"Money will buy a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail"

This quote by Josh Billings, a humorist from the 19th century, suggests that while money can buy physical items and even specific feelings, it can not buy real happiness or fulfillment. In this context, the 'pretty good pet dog' represents material ownerships or external sources of happiness, which can be gotten through money, but the 'wag of his tail' signifies real happiness and contentment that can not be purchased. It is a crucial pointer that cash might supply short-lived joy, but true delight comes from within and is not based on external elements. For that reason, the quote encourages us to focus on finding happiness in the simple joys of life, rather than material ownerships.