TEN REASONS HAVING A DOG IS THE BEST.

1. It does not matter what position they are asleep in, its always cute. Always!

2. Having a dog in your life promotes exercise. Especially in the puppy stages when they need a lot of exercise, so walks are a must. We take a daily walk with occasional trips to the dog park.

3. Interactions with dogs is a scientifically proven stress reducer. Research actually shows that a few minutes spent petting a dog, lowers blood levels of cortisol which is the stress hormone. Plus a few minutes spent playing with your pooch totally releases endorphins, so you can come home from work and get that happy high before you even start thinking about dinner!

4. I'm sure you could guess this based on number three, but pet owners are less likely to suffer from mental illness; even avoided things like anxiety and depression.

5. Your four-legged companion is the perfect sounding board. I talk to Molly all day- tell her my ideas. Basically a way to think out loud without feeling like I'm crazy talking to myself. She really gives the best advice.

6. As soon as you become a dog-owner you instantly become a member of the club. You can say anything to anyone, if you both have your dogs. When someone apologizes for their dog's behavior, the proper response is, "I've been there," with a sympathetic look. BUT, know that no apology is even necessary in the first place. Basically the club is really cool, and there are a lot unwritten guidelines. Y'all should join.

7. They make a family feel complete. Ben and I have had Molly for a year and we just really can't even remember day to day life without her. She really is our little girl. The idea of, IN MANY YEARS, having kids grow up with her as a companion makes us really really happy. Plus this; which she's been documenting for a long time.

8. A dog's love knows no bounds. It doesn't matter what you do, your dog will always be your biggest fan and its so easy for dogs to forgive. In return your love for your dog should be unconditional, and maybe consider dropping a grudge or two.

9. Dogs keep you grounded. They remind you to appreciate the simple things in life. After you see how happy a five minute belly rub makes them, you can't help but be thankful for all the great things you have.

10. Oh, the cuddling and the snuggling. IT. IS. THE. BEST.

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If any of you are considering adding a puppy or dog to your family I urge you to adopt. There are so many animals out there that need homes and a lot of them are in overcrowded shelters and will eventually be euthanized. It can be challenging depending on what circumstances landed the dog in the shelter but its definitely worth it. Research the local shelters, SPCAs, etc in your area. Another great tool is petfinder.com. If you enter your location, the type of pet you're looking for (dog, cat, etc.), if you have a breed preference, age preference (adult dogs need love too), and gender preference it will pull your results from all the local places who list with them. If you know you want a dog but you're not sure if you can handle the responsibility or if its something that would work for you right now, you should look into foster programs. Many shelters have programs, where you house a dog until it is adopted in order to free up space- you would be responsible for attended adoption events, which are most likely on Saturdays- think about the the lives you'll be changing!!!

Happy Puppy lovin' !