Why I have a pet, even though I never wanted one

I am not a pet person. I never have been. In fact, the only reason we have a dog now is that my husband adores them and someone offered us a great, sweet, black lab puppy for free about 8 years ago.

OK, so that's not the only reason. At The 36-Hour Day, I talk more about my lack of a pet-loving gene, but I admit that there are some pretty good reasons for having a pet in the house:

So, what’s the benefit? According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, taking care of a pet may help children develop better social skills, self esteem, and self confidence. All reasons why there’s a dog sitting near my feet right now. And why I would love to take a page out of my Dad’s book and fake a pet allergy… but don’t. ... [More]

Do you have pets in your household? Why or why not?