The Healing Power of Dogs: A Love Letter

Hi friends,

I’m not sure how many of you are animal lovers, but I absolutely am. I always joke that if I ever won the lottery, there would be signs—like opening an animal shelter or adopting even more dogs. As many of you know, we already have four:

• Junior, our almost 14-year-old German Shepherd
• Logan (13) and Lily (11), our Maltese–Shih Tzu pair
• Champ, our 2.5-year-old English Cream Golden Retriever

Junior was Ian’s dog when we met, and Logan and Lily were mine. It’s funny how dogs naturally choose their people, because now Logan and Lily follow Ian everywhere, and Junior has become my little shadow. Each of them carried us through some of the hardest seasons of our lives long before we ever found each other—Junior supported Ian through his first surgery and heartbreak, while Logan and Lily got me through my mom’s health struggles, my divorce, and my own moments of heartbreak.

And then came Champ.

Champ has been a joy we didn’t even realize we needed. We brought him home a few months after our first miscarriage. I didn’t know “fertility dogs” were a thing until then, but it turns out many people walking through infertility instinctively bring home a pet—someone soft and warm to hold onto. Not to replace the baby we never got to meet, but to help fill a small part of the void.

Our families (and some of our friends) would tell you he’s spoiled… and they’re right. Champ is allowed on the couch and in our bed. If you’ve ever met him, you know he is a 55-pound lap dog trapped in the mindset of a 15-pound Maltese. Thanks to Logan and Lily, he has zero spatial awareness and wholeheartedly believes snuggling is his full-time job. He greets you with a toy, a sock, or a shoe—and because of that, we’ve had to learn not to leave anything important within “Champ height.”

My parents love to tease me on FaceTime by saying, “I see he still isn’t trained yet.” And I always tell them the same thing: He is trained—just not the way you’d expect a dog his size to be.

Champ is the baby I didn’t get to bring home.
He is my little best buddy.
He brings us—and especially me—so much joy.

2025 has been the hardest year of my life, and he has been there for every single step of it. Offering hugs, cuddles, dancing with me while I cook dinner, or looking up at me with a goofy smile and a sock hanging from his mouth when I walk through the door.

Yes, having a dog adds responsibility to your life. But the joy they bring outweighs every accident, every chewed-up sock, and every unexpected vet bill.

So I’m curious—are you an animal lover too?
Have you ever leaned on an animal during a time of hardship?

I would love to hear your stories in the comments—how a dog or pet helped you through a difficult moment, or even what else you turned to when you needed something to hold onto.

This is really just a love letter to our pups. And if you’re on the fence wondering whether you should get a dog…
This is your sign that you should.

With love,
Britt