We’ve all seen the cute cat memes that everyone gawks at on social media for hours. No matter how mean a cat looks, we think it’s adorable. When girls say that they’ll be alone forever, they find it comforting that an alternative to getting married is to become a cat lady. Everyone I know loves cats. Just not me. That’s probably because I grew up with dogs.

One day, I walked into Petland as a tiny second grader, remembering all the times I went to the mall with my mom. She would give me a penny. I would throw it into the fountain and wish for a puppy. My family and I saw a tiny cockapoo who looked so sad through the glass window. We asked one of the workers there why, and she replied, “It’s because his sister’s gone. Someone’s trying to buy her.” Luckily, that person changed their mind, and we chose to buy both so they wouldn’t be separated. Since my favorite TV show was "Zoey 101" at the time, I named the girl Zoey, and the boy was later named Kyzer. They make me happier than any cat would, and here’s why:

1. Dogs see you as a best friend.

Every time I came home from school, Kyzer would grab a toy and run around the house with his tail moving as fast as a hummingbird’s wings. Zoey would wake up from her nap and walk over to say hello. Even when Zoey had just gone through surgery and wasn’t able to move very well, she would slowly get off the couch and limp towards me. She would whimper in pain, but it was okay because she wanted to greet me. I have never met a cat who was that excited that their owner came home. Cats don’t wait forever by the window just to see your car pull into the driveway. Dogs care so much about their owner’s existence, and I believe that makes the bond between dogs and humans so much greater.

2. Dogs love to spend time with you in ways that cats don't.

After I come home after a long day at work, I love to take my dogs for a walk, and they do too. They get so excited because they get to be outside and sniff around with me by their side. They’re also helping you lose weight in the process. My dogs also love to swim with my family and me. We used to have a pool in our backyard, and if we were in it, they wanted to be in there with us. Maybe I’m wrong, but not many cats like to go for walks or swim in a pool.

3. Dogs are loyal and guard you with their lives.

When I went over to my desk to start my homework, sometimes I would forget to close my door. Almost immediately, Kyzer would peek in my room and then quietly lie down next to me and take a nap. Sometimes, he would even follow me into the bathroom just to make sure that I am okay. Also, both Kyzer and Zoey have no problem barking at the animals that are often twice their size just to notify us that there is someone on our property. It has happened with bunnies, squirrels, other dogs and even a coyote once. From what I’ve seen, cats don’t seem to do that. They just lie in their beds or climb the furniture. They don’t seem to care to watch the front of your house for intruders. They just have this whole “whatever” attitude. Dogs are always there for you when cats think that you should always be there for them.

I’m sure not all cats act this way, but all cats ever do is hiss at me. They don’t enjoy my presence. They run away when I try to pet them, and they always look at me with annoyance. If I never get married, I won’t be a cat lady. I’ll be a dog lady (if that’s even a thing).

Dogs have colorful personalities that make you understand how human they are. Just like humans, dogs have their little quirks that are so relatable. They have irrational fears and hard habits to break. Kyzer is afraid of flies, while Zoey, when given a piece of bread, eats the crust first. I understand that not all dogs are like mine, but I would not have such good memories if my parents decided to buy a cat instead.