Dogs are the best thing ever to be on the planet. I mean seriously, what did we ever do to deserve them? As a dog sitter I've seen a lot of different types of dogs. They are all equally as loving and as kind as you'd expect. I've never truly loved something more than a dog. I have learned a few lessons along the way. Here are my top five lessons I've learned from dogs.

1. Patience

One thing I've learned, mainly from dog sitting is that patience is everything. Dogs are actually extremely patient. How? One big reason is that they sit at home waiting for you all day long and stay that way from the minute I leave. I learned from these two that patience is tough at first but wonderful on the other side.

2. Be compassionate

I have a friend (who owns this gorgeous dog) who has gone through some rough stuff in the past 6-8 months. I honestly don't believe she would've made it through without her beautiful animals. They showed her such compassion and flat out love. They would (literally) lick the tears away. Animals show compassion towards you even through the toughest times in life. They love you and will show you that regardless of what has happened in your life, they will be your light through every dark path in life.

3. Love unconditionally

If there is one thing dogs have taught me, it's to love unconditionally. With no extra effort needed. Through the tough spots in life we sometimes feel alone and out of place. But animals will love you through pretty much anything. The dog pictured above has shown me that a lot recently. His name is Scout. Scout is a Great Pyrenees. Saint Bernard mix and is probably the sweetest dog in the world. He loves with every furry fiber in him. Infact when I see him he always runs up to me (his owner lets go of the leash so they won't get pulled down.) and always tackles me to show his never ending love for me. Dogs are so beautiful in that way. They'll love you regardless of what you say and what you do.

4. Ask for help when needed

Dogs are very dependable on us. They depend on us to feed them, to walk them, pet them, give them lots of treats (or pug berries in this boy's case), endless belly rubs, and they're not afraid to ask you for help when needed. They're not afraid to bark or whine at us when they want something. In life, especially in this day in age, I believe we can be afraid or even ashamed to ask for help. But dogs have helped opened my eyes to the fact that we all need some help, and it's okay to ask for it. Don't be ashamed.

5. Don't forget to let go and laugh

I have seen so many dogs as a dog sitter, and one thing they are so good at is making me die of laughter. They're good at making you laugh even if you want to cry. Life is too short to be sad and truthfully animals make you remember to just laugh and smile.