This thesis deals with the topic of dogs as pets, animals that are accepted as part of the family and are considered man's best friends. The goals of this work are to find out the frequency of owning a dog as a pet, to see its impact on the emotional and psychological health of the family members to which it belongs, to find out how the dog helps people with physical or mental difficulties, to analyze the most common responsibilities of family members regarding the care of a dog, and to investigate the impact of ownership a dog as a pet on the amount of time spent outdoors and its impact on the social life of the respondents. The dog is an animal that was domesticated throughout history and eventually became so attached to people that today it is completely normal to see it as part of the family. Dogs are descendants of wolves, dangerous animals, independent hunters, which is visible in the dog's body shape and the speed they possess. Today, we distinguish many breeds of dogs, from the smallest dogs with shaggy hair that weigh 1 kilogram, to dogs that have no hair, all the way to the largest dogs, with long or short hair, that can weigh up to 90 kilograms. In this paper, the very beginning of the appearance of dogs is presented, their anatomical and physiological characteristics, their character and behavior, the establishment of a relationship with people and their influence on human life are explained. Some dogs are just pets, they keep their people company and provide them with love, support, comfort, while some are more than that. A dog is an animal that, thanks to its character, can perform duties in public services such as the police and the army, but also provide assistance in the rehabilitation of needy persons.