The unconditional love is the biggest part, for me, along with truthfulness. A goat will never tell you, "No thanks, I'm really not hungry," if you offer her more for fear of looking 'fat'. She will also be quick to put you in your place if you overstep your boundaries.
It doesn't matter if some days you have a pail of food scraps for your chickens and other days you don't, the chickens will still run to you every time yo approach. My dog will NEVER tell me, "I don't feel like doing that today," when you excitedly call him over to catch a mouse out of the grain bin.
And, sometimes, you just need to touch a wet, warm nose in passing. No big deal, no elaborate display, just the acknowledgement of friendship, of love.
They get it.
