Funny how making a commitment to your Self, in whatever form, is a much harder endeavor than committing to caring for others-even if the other is a dog! I had a very wise client say to me many years ago, "If I could just move mySelf up on the priority list before my dog, I will be doing so much better". So take a look at this well done article on how having a dog affects your health....
“If we’re committed to a dog, it enables us to commit to physical activity ourselves.”
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/forget-the-treadmill-get-a-dog/?nl=health&emc=healthupdateema2