The term of "syndrome" seems like it's attached to most everything these days and is generally viewed as negative.

However, in the world of owning pets, I've got a new one I call P.L.U.S. -- otherwise known as Pets Love Unconditionally Syndrome.

If you're lucky enough, you've been on the receiving end of this syndrome.

In past stories, I've written about my Yellow Lab, Amy, because she is so much a part of my everyday life. Morning, noon, night, writing, singing, working inside or out -- it just doesn't matter as long as she's with you. She's clearly got the syndrome.

Because she is aging and has several health problems now, we've gotten even closer. The fact is, I need to be next to her as much as she needs to be next to me, maybe even more.

Someone recently asked me, after losing their precious pet, why it hurts so bad -- even as much as losing a person. I feel the answer lies in our pets' ceaseless, unconditional love. How could anyone not be devastated by such a loss.

Our pets don't follow the humanistic guidelines for giving and receiving love. They truthfully accept us exactly as we are and even love us for it. It's as if the judgment gene was left out and they got a double dose of the happy gene.

Have you ever scolded your pet or just plain been impatient with them? We all have and this is where the P.L.U.S. really shows its stuff.

For instance, maybe their need to be next to us means we're literally tripping over them just to walk across the room. And maybe that's followed by a few words of disgust spouted off at them. But perhaps, in that moment of our scolding them, we should look a little deeper to see if it was the very pedestal they put us on, that we really tripped over.

Maybe if we paused, just in that moment as they walk away with ears down and tails tucked, we'd realize we're the culprit here -- that in our own hurriedness, or lack of being in touch with ourselves, is what truthfully made us stumble. How many times have you crossed that room and not tripped over them?

This of course comes just before we feel miserably guilty and call them to come back over to us -- which they do at just about the speed of light. Are they mad at us? No!

They've got P.L.U.S.!

Being around P.L.U.S. also helps us complete chores that may not otherwise get a passing thought. For instance, our two dogs tore out the screening in a spot on our enclosed patio. We immediately replaced the screening, but also cut, sanded, painted and installed 4 rows of railing as added security. Moreover, after 10 years of procrastinating, I finally got rid of some unwanted gravel so it would be easier on their feet and arthritic joints.

I keep looking for a reason why the dogs would need new tile on my kitchen countertops!

In this world where everything has become so disconnected and we've been reduced to some kind of a number on the phone's keypad for customer service, our pets have become even more vital to our everyday existence.

I believe if we could just follow the guidelines of our pets in their unconditional loving, the world would be full of purring, tail-wagging, happy to be alive folks.

Maybe a synonym could be given to the abbreviation of P.L.U.S. I'd call it "People Loving Unconditionally Syndrome".

What a world this would be!

Shelly is an award winning songwriter/singer who wrote and performed the opening song on the "Pet Tales" CD. She has also had a story featured on "Miracle Pets". You may purchase her songs at http://www.songimages.com.