, or express other useless negative emotions then perhaps we would find that people would be as enthusiastic to see us as most dog owners are to see their dog.