Oprah Winfrey Shares the Surprising Wisdom She's Learned From Her Dogs

While I probably don’t have all that much in common with the billionaire, multi-hyphenate Oprah Winfred, we do share a deep love of dogs. In a May 2026 interview with People promoting the digital miniseries, Life is Better with Dogs, in which she provided the narration, Winfred discussed her devotion for furry friends. She told the publication that the moment she left her father’s home at the age of 20, she decided to get "an Afghan hound, which [she] named Kashmir.” 

Photo by Courtney Mihaka on Unsplash

“From then on, I’ve never been without a dog companion,” said Winfred, who has owned various breeds of dogs over the years, like Golden Retrievers and spaniels. “Dogs have always been the love of my life.” 

Winfred also said she views her furry friends as her children. (Just take a sec to imagine how great it is to be Oprah’s dog! “You get a bone, and you get a bone.”)

“Having a fur friend for a child has been such a meaningful thing in my own life. Everybody who has a dog has a story,” said Winfred while speaking to People. 

Photo by Shayna Douglas on Unsplash

Winfred then shared that she believes dogs have improved the quality of her life. 

"One of the reasons why I actually believe I'm in the prime of my life is because I've learned presence from my dogs. I've watched my dogs, who are just living in the moment. They are fully present," said the former talk show host.