They eat your shoes. They throw your shoes up. Then they chase the mop as you try to clean up their mess. They bark at you. They steal your spot in bed. Why would you let this monster into your home?

Well, to start, most of those behaviors can be changed through positive reinforcement and other dog training tactics. But that’s beside the point. The point is that despite all of those quirks, there are some huge bonuses to letting a dog join your family. Lets take a quick look at a few:

1. They will protect you from intruders
2. They will also protect you from the mailman and nosy neighbors and your great uncle steve
3. I’ve even heard a few stories about dogs running off bill collectors
4. They will never, ever let you get bored
5. They will never, ever let the house feel eerily silent
6. They will make sure you always have something to do on date night
7. And someone to come home with after
8. They will keep your stamina up chasing them around the yard, and the house, and the dog park, and the vet, and the shower
9. They will keep your heart healthy “awing” over them constantly
10. Seriously, talk about a heart workout
11. They will help finish the last piece of bread when you’re on a diet
12. They will also try to eat the first piece of bread
13. They can be trained to offer “professional” services
14. Most of them already know how to provide basic emotional support
15. They keep your feet warm
16. They keep your lap warm
17. They keep your bed warm
18. They keep your face warm with stupid puppy kisses
19. They make your house a home
20. They give you a reason to always go home

There’s a lot more that dogs are good for, but honestly why tire yourself out reading all about their perfection? Go see for yourself.