There’s something to be said for owning a dog.

People first think of companionship, loyalty, man’s best friend.

But they don’t realize the other ways owning a dog changes your life.

For one, when you have a dog, you are - with or without your consent - accepting a certain level of mess and dirt that will likely be in your life for as long as they are.

Dogs are never really clean. And even if you were to catch them moments after a bath, it’s likely only seconds before they’re rolling around on the floor and carpet all over again.

The word dog could pretty much be summed up as a happy, energetic being that has no consideration for cleanliness, and sometimes it even seems like dirt and mud just make them happier.

You see, there’s no way to ever keep things as clean as they’d be without a 70-pound furry beast running around. There will always be dust and hair and things disheveled from tails wagging on any eye-level furniture.

And somehow, Dane’s hair always has a way of finding its way into every 5th meal of mine.

For a piece of clothing to be completely hairless is rare, if it’s ever something that can exist outside of the brief milliseconds after it comes out of the dryer.

They walk in the backyard, you hope they don’t step in anything too messy, and then they stroll on back in.

They lick their butts and then kiss you.

It’s kind of funny because you just start to accept it; you accept that the dirt, the mess, it’s somehow all worth it.