I dread holidays like the 4th of July, Memorial Day, and New Year’s Eve because, despite being joyful occasions for some, they tend to be rather stressful for my dogs, Nala and Sasha. They, like many dogs, have a fear of extremely loud noises like fireworks, gunshots, and thunder. I feel sorry for how upset they get, especially since the noise is typically out of our control.

Spring is right around the corner and with it comes the torrential storm of pollen, the constant sniffles, and the barrage of bees. The season is also filled with beautiful blooming flowers, longer and warmer days, and whispers of summertime to look forward to. Each year, more than 100 million people in the United States suffer from allergies caused by food, latex, pollen, seasonal changes, and prescription drugs. Did you know that the same allergies that give us grief, can also have an impact on our four legged friends? Join me as we take a dive deep into pet allergies and what we can do to give them some relief.

When you decide to bring a dog into your life, the unspoken idea is that you’ll do everything in your power to give them the best life possible, within reason of course. That includes potentially paying for a knee surgery that costs thousands of dollars but drastically improves the quality of life for your pet.

Do you give your dog table scraps? Did you know there’s actually some healthy snacks you and your fur baby can both enjoy? Spoil your pup with love and some healthy dog-friendly human snacks that’ll keep them jumping for joy. Check out 5 of my dogs’ favorite snacks to chow down.

The cost of owning a dog doesn’t just stop when you buy or adopt it. The fully loaded cost includes food, toys, bedding, medicines, vet appointments, grooming, and any other normal, recurrent expenditures that are consumed solely by the fur baby. Pet insurance, while optional, is part of Nala and Sasha’s monthly bills, because you never know when they may require a major medical expense. I’d much rather know I’m getting reimbursed 80% after the deductible is met, than having to pay multiple thousands of dollars out of my pocket.

While raising pets is nowhere near as difficult as raising children, it still brings a level of enjoyment and pride that is truly unmatched. Getting to see them grow from puppies into adolescent teenagers to fully grown and responsible family members is quite amazing. Nala and Sasha are officially entering their grown dog eras, and it’s been so cool to see their development over the last three years. Long gone are the days where they have to be closely supervised.

Overall, I don’t have any regrets getting the surgery for the dog. It was the difference between her limping around, potentially in pain, and being a carefree three year old puppy. The money spent will ultimately make its way back to us tenfold, but the peace of mind we have that Nala is healed and healthy is well worth the journey we’ve all been on.

Nala and Sasha are definitely a handful, but because they bring Kris and I so much joy in our daily lives, they are well worth all the effort. They make us laugh and smile just from the immense love they have to share on a daily basis. While we can’t save and protect every dog out there, we try to give our two fur babies the best life that we possibly can each and every day.

Krissy was there to console me and I’m thankful that he’s always with me through the good times and the bad times. You never know when a typical Saturday might turn into a terrible one solely because of life’s bad news or unfortunate circumstances. I’m reminded every day that Krissy is my best friend and we’re going through life’s struggles together. Even though we’ve only been married for a year and a half and together for almost five years, we’ve already been through so much together.

That was the day she broke out. I opened the door to the garage, and there was the big white dog standing there wagging her tail. I was flabbergasted to be completely honest. Before then, I’d always be paranoid that I forgot to completely secure their cage or that one of them would break out. Sure enough, that fear became reality real quick.

Nala on the other hand, acts a complete fool outside with no collar or leash on to the point that everytime she needs to go out, she has to be supervised. We’ve learned this from trial and error which involved a dirty Sasha, about ten minutes of chasing, and much frustration. Nala has a one track mind outside and she tunes me out if I call her to come inside. The only silver lining that I’ve found recently is letting her go outside unleashed late at night when she’s tired. That’s the only time she will go out, do what she needs to do, and actually come back to the door without walking off. But, there’s a catch.

Raising dogs, especially multiple at one time, is not for the weak stomach, weak heart, or weak minded. They will test your boundaries, test your patience, and test your endurance as they figure things out in their world. In many ways, you can compare the growth of puppies to how we grow and develop as adults (minus the weak bladders). We just don’t have handlers keeping us out of serious trouble.