Can you buy love? Now I know what you filthy minded peeps are thinking… & yes that is kind of a loaded question lol. I am referring to the undeniable cute cuddliness of unconditional puppy love. I believe the answer to that is yes, yes you can. I am a dog lover. Specifically a yorkie lover. Anytime I see a tiny yorkie puppy my heart melts just a little. What types of furry or non furry friends make your heart skip a beat? I bet you are thinking of your childhood pet, or the pet you just loved more than anything… Ahhhh the memories that those little or not so little guys trigger. Most of the time it is happy warm fuzzy memories that bring you back to your happy place. We all are living stressful, busy,  crazy lives. Sometimes you just need that love to bring you back down to earth again. I don’t know about you, but for me its those sweet brown eyes that make me forget the crappy day I was having, or the bad mood I was in. You seriously cannot be in a bad mood when your pet looks into your eyes with pure innocent unconditional love.

A few months ago we lost one of our sweet furry friends. He was a crazy funny Brussels Griffon named Louis (short for Louis Vuitton). OK, so I have a bit of a problem with couture… & all of my dogs are named something ridiculous. Whatever, we all have our issues… moving on. Anyway, it really was so sad to lose that little guy! They become such a part of your family and your life. It makes us realize how short life really is, and how in a lifetime, something as simple as a dog or a pet really adds value to our lives. We recently added a couple new little family members, Coco & Chanel. Our current brood Dolce & Gabbana are not quite so sure about them. Yes, thats right. Four. The end. OK so its a little crazy. I guess I am like the crazy cat lady only with tiny yorkies. I don’t know about you, but for me there isn’t a whole lot of things that make me feel like that. If one can calm the raging storm in my head, four should definitely be able to put me in a coma. I should be the calmest, happiest person on the earth. I am not so sure about that, but I do feel a whole lot of happiness when I am with them. There has been a lot of scientific research done on people that own pets. Pets can reduce stress and anxiety, and there have been studies on Alzheimer’s patients who experience fewer anxious episodes when there is a pet living in the home. Just having a furry friend to come home to is enough to make you feel warm & fuzzy inside. Pets have a huge impact on our social and emotional well being. Just by interacting with your pet, you can lower your blood pressure, & they help to lower elevated levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Spending time with them can also stimulate your brain to produce higher levels of serotonin and dopamine, and both of these hormones help to reduce stress. Pet owners are known to be happier, healthier, and better adjusted than non pet owners.- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Specifically, pet owners had greater self-esteem, were more physically fit, tended to be less lonely, were more conscientious, were more extraverted, tended to be less fearful and tended to be less preoccupied than non-owners, says Lead Researcher, Allen R. McConnell, PhD, of Miami University of Ohio.

Dr. McConnell calls his research, Friends with Benefits: On the Positive Consequences of Pet Ownership, and goes on to say that dog owners actually fare better than cat owners, and show increased feelings of belonging, self-esteem and meaningful existence.

“[T]he present work presents considerable evidence that pets benefit the lives of their owners, both psychologically and physically, by serving as an important source of social support. Whereas past work has focused primarily on pet owners facing significant health challenges … the present study establishes that there are many positive consequences for everyday people who own pets.”

And of course the cute factor. When you take your puppy out and about, people always stop and want to start a conversation. They love the interaction with them, and start asking their names, and remarking on their cuteness! Next thing you know you’re exchanging numbers, socializing, making new friends and who knows? Possibly meeting your soul mate for the first time.

Seriously though. For me and my family, owning pets has been a wonderful, warm, integral part of our lives. I cannot imagine my life without them. What brings that furry unconditional love to your life? Feel free to share pics! Thanks for liking and sharing!