Ever since I was one year old, I have owned a pet. My first pet was a dog named Shera (yes, from the cartoon). She was a little black chihuahua. She was so amazing. She lived for 19 years. The best dog for a little girl. When I got married, we immediately got a kitten. She didn’t like me at all but loved my husband. But, I still got cuddles once in a while.

After we got that cat, another cat adopted us. She just appeared one day at our house. We started feeding her and let her inside. She was pregnant. Ha! Our original cat ran away and got pregnant too. We had 11 cats! We got rid of all the kittens and kept the two grown up cats. Then we moved and I got a dog. Another black chihuahua. He was such a sweet dog.

All three of those animals are gone now. About 10 years ago my husband bought me a little white chihuahua named Marley. She was the light of my life. She was my favorite companion. My boys adored her. She got sick a couple of years ago and died suddenly. We thought we would never get over it. Then, last Christmas an opportunity came up to adopt a little terrier mix. That was a Christmas we will never forget. Our sweet girl, Lucy, came into our lives and we are loving her so much.

I know many families who do not own pets. That’s okay. But we will always own a pet for many reasons. Here are some of them:

  1. Pets bring joy and happiness to a home. No matter what kind of day you had, a dog or cat is happy to see you at the end of each day. They get so excited to see you when you come home. They love playing and doing silly things.
  2. Pets need taking care of. My children feed, water, and walk our dog. They are learning responsibility through pet ownership. Learning to care for an animal is such an important skill for life. It gives you compassion and a nurturing attitude.
  3. Pets give you exercise. Well, dogs do anyway. We get to walk her and play with her. I have seen my boys chase that dog for over an hour and she loves it. She runs all around the yard trying to get away from them or fetch a stick. She’s so much fun to have around.
  4. Pets keep you from feeling lonely. No matter what’s going on in life, a pet will always be there for you. They are great companions to have. My dog will come sit at my feet and just be there for me. She loves to be around other people and can’t stand it when we leave the house. She waits at the window until we come back again.
  5. Pets are great for teaching new things to. My boys have taught our dog several commands. She can sit, stay, come, “sit pretty” (lay down), and man other things. She has also learned to actually fetch the correct way. When you throw her tennis ball, she goes and gets it and brings it back to you to throw again.

I know it’s a lot to take on when owning a pet but it comes with many more benefits than not. If you are considering adopting a pet, I would encourage you try it out. Start with a fish in a small tank. We have had fish before and they are very easy to take care of. They don’t cuddle like a dog or cat but it’s nice to have something to take care of. I can’t imagine our lives without a pet.