If you have a four-legged friend or two (and we’re not talking to you this time, crazy cat ladies), then there are some things that you just understand to be part of life now. And that’s fine, because you can’t imagine life without your dog after sharing such a bond with them since you two met each other, which may be many moons ago. Aah, dogs. We’ve made a list, just because talking about them makes everybody happy. Sounds great, right?

You can’t say 'walk' out loud, ever again 

Get some synonyms ready, because saying ‘walk’ is out of the question. As soon as your dog hears this, it's the end for you, and he won’t rest until you’ve taken him outside to play. If you’re one of the lucky ones, he’ll even bring his lead to you, and then you really can’t look him in those big brown eyes and say no. If you’re a lover of a w-a-l-k, getting your dog a beautiful dog collar and lead set is a must, to make you (and him) stand out from the crowd.

If he wants to jump in the pond, he’s jumping in the pond

Unfortunately, your dog couldn’t care less about your cream carpets, and making his mark on them as he strolls back inside with those muddy paws. Sometimes as a dog owner you just have to accept the inevitable; your dog is in control most of the time, because they just want to have fun. As long as you make sure you keep an eye on what they’re doing, you can only really spectate. Sigh.

Was that your bed? Oh, maybe not… 

You could buy your dog the dog bed of all dog beds. Like, a dog bed that costs a million pounds and is made of the finest Egyptian cotton. But you know where he really wants to be, and that's right next to you. Good luck trying to remove that idea from his mind, because what's mine is yours, right? Say hello to your 3am alarm clock (hint: it’s your dog licking your face. Sorry).

You care about them more than most people

Dogs aren't just animals, they really are part of the family. We connect to them in a way that we connect to people, although every dog owner knows that they're so much better than most humans. They don't pass judgement, they're always happy to see you and just being in their presence can make you feel better!

You tell them everything 

The best thing about dogs is that they can’t speak English (correction, they can’t speak at all. Your dog is not French). This means that you can tell them all of your problems, who you hate at the office, and why everything in the world is really annoying sometimes. They won’t say anything back, but they just know when you need them. We don’t know how, but they are mind readers. Weird.

If you’re a dog owner, you know all of these things, and much more. Whilst they leave their fur behind everywhere, sometimes (most of the time) have smelly breath, and always have to throw themselves into that muddy puddle, you wouldn’t change them for the world. Because they are your best friends, they know you better than most people, and they never judge you. And what more could you ask for than that?