For dog lovers, the first time getting your own dog is so exciting. Many wish they could get a dog while in college. They think it'll be so much fun to have a cute dog to come home to and cuddle with; they call them man's best friend for a reason. Actually getting a dog while in college is not all rainbows and butterflies, though, it's hard work. When I got my dog, my sophomore year of college, I thought I knew what I was getting into. Boy, was I wrong! Here are some things I learned since I got my dog...

1. Dogs are a lot like babies, they require almost all of your attention.

I know this may come as a shock to some, but dogs rely on humans for everything. Dogs cannot let themselves outside. They cannot feed themselves. They cannot give themselves water. As the dog's owner, you have to take care of your dog as best you can, which means being there for your dog as much as possible every day. When my dog first came home, he was only eight weeks old and I was home with him every minute I was not at school or work. I had to change my life around to make sure he was well taken care of.

2. Training a dog is so much harder than it seems.

No matter how much you read on how to potty train, crate train, obedience train a dog, nothing will go exactly as planned. Life happens, things get in the way and take priority over teaching your dog how to roll over and shake. No way of training your dog is the correct way, they're just different. Before I got my dog, I said I was going to train him to be the best-behaved dog ever. I read so many articles on how to achieve this type of training and at the end of it, I was certain I was going to be the best trainer. To say I fell a little short is an understatement. School and work got in the way and the dream of having my dog shake my hand on command fell to the bottom of my priority list.

3. I am not even close to being ready to have a child.

Dogs and babies are cute and all, but they are so much work. When you get a puppy, you have to let out the puppy every couple of hours and give it enough attention so it's happy. That doesn't sound that bad until you have to work a double or want to go to a party and you're gone for hours and your puppy was in the crate too long and wet himself. A baby wouldn't have been able to stay home alone at all. They require so much more attention than dogs and are a life long commitment. Not being able to do things based on my wants, but with my dog in mind, has shown me a baby is not in my near future.

4. Coming home to someone is way better than coming home to an empty house, even if that "someone" isn't a person at all.

The biggest push for me to get my dog, other than how much I love them, was because I was living alone for the first time and it was really hard for me to come home to an empty house. I ended up not wanting to go home at all because it would just make me sad. Having my dog at home waiting for me always brings my spirit up. He is always excited for me to come home, even if I am late. Just knowing you have a happy face waiting for you at home makes you excited to get home. My dog has made me feel like I wasn't alone when I really was.

5. Animals are just as important as humans.

Animals are taken for granted by so many people, especially those who don't have a pet at the moment. Animals do have feelings and emotions. They can be happy and sad. People believe what they can see and hear, and animals cannot express themselves the same way humans are able to, so humans don't understand exactly what animals are feeling. Animals will communicate with you if you let them. When humans get upset, they take it out on animals and, because the animal may not tell them they are hurting, humans don't understand how much pain the animal is in. Animals are so loyal to humans and the least we can do is return the favor by treating them with as much respect as we would give a person.

My dog has brought me more happiness than I thought he would, but he has also brought me more stress than I thought he would. I definitely underestimated my mom when she told me how much work it would be having a dog. Would I change any of it? Absolutely not. He's my little guy and I'm his human. We are happier together than we are apart. He also gives the best cuddles when I'm sick, so that's a huge plus.