I first decided to get Opie after going through a break-up and realizing that I had some figuring out of my own to do. Little did I know that raising a puppy on my own would help me figure out a lot more than I had imagined.

You see, if done correctly, I could imagine that raising a dog is fairly similar to raising a child. They test your patience, require lots of attention, and at times cause you to question your sanity. But most of all they teach you the meaning of unconditional love.

Through raising a puppy of my own, I have learned the value of patience. Between the hundreds of puddles of pee I've cleaned up and the destructive behavior they can muster, having a puppy is nothing short of a handful. But it has taught me how to take a deep breath and keep things under control when it's all I have left to do.

The biggest blessing of owning a dog is the love they bring. Opie is my best friend: He's seen me at my absolute worst and still thinks I'm the greatest thing since peanut butter. No one will ever be as excited to see me as he is. My dog has shown me true unconditional love, and I refuse to marry a man unless they look at me the way my dog does.

Dogs are such blessings, and that's why I find is so shameful that people can be so quick to toss out their pet only to replace it with another one, as if it's the latest hand bag. Always remember that to you, your dog may only be a part of your life, but to your dog you are his whole life.