This is the story of Buddy, a 13-year-old dog who adored her ally Hannah Falk and spent her entire life with her. When Hannah turned 21, she enrolled in the army and was sent to military training in Oklahoma.

Hannah was distraught when she said goodbye to Buddy, her retriever, and Derby, her horse. So, when she went home for the holidays after three months away, she was eager to see Buddy.

Buddy, who Hannah adopted when she was a puppy, is now largely deaf and has arthritis due to her advanced age. But when Hannah started weeping, she gave her the most basic welcoming lap, as if she hadn’t seen her in years.

This anecdote demonstrates that dogs are among the most loyal creatures on the planet, perhaps more loyal than certain humans.