How the phrase "A dog is a man's best friend" came about

Since childhood, everyone knows the phrase: "A dog is a man's best friend." True, dogs themselves cannot say this about people. After all, we, people, can never compare with these four-legged pets in devotion and self-sacrifice. Meanwhile, the popular expression, familiar today throughout the world, has its own history. It began in the 18th century and ended in the 19th, and it turned out to be not only interesting, but also sad.

The phrase is believed to have originated with the Prussian King Frederick II the Great. Shortly before his death in 1786, the monarch began to avoid human company. Instead, he spent almost all of his time among horses and dogs. Some sources claim that the king addressed the expression “A dog is a man’s best friend” to his favorite dog, an Italian greyhound.

But, be that as it may, the phrase remained known only to biographers of the Prussian king. It gained wide popularity almost a hundred years later - in the USA, in the state of Missouri. This happened during a high-profile trial. And it all began with the fact that in 1869, a hound named Old Drum, belonging to farmer Charles Burden, wandered onto the plot of his neighbor Leonidas Hornsby.

Hornsby was known as a quarrelsome person and had many conflicts with Burden because neighboring animals wandered onto his property. Despite the fact that the dog did not cause any harm to the farm, Hornsby shot it. He did not tell anyone about his actions and even kept quiet when Burden was looking for his dog. But eventually the disgusting act was revealed, and the dog hunter was forced to confess.

Charles Burden truly loved his dog and was not going to accept its death. He sued the offender. In turn, Hornsby hired expensive lawyers, which is why the process dragged on for a long time. The case reached the Supreme Court, which, as the last resort, had to make a final decision.

Before the hearing, George Graham West, the lawyer representing Burden, said he felt obligated to win the case. He even joked that if he lost, he would apologize to every dog in Missouri. By that point, the trial had been going on for eight months, and the entire country was watching. Understanding the importance of the moment, the lawyer meticulously prepared for his final argument.

It is worth noting that the judges initially leaned towards Hornsby. After all, he shot the dog on his property, and this was considered protection of property from outside intrusion. However, the situation changed after the speech of West's lawyer. His speech was so heartfelt that it was later even called "Ode to the Dog." It was this speech that became the turning point in this process.

It won't be difficult to find West's full speech online, but we suggest you check out the most important part of the speech:

Man's one absolute, unselfish friend in this selfish world - one who will never prove ungrateful or disloyal - is his dog. Gentlemen of the jury, the dog will stand by a man in wealth and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground where the winter winds drive the snow furiously, just to be near his master. He will lick the hand even when there is no food in it... He guards the sleep of his beggarly master as if he were a prince. When all friends desert, he remains. When wealth flies away and reputation crumbles, he is as constant in his love as the sun in his journey across the sky."

Needless to say, after this speech, the Supreme Court sided with Charles Burden. Leonidas Hornsby was ordered to apologize, pay a fine, and pay court costs, but that's not the point. In this case, the law obeyed not the rules of logic, but the call of the heart. Some time later, a statue dedicated to Old Drum was erected on the lawn near the new courthouse in Warrensburg.

Every April, Warrensburg hosts the Man's Best Friend Festival, which is dedicated to dogs. Americans and their pets come from all over America to attend. The name of the lawyer George Graham West thundered throughout the country after this case. He became very popular and was able to make a career in politics. West was repeatedly elected to the US Senate.

The phrase "A dog is a man's best friend" has passed through the ages and remains relevant. What do you think, does a person have a friend more loyal than a dog? Share your thoughts in the comments!