Many people have told me that getting a puppy before moving away to college was the worst decision I could have made. While I agree that it isn't always easy or fun to plan my schedule around him in certain situations, I now understand the saying "a dog is a man's best friend"; ever since bringing Alpha home five months ago, he has become my absolute best friend. So, I thought I would share some of my favorite things about owning a German Shepherd with you guys.

When you give a girl a German Shepherd.. she will always feel safe

Moving to a new city was scary, but I knew once Alpha was old enough to understand the concept of protection I wouldn't have to worry about being alone as long as he was around. He might still be a puppy, but a 60-pound puppy tends to be intimidating to most people. I know that if I ever truly needed him to protect me he would.

When you give a girl a German Shepherd... she will always have someone to talk to

He might not be able to talk back, but sometimes that's all we need. I can tell him whatever I want and he never judges, gives an opinion or talks back. He just listens and occasionally licks or bites me if he thinks I need cheered up.

When you give a girl a German Shepherd... she will always have someone to play with

I knew getting a puppy in college was going to be a challenge, mainly because of how much time would need to be spent making sure he was getting enough exercise. However, spending time outside together has become one of my favorite parts of having a dog. My German Shepherd has made me stop being so lazy, and has kept me on my feet.

When you give a girl a German Shepherd... she will always have a best-friend

As I already said, before getting Alpha I never understood what it was like to feel so close to an animal. Sure, I have always had a soft spot for all animals but I never understood people that cared just as much about their dogs as they do their family. Bringing Alpha home has made me understand what its like to care about something (other than family) so much that you would put them before yourself. There are times I want to do things that would require me to be away from my apartment all day long, but I know that I can't leave Alpha alone for more than a couple of hours. I have another living being to keep alive and that has taught me a lot of responsibility. Having a German Shepherd has truly given me a forever best friend.