I’ll start off by stating that I’ve never disliked dogs in general. I usually had a favorite at my Uncle Dave and Cathy’s house of dogs. Other than that, I didn’t have much experience and didn’t know much about them.

In 2017, a neighbor’s incessantly barking dogs prompted us to look for a new house. Our new yard included a fenced-in area and plenty of space so we decided to get a puppy. (Yep, that’s right. We moved because of dogs and then bought a dog).

We cuddled with Rosie, taught her many tricks, and enjoyed her puppy stage. She quickly became my shadow. Then 18 months later, we added a tiny French Brittany pup.

By the time we brought Rivet home, we had definitely become those people — the ones who dote on and talk about their pets. Or at least I am.

I’ve learned that dogs, like people, have their own personalities and quirks. Rosie never steals food or toys, yet she is a crankypants after 7 p.m. Rivet will tolerate costumes and pretend play, but is terrified of new people, animals, and experiences. Both doggies prefer to be near us (or on our feet) and do not like to be outside alone.

We’ve discovered the benefits of being a dog family. Our pups always give us a royal homecoming, even if we’ve only been away for an hour. And they provide a nice distraction from outside worries — so much so that we started fostering over Christmas 2020.

Over the summer, we fostered again, embracing chaos for July.

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With school returning, we’re taking a little break from fostering. We still have our two canine family members though.

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And while the kids enjoy our pets, I’ll admit that I am the most into them. After all, they make the best writing partners.