You can learn a lot from animals. For instance, I always know when it's 7 a.m. on a Saturday, because that's when my cat, Spike, starts pawing at my sleepy face for her breakfast.

From Mother Nature Network's Morieka Johnson: I had a pet emergency on my hands. My 6-month-old puppy had gnawed laundry room baseboards into tidy ...

A full fledged puppy owner for just under five months now, I've taken pup to training classes, I've tried positive reinforcement, I've ignored the dog, I've tried to be dominant, but every single time, the "walk" has always been a nightmare.

That's when it all clicked. Training isn't just about commands. That's only 50 percent. The other 50 percent is training via your body language. Training yourself to remain calm.

Well, let me tell you, if you've never owned a pet before you'd be surprised. Disgusting becomes endearing. Sloppy face baths become "kisses." And the annoyances... ok, they're still annoying. But there's one thing you always get: completely unconditional love.

From Mother Nature Network's Morieka Johnson: Our unemployment rate may be dipping, but many U.S. families still struggle to make ends meet. “Doi...