People say that dogs are a man's best friend, and I did not fully understand the true meaning of that until last summer. When I was a kid, up until the summer going into my senior year of high school, the only pets I ever owned were fish and hermit crabs. My dad refused to let my brother and me get a dog because he was afraid that he would be stuck taking care of it. My mom never fought with him about it because it was true. This all changed when my dad got his new car in April 2015. The deal was that if my dad got his new car, then my brother, mom and I would get a puppy. He got his new car. On July 24, 2015 my family and I were blessed with a little wiener dog named Charlotte. Now, I can truly say that my dog is truly my best friend. Here are five reasons why:

1. She is always there for me.

Whether I am crying over an ex-boyfriend or rambling on about the latest gossip, Charlotte is always there for me and listening. Now, I know she does not understand what I am saying, but it is always nice to have someone there to just vent to.

2. I always have a cuddle buddy.

Charlotte sleeps with me in my bed, watches TV with me on the couch, and naps with me on the floor when I am too lazy to move onto a bed. She never turns away from a cuddle session.

3. She never complains about going shopping with me.

My dog has probably been to Dunkin' Donuts more than a majority of people. Whenever I am going out to get food or going to PetCo, she is always my co-pilot. She is always so excited to accompany me during a car ride and never complains about it.

4. She makes me happy.

Whenever I am having a bad day she knows how to cheer me up. All she has to do is bring her ball to me and I will have a smile on my face. She is so cute and it is impossible to stay upset when I see her face.

5. She does not judge me.

I could be wearing a garbage bag and she will still love me for me. She never judges me and loves me unconditionally. She also does not judge me when I am out of breath after running with her for only five minutes.

I don't know how I lived my life before I got my dog. My dog is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Any dog owner knows that dogs are caring, funny, smart, loyal and overall just awesome. Your dog will always love you and is always excited to see you. When I think of the qualities that I want in a best friend (a human one), my dog posses all of those qualities. I can never live without a dog again. This quote I found perfectly sums up why my dog is my best friend, "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." So, thank you to my dog and all the dogs out there. You guys are truly a man's best friend.