Love me, love my dog.
Meaning: Accept someone's flaws and attachments if you truly value them as a person.
Origin: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux quoted it in a 12th-century sermon as a common proverb: qui me amat, amat et canem meum — who loves me, loves my dog too. John Heywood's 1546 collection has it in English. Accept a person, it says, and you accept what comes with them.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and Italian
- French: Qui m'aime aime mon chien (literally: Who loves me loves my dog)
- Spanish: Quien bien quiere á Beltran, bien quiere á su can (literally: He who loves Bertrand loves his dog. (Love me, love my dog))
- Japanese: 愛屋烏に及ぶ (Aioku karasu ni oyobu) (literally: Loving the house extends to the crows on its roof)
- Italian: Chi ama me, ama il mio cane (literally: Love me, love my dog)
More proverbs about Human Nature
- Manners often make fortunes. — Polite behavior and social grace open doors that talent and ability alone cannot unlock.
- Marriages are made in heaven. — Destined partners find each other through forces beyond human control, suggesting compati…
- Money often makes the man. — Wealth grants influence and respect in society, shaping how others perceive and treat an…
- Old men are twice children. — Aging reverses mental acuity and emotional control, returning people to childlike depende…
- Penny wise and pound foolish. — Obsessing over minor savings while making careless decisions about major expenses creates…
- Peril proves who dearly loves. — Danger reveals the depth of someone's affection through their willingness to sacrifice or…
From our compliments & insults
- Sei una persona d'oro — You're genuinely wonderful — kind, trustworthy, and precious to have in one's life.
- Che spettacolo! — You look absolutely stunning — a spontaneous burst of admiration for someone's appearance.
- Du bist ein Goldstück — You're a real gem — priceless, irreplaceable, and deeply appreciated.