Animals are amazing. The fact that we can choose to welcome animals into our lives and watch them become part of our family is a gift. In my life, I have been lucky to have three dogs. Two of them were standard poodles and one was a cockapoo. They made life 100% more enjoyable.

My first dog was named Napoleon. He was a black standard poodle, with the cliche haircut that comes to mind when you think of a poodle. I was about three years old when we realized that he was sick. Even though he must have been in pain, he let me play with him and lay my head on him. I don't remember a lot about having him as a pet, but it was my first experience with one.

A few years later we got another dog. Another standard poodle, this one a dark brown... and oddly named Napoleon, again. This was my grandfather's decision and it didn't strike me as odd when I was five, but now when I look back on it I know how strange it sounds. He was a great dog. He was perfect for a small child. He was calm but ready to play whenever I wanted to. He was a sweet and easygoing dog that my friends loved. Unfortunately, he became sick and we had to put him down. I was still pretty young, about 12, but I wanted to go with my grandpa to say goodbye. It was intense for a 12-year-old, but I don't regret doing it.

The last dog we had was a small, white cockapoo. He was a rescue dog that had been in an abusive home. He took a while to warm up to us, but when he finally did he was very protective of us. Anytime we had a visitor he was uncontrollable. He would bark like crazy, try to bite the person, etc. It was very hard for us to learn how to change his behavior. But he was the sweetest thing to me. He would fall asleep in my lap and snore so loudly that it would make me laugh and I would wake him up. And he was always in the doorway, waiting for me to get home from school.

Having dogs in my life made me a much happier person. There is nothing like winding down the day by coming home to an animal that loves you unconditionally. You can talk to them: tell them about your day, things that are bothering you, or just how much you love them. Plus, it's very calming to just hold an animal close and pet them.

I don't currently have any pets, but I wish I did. I would give anything to have another dog, right now, this instant. As soon as I get out of school you can bet that I will be the proud owner of an amazing dog.