Is your dog a huge part of your family?

The picture above is Rory on his human family's wedding cake. Many of us have a dog or dogs central to our family lives, and what an amazing development that is. Before we move onto seeing many more of these amazing family pictures, I wanted to talk about the definition of family for a moment.

Traditionally, when religion ran the show, a family was considered a mother, father, biological kids and maybe a "pet". Same sex families were even considered "sinful" at some point because of this odd god that we had designed to make the rules scary enough to follow, what a weird Sh*show that was. Similarly, dogs were supposed to be at the bottom of the family "pack" or they would end up ruling the roost. While intelligent and aware people have moved beyond such silliness, some people still cling to it. Yes my friends they are out there. But this is about us, our families.

Next, Hollywood and Disney got involved and told us that family must be perfectly formed, there must be romance forever between the parents and that was how we all should live. Anything different to that was incomplete. What a lot of piffle that was. We still see it though don't we - and it's why I don't watch TV adverts, which are designed to create an emotional response to make us feel happy, then like we are missing out, then hit us with the need to buy their product. Ugh.

The best, best thing about my family is that I chose them. I chose Chips who is snoring beside me, I chose my husband and continue to choose him every hour of every day. My home is a safe space and in many ways my dogs are my kids. They are admittedly elderly kids, and I respect that too.

The relationship between dogs and humans has been around for thousands of years. From being used for herding and hunting to providing companionship and comfort, dogs have been an important part of human life. In recent years, this relationship has only grown stronger and more beautiful.

So let's celebrate that relationship between dogs and people through a variety of amazing photographs. All of these and many more were sent in response to a social media callout for family dog pictures. Each of them tell a story of an amazing family. See I told you you didn't want to miss this post!

The Human-Canine Relationship

In recent years, the relationship between people and dogs has only grown stronger, with more people regarding their canine companions as part of their family. There are numerous benefits to living with a dog. Dogs can provide companionship and comfort, and can also be great for physical and mental health. Studies have shown that a family dog can reduce stress, improve self-esteem, and even lower the risk of certain diseases. Additionally, dogs can help to keep us active and provide us with endless amounts of unconditional love and affection. Dogs are great companions and can provide us with comfort in times of need. They can be great listeners and provide us with unconditional love and support. Dogs also provide us with a sense of security, and can be great for keeping us active and engaged.

The Growing Acceptance of Dogs as Family Members

In recent years, there has been a growing acceptance of dogs as family members. More and more people are viewing their canine companions as an integral part of the family, and are treating them as such. Dogs are now being included in family activities and outings, and are being given the same love and attention as other family members.

I was flabbergasted with the amount of wonderful pictures I received when I asked for them. Heart warmed, eyes moistened, happy smile flabbergasted. You people in these pictures - you are my people.

Just looking at these pictures tell us that the future of the human-canine bond is unbreakable. It reminds us that there are plenty of dogs in this world, loved for exactly who they are.

I think this might be the best post I have ever created. I think it's a reminder of everyday magic, that families are families because we want to be, and because we simply love each other, and it need be no more complicated than that.

And I hope you enjoyed reading/viewing it as much as I enjoyed making it.

PS:

Thank you so much to everyone who shared your family love with me - so I could create this. I'm sorry if I didn't manage to get your picture in. I was completely overwhelmed with pictures and I'll do another post in the future.