If you know me and my family very well at all you know that our three dogs are a special and significant part of our lives. We have two awesome elder male dogs, Jack and Dapper, and one younger female dog, Zoey. Each one of our dogs is a pedigreed mutt and each one has their own distinct, and delightful, personality. For as long as I can remember, pets have been part of my life (I grew up on a farm with an entire menagerie of animals and birds) and now my kids are experiencing the joys of pets. Our dogs greeted us at the back door when we brought our girls home from the hospital and our girls have grown up living alongside their furry siblings.

Pet ownership is not something to be entered into lightly, but letting a dog into your live can teach your child some wonderful life lessons.

Head over to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Wishing Well Blog for my latest guest post on the joys of owning a dog!