Ever since I was a little girl, dogs have been a part of my life. They watched me learn to walk, talk, tie my shoes and even play soccer in my backyard. They've seen me leave the house on the first day of school. They have seen me blow out the candles on my birthday. They have seen me drive away in my very first car. And they have seen me on my best days and my worst days. If you have a dog you know what I mean when I say, "They have been there when..." Here's to all the dogs out there, because you make our lives better.

1. They are always so excited to see you when you walk through the front door, tail wagging and all.

2. When you're sick they are always there to comfort you.

No, they can't make you chicken noodle soup, but puppy cuddles are close enough.

3. They are little vacuum cleaners.

Anything you drop on the floor is fair game for them. But hey, at least it's less work for you.

4. They keep you company when nobody else is there.

5. They love you unconditionally.

6. They never stay mad at you.

Even though they might seem mad when you have to leave them home alone all day or you can't take them for their walk because it's raining, they get over it.

7. They never judge you in anything you say or do.

Even though they give you the puppy dog eyes every now and then. It's a game changer, I know.

8. They are great listeners.

Whether you want to admit it or not you've had some pretty great conversations with your dog.

So, you see there are many great things about dogs that dog owners and lovers will understand. I've made many memories with my dogs over the years growing up. I've went through the happiness of sharing my life with them and the heartache of losing them. That being said I would like to dedicate this to Nikki, Simon, Sydney and Emmy. This is also dedicated to the newest member of our family, Marley.

RIP to the dogs that you may have lost. They weren't your entire life, but you were definitely theirs.