“Money will buy a dog, but only love will make him wag his tail” has been printed in many newspapers since 1921, when it was described as an epigram from India. In 1923, Forbes magazine used as a business aphorism, “A thousand dollars will buy a wonderful dog, but it will not make him wag his tail.”
 
The saying was popularized by a list of “Truisms” that has been on the Internet since 2003, containing the line, “Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.” A minor Internet variant is, “Money will buy a good dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.”
 
   
18 October 1921, Denver (CO) Post, pg. 9, col. 4:
Epigrams From India.
Two pungent thoughts from far-off India:
 
Money will buy a dog, but only love will make him wag his tail.
(...)
—Boston Transcript.
 
Google Books
Forbes
Volumes 12-13
1923
Pg. 519:
If you desire the lasting loyalty of anybody or anything, you must earn it. “A thousand dollars will buy a wonderful dog, but it will not make him wag his tail.”
   
30 January 1952, Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, PA), pg. 8, col. 1:
There’s an old Hindu maxim which says: Money may buy a fine dog, but only love will make him wag his tail.
   
Google Books
Shredded Wit
By Vernon K. McLellan
Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers
1988
Pg. ?:
Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.
   
Google Books
14,000 Quips & Quotes:
For speakers, writers, editors, preachers, and teachers
By E. C. McKenzie
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House
1990, ©1980
Pg. ?:
Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.
       
Google Groups: rec.boats
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (RGrew176)
Date: 17 Feb 2003 16:03:28 GMT
Local: Mon, Feb 17 2003 10:03 am
Subject: Re: Chris Craft
 
Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail
 
Google Groups: alt.wisdom
Newsgroups: alt.wisdom
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (KBraman1)
Date: 15 Apr 2003 12:35:51 GMT
Local: Tues, Apr 15 2003 7:35 am
Subject: Truisms
 
Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.
 
1 June 2004, Anniston (AL) Star, “Truisms” submitted by Bessie Certain, Huntsville:
Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.
 
Google Books
The Complete Book of Wacky Wit:
More than 1500 sayings to live by!
By Vernon K. McLellan
Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers
2006
Pg. 127:
Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.