Man's Best Friend?

There really isn't any excuse to put up with dogs. I love them and despise them at the same time. Don't get me wrong, lately they have been much better. Last summer/fall Yukon had some major chewing issues. He chewed my duvet and cover, a bottle of oil-based eye makeup remover on my new couch, two ink pens on my new couch, a box of expensive heart worm medication, an entire case of our friend's DVDs along with our entire CD case full of CDs, our Peter Pan movie, multiple rugs and towels, a few pairs of shoes, a few books, a leg of a table and I am sure I am missing a few things.
Why did we keep him? Why did we keep Isis when she peed in the house everyday for 9 months after we got her? I don't know; can't explain it. It's weird. I can usually put a dollar amount on the things they ruin but I can't measure what they truly give back to my family. I really love having pets. I am attached to them. My kids are never going to be terrified of dogs and will learn when they are young how to be patient with animals and truly appreciate them. I love sharing them with my friends who don't have pets and showing them off to people who are dog-lovers. All that they put me through on a day-to-day basis, which is a lot (it seems like I can never keep my floors clean for more than a day or two), a fly on the wall would call me a complete idiot for even letting them in the house or for getting them in the first place. I can't put my finger on it, but they are part of our little family and we somehow love them, despite the work they create for us. It's rewarding.