--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mother often told us that it is a poor…" description: "\"My mother often told us that it is a poor dog that will not wag its own tail.\" — Danny K. Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/danny-k-davis-12049_dog_my-mother-often-told-us-that-it-is-a-poo_865583.jpg" --- # My mother often told us that it is a poor dog that will… ![“My mother often told us that it is a poor dog that will not wag its own tail.” quote by Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/danny-k-davis-12049_dog_my-mother-often-told-us-that-it-is-a-poo_865583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/danny-k-davis-12049_dog_my-mother-often-told-us-that-it-is-a-poo_865583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/danny-k-davis-12049_dog_my-mother-often-told-us-that-it-is-a-poo_865583.jpg) > “My mother often told us that it is a poor dog that will not wag its own tail.” [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People who refuse to take responsibility for themselves are like dogs that never wag their tails, showing a lack of self‑esteem and initiative. **In simple terms:** Self‑reliance matters. Key Takeaway Take charge of your own actions. Themes responsibility self‑esteem initiative Mood encouraging reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - teamwork Key Concepts personal agency self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - How can you encourage self‑confidence in others? - What habits foster personal responsibility? A Different Perspective Self‑reliance can be hindered by systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Told](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-told/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Poor Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-dog-898140/) [Told Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-poor-898141/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [Wag Tail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wag-tail-843222/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [It is a poor dog that is not worth the whistling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/it-is-a-poor-dog-that-is-not-worth-the-whistling/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [We celebrate the birth of one who told us to give everything to the poor by giving each other motorized tie racks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-celebrate-the-birth-of-one-who-told-us-to-give-everything-to-the/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [When we give help to the poor, we are not doing the work of aid agencies 'in a Christian way'. Those are good, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/when-we-give-help-to-the-poor-we-are-not-doing-the-work-of-aid/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“I remember being told of a poor wretch I once knew, who had died of hunger. I was almost beside myself with rage! I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-remember-being-told-of-a-poor-wretch-i-once-knew-who-had-died-of/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [I grew up on a farm. I didn't have health insurance until I was 24 years old. So, I didn't even know I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlin-stutzman/i-grew-up-on-a-farm-i-didn-t-have-health-insurance-until-i-was-24/) [Marlin Stutzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlin-stutzman/) > [All of my life, I've been told no. That I was too poor, too short, too black. I enjoy it when people underestimate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-glenn/all-of-my-life-i-ve-been-told-no-that-i-was-too-poor-too-short-too/) [Darryl Glenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-glenn/) > [I did not believe what I was told about being poor and black and female in Mississippi in 1954.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-did-not-believe-what-i-was-told-about-being-poor-and-black-and/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/money-can-buy-you-a-fine-dog-but-only-love-can-make-him-wag-his-tail/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [The dog wags its tail only at living things. A tail wag, the equivalent of a human smile, is bestowed upon people, dogs ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-craighead-george/the-dog-wags-its-tail-only-at-living-things-a-tail-wag-the-equivalent/) [Jean Craighead George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-craighead-george/) > [Money will buy you a fine dog, but only love can make it wag its tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-friedman/money-will-buy-you-a-fine-dog-but-only-love-can-make-it-wag-its-tail/) [Richard Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-friedman/) > [Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/money-will-buy-you-a-pretty-good-dog-but-it-won-t-buy-the-wag-of-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As long as you wag your tail you are a sincere dog, when you bark you are a ferocious dog but the moment you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/as-long-as-you-wag-your-tail-you-are-a-sincere-dog-when-you-bark-you/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [Modern houses are so small we've had to train our dog to wag its tail up and down and not sideways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/modern-houses-are-so-small-we-ve-had-to-train-our-dog-to-wag-its-tail/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Money will buy a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/money-will-buy-a-pretty-good-dog-but-it-won-t-buy-the-wag-of-his-tail/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“Slow down, enjoy the moment, and remember to wag your tail each day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-white/slow-down-enjoy-the-moment-and-remember-to-wag-your-tail-each-day/) [Debbie White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-white/) ## More by Danny K. Davis > [I have a tendency to campaign positively and campaign on issues, not try to tear someone else down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-have-a-tendency-to-campaign-positively-and-campaign-on-issues-not/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [The best protection against recidivism is a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/the-best-protection-against-recidivism-is-a-job/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [Trade and globalization are here to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/trade-and-globalization-are-here-to-stay/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [In politics, you make use of every opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/in-politics-you-make-use-of-every-opportunity/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [The way to reduce the deficit is to create jobs and work opportunities so that people will have money with which to pay taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/the-way-to-reduce-the-deficit-is-to-create-jobs-and-work/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [People crown kings and queens at homecoming parades all the time. We do a lot of things in our society that are simply symbolic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/people-crown-kings-and-queens-at-homecoming-parades-all-the-time-we/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [I just want to believe that, as a citizen in this country, that I have equal protection under the law and that I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-just-want-to-believe-that-as-a-citizen-in-this-country-that-i-have/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [Everyone who has succeeded in correcting their wrong should have the right to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/everyone-who-has-succeeded-in-correcting-their-wrong-should-have-the/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [I voted proudly for the first time for John Fitzgerald Kennedy for president of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-voted-proudly-for-the-first-time-for-john-fitzgerald-kennedy-for/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [I grew up in rural Arkansas, and I'm afraid that begging is not part of our characteristics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-grew-up-in-rural-arkansas-and-i-m-afraid-that-begging-is-not-part/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [Getting the care for a common cold, migraine, or high blood pressure can and should be easy, whether one has an insurance card or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/getting-the-care-for-a-common-cold-migraine-or-high-blood-pressure/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [I'm a realist, and so we have to take what exists and continue to struggle to move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-m-a-realist-and-so-we-have-to-take-what-exists-and-continue-to/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [What the federal government can do, especially as it relates to urban, inner-city America, is invest resources that would help create jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/what-the-federal-government-can-do-especially-as-it-relates-to-urban/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [I would jump off the Willis Tower, which is the tallest building in Chicago, to support Hillary Clinton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-would-jump-off-the-willis-tower-which-is-the-tallest-building-in/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) > [I've enjoyed a great friendship and relationship and have a tremendous amount of affinity for both the Clintons... and I'd like to keep it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-k-davis/i-ve-enjoyed-a-great-friendship-and-relationship-and-have-a/) [Danny K. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) [Explore all 56 Danny K. Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-k-davis/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My mother often told us that it is a poor dog that will not wag its own tail.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Danny K. 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