I know that personally, my life has been very positively impacted by the presence of dogs. Adopting a dog in college was one of the best decisions I have made, and just by looking at my social media, I know that I am not the only college student who has experienced this. This is a tribute to exactly what makes our puppers just so great.

1. They’re great for cuddles.

Any dog is a lap dog. They always want to be right there with you and sometimes, when you’ve spent all day in the library or you’re pretty sure you just failed a final, all you need is cuddles. Your dog is always there and willing to snuggle up with you.

2. They’re always thrilled to see you.

No matter how rude your fellow classmates have been that day or how scary your advisor was, dogs are always overly excited to see you. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been gone for minutes or hours, they’ll always make you feel like royalty when you come home.

3. They make great listeners.

Sometimes you just need to vent and you need to vent to someone who will just listen. Not offer suggestions, not argue back, and not even offer support. You just need to talk. You know the best person for the job? A dog. They also are always a captive audience to practice those presentations in front of.

4. They think you hung the moon.It doesn’t matter if you failed that statistics test, overslept and missed your class, or accidentally gotten snappy with one of your roommates. Your dog will love you unconditionally anyway. You’re their human and you’re the best person ever.

5. The littlest things make them happy

They’re very easily satisfied, unlike professors. Your professor might want a 20-page research essay with footnotes and annotations but you can give your pupper a blank piece of paper to shred and they’ll think it’s the best gift in the world.

6. They make you get outside.

Dogs require exercise and time outside. By owning a dog, you are forcing yourself to exercise as well when you take Fido on that daily walk around the apartment complex. However, the best days are when the two of you take a trip to the dog park to play instead.

7. They give you someone to dote on.

Dogs are living beings that need to be taken care of. They rely on you. You learn a lot of responsibility when you adopt a dog, responsibility that you’ll need for life after college.

8. They make you smile.

Dogs never fail to do something silly. They’ll make you laugh even if you’re in a spot where you think you’ll never leave your darkened study dungeon and smile again.

9. They won’t refuse your cooking.

Dogs will eat anything. You’ll never feel like a bad cook if you own a dog. They always gobble up anything you give them with enthusiasm and probably kiss you later. It’s a self-confidence booster.

10. They make a great security system.Every little bump, footstep, and creak your dog will hear. You can count on the fact that if anyone ever tries to break into where you live, you have a furry alarm system to keep you safe. And if you have a big dog, taking them on walks makes you look a lot more intimidating, keeping the creeps away.