Having a dog is no easy feat. Between the financial responsibilities and time invested, pets are a lot to take on. But I can say that my dog is my baby, my best friend. There is nothing about her that I would change. Each day with her is an adventure, and here are some of the things that I love the most about having a dog.

1. You never have to be alone

It’s 8 a.m. and you’re getting ready for work. Guess who is desperate to be with you while you brush your teeth? Now it’s midnight and you’re going to sleep. You can bet that they’re going to be right next to you, probably pushing you out of bed.

2. You need to be dependable

Your paycheck this week was $150. There are groceries to be bought, bills to be paid and dog food to buy. Oh, and don’t forget about the flea and tick prevention you have to pick up. Having a pet reinforces budgeting skills. “Your” money? It's no longer just yours.

3. Endless entertainment

There are never-ending laughs when it comes to your pet. You end up taking 50 pictures of them at a time, and since they’re all so cute you have to post each one online. Each time they run into a door or they trip over themselves you can’t help but smile and remember how much happiness they bring into your life.

4. They’re something to talk about

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about animals, it’s that the people who love them also love talking about them. You begin to develop a type of script that you use when you’re around other pet owners, telling the same stories time and time again just because you know what kind of reactions you will get. Food brands, training methods or veterinary clinics can keep a conversation going for quite a while with the right people. But of course, if you’re socializing with people who don’t have pets, you will end up whipping out your phone and showing them the 50 pictures you took of them earlier. You’ll smile dorkily and go on about something cute they did the other day. Yeah, you get made fun of. But who cares?

5. You meet new people (and animals)
On the topic of something to talk about, you’ll find that people come up to you out of nowhere. Children, adults, anyone really will either smile at you and your dog or approach in order to say hello. Other dogs will come with their owners and socialize. It’s funny, because you end up remembering the names of the animals and forgetting the names of their humans.

6. There’s always a reason to get up

This is the final thing I have on this list, and in my opinion the most important one.

I am someone who has a difficult time being motivated. When bad thoughts enter my mind, it takes a lot of time (and distraction) to get me back into the real world mindset. Depressing thoughts have crippled me into not moving from my bed for hours. I remember staring at the ceiling and thinking about how no one would really care if I got up or not.

Well, I can’t do that anymore.

I have a dog -- staring at me with a dopey smile, innocent eyes and ears that I absolutely adore. She whines at me and gets sassy if I stay in bed too long. She makes me get up, get moving -- and get better.

Having a dog will change your life. And believe me, it’ll be for the better.