My best friend's life span

The life span of an average German Sheppard is eleven to thirteen years. My dog Leo just turned fourteen. How can we love something so fiercely and then not live as long as we do? How can we sit and watch our once playful best friends stop chasing their favorite toy? Is it worth it? Does owning a dog have benefits? The Mayo clinic thinks so according to them owning a dog can expand your life in many ways. They can keep you up and active, helping with overall mental health and weight gain. The help reduces stress and anxiety. It helps with social isolation, so you are not alone. On a personal level it's someone to talk to, someone to love that loves you back unconditionally. My dog has been my best friend for fourteen years, he was my collage dog, and it started out as just the two of us. We went from roommates, to boyfriends, to being family dogs. He took it all so well but always stayed a mommy’s boy.  When owning a dog, you should do research about the breed you want, different breeds have different life spans and require different things. Some dogs have different health concerns. Any smushed face dog like a pug or a French bull dogs snore, and they can sometimes have breathing problems due to their noses. Other dogs such as great Danes need more food and often have hip dysplasia. Some dogs like Shepards need more exercise. They are working dogs, they like things to do. So, they could cause some trouble of left with no outlets. There are even dogs that are hyperallergic now so if you have allergies, you could get a doodle or a wire hair terroir to help.  There are endless amounts of things to learn about dogs and concerns when deciding which one to get. So, when deciding to get a dog these are all the things that need to be considered. In the end is it worth it, in my personal option the answer is yes, even though Leo my German Sheppard is older and slow, and it breaks my heart. Thinking of all the good times over the years makes me happy. Knowing he had a good life, and he made my life better is exactly why I think people should own dogs.  

Leo Basking in the Sun