My puppy makes me a better person.

She is very dogged in making sure I walk her at the appointed time. In fact, she is constantly on my heels until I get the leash. When the harness jingles, she assumes the downward dog position to make sure I stretch while putting the leash on her so I am limber.

Of course, she varies our pace during our walks to stopping to sniff and a near run to chase a leaf that looks tasty. These stints of cardio and resting helps to ensure I do not become too tired by the end of our walk where we usually do a little sprinkler dodging (me) and chasing (her).

She is also very kind to make sure I always carry a keepsake of her around (dog fur) by sitting on my clothes and likes to keep my memory in top form by stealing my socks and letting me remember if I selected a pair or if they’d been stolen.

And, of course, she is very mindful of my weight as she stares at me lovingly while I’m eating to remind me that I don’t have to clean my plate and that the leftovers need not be added to the trash.

Yes, indeed, my life is better thanks to my puppy.

Until next time, stay healthy.