If you're a dog lover like me, then anytime you see one getting walked, catching a tennis ball in the park, or just sitting with its owner on the porch, you are bound to get all the "feels" and you HAVE to pet it. I had no idea how much actual work goes into raising a puppy until about 8 months ago.

Now let's be honest, who doesn't want a puppy? They're so cute, fluffy, and that puppy breath is amazing! No wonder guys use them to pick up girls (LOL)!

When I first found out my sister's dog was having puppies, I immediately went out to buy dog-related items and started puppy-proofing. Some advice for future puppy owners, there's absolutely no way you can puppy proof the whole home, they'll find a way to get something. Better yet you'll find yourself saying "How did you even get that? Where did that come from?"

So I'm getting pictures every day watching my little guy grow before I am able to pick him up to live with me. While I'm waiting, I have to figure out a name for this ball of fur. I was really banking on naming him "Kevin," I have no idea why I just like that for a dogs name. Maybe it has something to do with The Proposal movie with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Well, my ever so cute 3-year old niece told me that he looks like a Cow because he's black and white. So my dear family starts calling him Cow, and thus, he got his name Cow. Yep, that's right, Cow the dog.

So I get him home and get him accustomed to the house. Little did I know how important the carpet stain remover would be. There was one point that I sat down on my living room floor and cried because I didn't think there was anything I could do to get him to use the bathroom outside or listen to me. As I'm sitting there, he trots his little body right up to me and licks my foot. I look into those big brown eyes and can't help but love that little face. As the months go on, we accomplish sit, shake, stay, lie down, and more. All those tears and struggles go away and we forget that they happened. Some days are stressful if we have an accident in the house, we decide that the kitchen table is our new chew toy, or that the trash just didn't look good in the container, and let's not forget about the 8 rolls of toilet paper we lost in the last two weeks.

Yes, there's a lot of work that goes into having a puppy and a lot of patience. It does get hard sometimes, especially at those times where we have to go to the vet for a rash, when they get sick, or whatever else happens to our 4-legged kids. The amount of love you have for this ball of fur is nothing I've ever felt before. So for all of those new doggie mommies and daddies that may be struggling, it's OKAY! Be patient with your new child, they are learning and need lots of love and attention.

When the day is done and you lie down in your bed. That fur-ball will jump on your bed to cuddle up next to you and it is just the cutest thing. That's really all you need to know that today hasn't really been all that bad and you can start over again tomorrow.