Nao Yokoo, 34, trains and walks dogs in Tokyo. She also provides pet-sitting services, for which she stays at clients' homes and takes care of their dogs while they are out of town. Nao has never met a pooch she didn't love immediately and her mission in life is to make more dogs happier.

Prepare for your dogs' old age while they are still young. Many dogs lose their eyesight and/or hearing as they age, so it makes sense to train them early on for such times. Add body contact to your play and teaching routines. For example, tap their butt twice to ask them to sit down. If you communicate with a mix of verbal commands, hand signs and body contact, you'll be able to use one of those even if they become deaf, blind, or senile.

If we could become more like dogs, we would come closer to the ideal person we were meant to be. Most people — even those with dogs — don't fully recognize what magical creatures pooches really are. They teach us how to love unconditionally, how to play with anything, anywhere and with anyone, and to always appreciate the moment, no matter what that moment is. They never complain or hold grudges. Dogs are perfect!