Seeing little children on Halloween trick or treating is probably the most adorable and cutest sight in the world, in my opinion. But seeing our pets dressed up in costumes triumphs the babies, especially during the holidays. It may be stressful trying to even get a costume on a dog, and even more so when all they want to do is tear it off, but once it’s on, it has to be the most amazing thing in the world. I use to get excited every year to dress up for Halloween but for the past three years, I get more excited about dressing my dog up. Although my dog has no clue what’s going on, spending the holidays with my dog always leads to a wonderful time.

I was given a dog three years ago and since then, I believe my life has changed for the better. It’s a blessing growing up with a dog for so many reasons;

1. They give you responsibilities. Waking you up at 3 a.m. to tell you that they need to go pee, or barking and scratching you until you feed them. They will make sure you write dog food and toys on every grocery lists. I grew up with family dogs, but it wasn’t until I owned my very first dog that I realized there are so much a dog needs and it definitely made me feel like a mom.
2. They keep you safe. No one can get past them unless approved by you, so you are in good hands! For someone who gets scared being home alone, I know that all I need is my dog barking away anything bad and I'm safe.
3. Having a bad day instantly goes away when you see them because they will not let you be sad. Constantly giving you kisses and snuggles, you’ll forget why you were even sad. They know when you are not yourself, and I don’t know how many times my dog sat next to me when I was sad and wouldn’t leave until he knew I was okay.
4. They are your best friends. Never going to leave your side, they are always going to be your #1 companion for life.
5. Exercise goes from boring to fun in seconds! I don’t think I could ever beat my dog in a racing competition but it is sure fun to try. Sometimes I get so caught up with work and school that when I come home it's late and dark to take Marley out, but when I make a promise to go to the park with him, he never lets me forget.
6. Let's not forget the birthday parties! Because every year I make sure my dog has the best birthday ever.

Life is complex and there are many hard rough days as we grow up, but my dog keeps me and my family stable. They help lighten the mood and create an atmosphere of fun. If you never had a dog, I highly suggest you adopt, because they are the greatest gifts in the world.

Dogs are part of the family, filled with love and happiness, I don’t think I could imagine my life without my Marley. He’s made me become a better happier person and when I get to spend the holidays with him, it makes the days much brighter. And recently we added a new addition to the family, Rose… and she’s something different so I’m very excited to see how this goes.