About eight months ago, my family rescued a dog that had been found living on the streets of Philadelphia by himself. He was only six months old when we took him into our home and finally gave him the love he deserved. Although I was at college when my family added our newest member, coming home for winter break was so exciting for me because I had something to look forward to.

I'm not quite sure why on earth people can abandon a loving animal. How could people treat their pets so cruel and inhumane? So many dogs have been through so much and do not deserve the way they are treated. All a dog wants is to be loved. I have experienced this through my dog

My dog especially changed not only mine, but my family's lives in four specific ways:

Smiling more

The minute I laid eyes on him for the first time, I smiled. As he turned into part of our home, I noticed my whole family smiling more and more. When he does something odd, we laugh. When he does something cute, we smile. When he cuddles next to us, we smile. Even after he does something bad, you learn to smile.

Getting over things easier

I saw that my dog affected my parents in this way the most. They were always so uptight about keeping the house flawless and clean. But once we rescued our pup, none of that seemed to matter. We were more focused on spending time together and keeping him happier. If something happened, everyone would get over it much quicker.

Staying home more

We were always on the go, busy with sports, going out to eat, going to functions, or something else that involved driving around all day. I started to notice that although we were still busy, every now and then we would all stay home more because we didn't want to leave our dog. Because of him we had more family pool nights, movie nights, and more laughs.

To be thankful

I saw my dog, who had come from nothing, living on the streets, appreciate everything we gave him. From his brand new crate, to a scoop of peanut butter, to a walk in the park, to a new bone, he was so happy. He made me want to appreciate my life and everything I have. He showed me to be thankful for my loving family and most importantly, him.

Although I did not get to see my dog in his adorable little puppy days (he still is adorable), I got to see him experience a life and a home. I bet it is truly amazing to get a dog from a kennel as a baby, but nothing beats rescuing a dog who will appreciate anything.

When we first brought him home, he was scared. He did not know what to think of everything that was going on, he was some what overwhelmed. It took him time to adjust and learn to trust. His lack of trusting people showed me the pain he had been through.

He overcame his horrible first life and decided to give us a chance. He gave our family a chance and has ended up truly loving his home. I watched him find pure joy from a spoonful of peanut butter or a walk in the park. I watched him have a huge smile on his face when my brother walked through the door. I watched him meet other dogs for the first time. I watched him protect my mom when a stranger drove by.

Whenever I feel alone or upset, I know I will always have unconditional love from my rescue dog. Rescuing a dog has truly impacted my life.