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When I was growing up, my mother only put her foot down once: She said, 'You are going to college.' And that was a lifesaving moment. But she never talked to me about my clothes or hair. So I learned how to parent my kids through her.

I remember, when I was 7, my dad found a pregnant dog on the railroad track one day and brought her home. So my mom explained about how this dog was married but that her husband had passed away - she didn't want me to even think that a dog could have babies without being married.

My mom will make me walk the dogs or take out the trash when I go home.

My parents gave me a boxer puppy as a present. I have wanted a dog for years and must first give her attention in the morning.

I snap with my mom. It was a great way for me to see my dog when I was in college. We send selfies, too.

My mom was the picture of the blue-collar mom: Two and three and four jobs to make sure that me and my sister never needed, that was her thing.

Just being with dogs, I learned their ways and began to appreciate things from their point of view.

So I consider myself a dog person. Kind of. Had dogs when I was a kid, but my parents would never have dreamed of having them in the house.

My mum brought me up on her own. All we really had was each other.