17 Loyal Dog Breeds That’ll Never Leave Your Side

A 6-year-old named Shane whose dog Belker was dying of cancer once told a veterinarian why he thinks dogs don't live as long as people do. "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life. Like, loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?," Shane said. "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Yes, it's a quote that might make you sob uncontrollably, but it also reminds us why dogs are such important companions in many of our lives: they remind us how to really love people unconditionally. Dogs are innately loyal to humans, according to Michaelson Found Animals, likely due to the fact that they've been connected to us throughout history for hundreds of thousands of years. They are pack animals, meaning they depend on other members of their group for survival. Through centuries of breeding and companionship, humans are now the primary members of their pack.

Whether it's due to science or something more emotional, dogs are some of the most loyal animals that we associate with. Their loyalty is part of what helps us form incredibly strong bonds with them and treat them like members of our families.

Dogs have been bred over centuries for different purposes, though, meaning some dogs are more loyal than others. Some breeds are devoted guard dogs who will alert you to any suspicious sound in the night, while others won't leave your side when you're sick. Here are 17 of the most loyal dog breeds. They will remind you what unconditional love looks like, and build a life-changing friendship with you in the process.