When I was younger, I was always jealous of those that were lucky enough to walk into their homes everyday and see the smiling furry face of a pet that loves them unconditionally. I so badly wanted to lay at night with a furry friend at my feet and have little licks greet me in the morning. My mom has been allergic to dogs and cats since before I was born, so I never had the chance to experience the love for an animal. We tried countless times to buy puppies that would call our home their forever home, but none were the right fit for our family.

During my winter vacation home, I procrastinated and did not pick up the dry cleaning for my mom. The next day, I was dragged there with a hungry stomach and a want to lay in bed. My mom asked me if I wanted to see the puppies which, before I got my furry friend for Christmas, was always the extent of calling a puppy my own. We would sit in a small play area and play with a little puppy, then say goodbye and never see it again.

This is exactly what happened with my little Beckham at first. He loved to play and was so friendly, licking my mom and me and giving us endless love. Beckham is a two month old French Bulldog with an adorable cream coat and pointy ears. I wanted him so badly, but my mom said no.

The next morning my mom woke up and told me that it was finally time to get a dog. She fell in love with his adorable face and could not resist the love and happiness he wanted to give to our family. We rushed to the pet store, spent endless hours cuddling him and signing contracts, and went home with our new family member. I have to admit, being in a pet store and actually buying a dog is one of the strangest things ever. There were a lot of tears coming from me because I didn't believe it was actually real!

My mom and I went home and surprised my dad and brother with our new loving boy! We decided to name him Beckham because we are HUGE New York Giants fans and my brother idolizes Odell Beckham Jr. Our Beckham has been home since Friday ad loves every second of being apart of our family. We give him so much love, attention, and lap space for his many naps. He tries to eat plenty of leaves, can't exactly make his way up the steps, and loves to meet new people and bite their toes. Beckham also hates to sleep in his crate, but eventually we will get him there.

I always imagined I would get a dog at a younger age, but I'm extremely grateful to be getting him now that I am older. I appreciate him a lot more now than I would have when I was 5-years-old. I can guarantee that after the third day I would have been completely over him going outside so much, taking so many naps, and biting absolutely everything in sight. I understand my responsibilities with him and it is amazing how one furry little friend could bond a family so much. I am excited to see Beckham grow with our family and bring a lot of laughter and smiles to the four of us for a long, long time.

Along with getting Beckham, I realized how important it is to watch the products we use on a daily basis. Too many companies we know and love test on innocent animals like my Beckham for no good reason. I have been trying to go cruelty free with my cosmetics, but I want to change my ways with more than those. Here is a link to find our which brands test on animals and which are cruelty free! Go change the world! http://features.peta.org/cruelty-free-company-sear...