Having a dog to walk is a good enforcement of healthy habits, and helps regulate daily schedules. My hubby does the dog-walking but that sets the clock for most of our days, and that structure is good for me. Just having Chili around to pet if I get upset, or seeing how thrilled she is when I open the door, is pretty rewarding. She calms me down when I'm upset.

We adopted Chili from the pound when we moved to NY (she came with the name.) She had been there for 9 months before we adopted her, though she's a really pretty red chow-chow and collie/husky (?) mix. It took some patience to teach her not to jump on people or bite them, but she's a delightfully loyal and ferociously protective pup.