Dogs have been a part of the fabric of humanity for centuries. Today, according to the ASPCA between 70 to 80 million people own a dog in this country; that is 37 to 43% of all homes. I've always been a dog lover. I think they're intelligent, strong, protective and loyal. However, I never really understood the connection between a person and their dog until I got one of my own. I got my dog Smoke about 6 years ago, and he has honestly changed me. He not only taught me what it was like to truly love something, but in many ways he might have saved my life.

When I was a junior in high school, my parents filed for divorce. Even though, I knew that their divorce was coming for years, it still hit me hard. I came home from school one day and my dad was out of the house. No warning or family meeting, just shock and an empty feeling that filled the house. It was the kind of pain you get when somebody punches you in the stomach. Along with my father leaving, he took the two family dogs. With them gone, the incomplete feeling of the family really set in.

As time went on things got easier. I was starting to come to terms with the divorce. I started picking up my grades again and becoming more social. However, a part of me was still missing, I still had this empty feeling. Luckily, the dogs that my dad took with him, ended up having puppies. My father let me take one. There was a litter of eight, I knew which one to pick right away. I don't know if it was his color, size, temperament or even fate, but it ended up being one of the greatest decisions of my life.

He has ended up becoming one of the best friends a guy like me you can ask for. We've been through a lot together, him and I, through good and bad, tears and laughter. Having a dog has filled the empty spaces. He might be a pain when he's hungry and he starts barking for food or when he takes off down the road and runs faster the more you call his name. But, I know that no matter what happens he'll always be there, as loyal as ever. To sleep at the foot of my bed or just to keep me company in the toughest of times. A dog becomes more than just a pet, they become friends, even family. They help form a bond that is stronger than anything in the world. Without my dog Smoke, life wouldn't be the same. I truly understand why dogs are man's best friend.