1. Unconditional love in the form of wet kisses

If you've never had a puppy kiss, have you truly lived? Sure they are a little gross, but there is so much love behind those kisses.

2. Excited welcomes every time I enter a room

Every time my car pulls in the driveway, no matter what my dog is doing, he darts over and barks whines until I get out. Then he does this weird thing where he spins in a circle and grins from ear to ear.

As soon as I walk into the house, my little dog gets so excited she can hardly contain herself.

This happens whether I've been gone to school for a week or to the bathroom for five minutes.

3. Being a furry best friend

Who knew a four-legged creature could quickly become my best friend.

4. Playing fetch and tug-of-war

Mac isn't so fond of fetch; he'd rather chase a bird. Emily, on the other hand, has a nightly routine that starts with grabbing her rope toy and bringing it to me to play. After she (or I) tires out, she eats a few bites of food, takes care of business outside, and is ready for bed. She is so funny. She acts like a little human.

5. Snuggling on cold nights

Mac, as an outside dog, doesn't snuggle so much, but my little Emily curls up like a cute little bean in the crook of my arm. The funniest thing is when I wake up, and she has her head and fore paws on the pillow. Though she be little, she puts out a lot of warmth!

6. Cheering me up on the worst days

Whether it be from going on a walk or just cuddling in my lap, my pups have a way of brightening any day.

7. Listening to my rants...and not inserting unwanted comments

I may look crazy, but sometimes I vent to my dogs. They will listen unbiasedly and offering no opinions. Thankfully, I know they won't tell someone else what I share either.

8. They know just when I need some extra love

There have been many times after I'd been crying that one of my dogs will nudge me with their wet nose or shower me with kisses.

9. Encouraging me to explore new territories

This could be seen as a figurative inspirational quote, but honestly, I mean this literally. My dogs are big on exploring. This is one of my favorite ways to spend fall days.

10. Forgiveness and loyalty

Even if I accidentally step on their paw or am a little grouchy, my dogs are always forgiving. They love me the same no matter what mood I'm in. I think we could all learn a lesson from that.

11. Getting me to move my body

Sometimes I have no choice but to move because my dogs go chasing after a rabbit or some other creature and I have to chase them down to keep them from getting in the street.

12. Constantly giving me something to laugh about

My favorite thing is seeing my tiny chihuahua chase after Mac, who is massive. He isn't scared of her, but runs from her just to amuse her.

13. Excellent clean up crew

Now, dropping a crumb on the floor isn't that big of a deal. Especially if it's meat, my dogs will quickly snatch up whatever I drop (except apples haha).

14. Making every day special in some way

Having my dogs around has certainly added excitement and joy to my life. Even on the simplest of days, those two dogs make me so happy.