I wanted to wish everyone a happy National Dog Day.

Dogs have really hit the jackpot over the last 18 months having so many of us home every day.

They are been great work from home companions during this time and it’s been great to meet many of yours via Zoom.

I got my puppies Lucy and Scarlett last year soon after the death of my beloved dog Charlie. I couldn’t imagine my life without a dog.

They just want to love and be loved. And really, what is easier than that in this life? What other species wants love and only love, nothing in return? Not many.

Dogs provide many mental health benefits, including a sense of emotional wellbeing thanks to the unconditional love they give, which is why they’re also great company and comfort for people.

Dogs can help people to recover from personal struggles. They seem to have sixth sense when it comes to compassion and understanding. My late dog Charlie helped me immensely when my mom passed away from cancer a few years ago.

Dogs spend so much of their lives waiting for us to come home to them, and having faith that we will. It doesn’t matter if I’ve been gone for five hours or five minutes, my dogs greet me the same way.

And in a world where nothing has seemed normal and things have been bleak at times, my pups have been such a blessing.

I’ll end this post with my favorite dog-related quote of all time, which comes from the movie Marley and Me:

“A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes or designer clothes. A water logged stick will do just fine. A dog doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he’ll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?”

I’d love to see your dogs so feel free to share a photo in the comments!