Having a dog in my life has helped me go through a lot, and whenever I'm stressed out about homework or about famIly matters, Hank is always there for me; In addition, whenever someone is at the door Hank runs with the speed of lightning to scare away the “intruder”. Lastly, Hank is fun to take care of because each weekend-with my mom- we take Hank on a walk to the park down the street and he is so funny. He acts as if we are taking him to heaven, he loves to chase us and play fetch. He is the best dog my family has ever met; with these experiences I have noticed that these characteristics are in all dogs. In conclusion, all dogs relieve stress, promote a healthy lifestyle, and are good for security.

Did you know that at Harvard they actually have a personal therapy dog! Cooper is a 4 year old shih-tzu. He was trained by Caring Canines to be the best friend for someone who is stressed. Do you feel like you want to cry? Cooper snuggles close. Cooper also loves to play tug of war with his stuffed monkey. My friend had a Shih-tzu and she was the exact replica of Cooper!You may think that it is crazy that a dog works at Harvard as a therapy dog, actually it is not. Studies since the 1980’s support the idea that dogs have enormous health benefits for people. Dogs have been shown to lower blood pressure, improve recovery from heart disease, and even reduce rates of asthma and allergies in children who grow up with a dog in the house in the house. My mom had dogs ever since she was little and to this day the only thing she is not allergic to is dogs. Pets also improve people’s health and activity.

A recent study by The Journal of Physical Activity & Health have shown that people who have a fitness goal were more likely to complete it when they had a dog, than those who didn't have a dog.Researchers at Michigan State University found that dog owners are 34  percent more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking per week than non-dog owners. The study also found that owning a dog promotes health and fitness even after you take your pup for a stroll, increasing leisure-time physical activity by 69 percent. Not only are dog walkers getting more exercise, they're getting better quality exercise (walking faster and possibly covering more mileage), than people who simply walk or run on their own. When taking Hank on walks we always try to walk around the block once, but he has a different idea-he begs us with his puppy dog eyes- let's go around again! Dog walkers are also more likely to stick to their fitness plans than those who walk with other humans or alone.

Not only are dogs personal trainers, they are also your personal bodyguard for your house. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 16 percent of American households were victims of property crime in 2003. Especially in country areas, the thieves follow a pattern like this: Thieves make a quick visit to a house or farm to check for security, then return later to take what they want. But a barking dog often scare away potential burglars when they are checking your house for security. While your alarm doesn’t ring until maybe your front door or window is unlocked, a security dog senses an intruder from afar, raises alarm and even tries to corner or immobilize the intruder until more help comes along. My dog Hank does anything to protect us, he once busted out of his cyclone kennel to protect us from the deadly gardener.

In contrast, you may wonder what a hassle it is… to have to buy toys, food, treats, bowls, poop scoops, leashes, collars, car seat covers (if your dog gets as dirty as mine), flea drops, shampoo, etc. You also have to “scoop the poop”, take your dog on walks, and pay for their medical needs. Dogs can also be rowdy, and annoying -I know from experience. But let me show you an easy alternative to these hassles. Most communities have clinics where they administer free vaccinations. For all of the necessities one only has to have a look on, Petco where you can buy all of these needs for a low price. Stores such as Petco also has services where you can train your dog to go in a convenient spot for easy clean up, and they even have obedience classes for your dog to learn to behave his/her self. As you can see people have thought about the hassles of having a dog, but knew that a dog is a blessing from heaven. So, they made owning a dog easier and more affordable.

In all dogs there is a part therapist, personal trainer, and bodyguard. Dogs are just a little piece of heaven meant to make earth a better place. Dogs help relieve anyone's problems, help with any ones fitness goals, or scare away the baddies. With all of these characteristics dogs have I would be dumbfounded if you were not going to buy a dog. “A dog is the only thing on Earth that loves you more than he loves himself”-Josh Billings.