Florida ranks as 5th most dog-loving state

Floridans really adore four-legged lovers. We rank 5th in the country for states that love their dogs the most. Give yourself a nice doggy pat on the back. Big Heart Pet Brands, the makers of Milk-Bone and Pup-Peroni, conducted a survey of 3,000 dog parents to determine how often they engage in dog-loving activities— we're talking kisses on that stinky, yet somehow irresistible mouth, or belly rubs with nonsensical baby talk, and especially "sit, stay, stay, OK!" with a bacon-flavored Milk-Bone at the end. 

If you're like me, you'd rather run around your house playing psycho with your dog than go out for a romantic, candle-lit dinner at your local Waffle House (yes, that's a real thing). A comforting amount of dog-parents feel the same way. Eighty-six percent of us tell our dogs "I love you" at least once a month and 73 percent buy our dogs a gift at least once a month (obviously cheap chocolate would not be a wise choice for this gift — save that for yourself). 

A hefty 49 percent of dog moms and dads that specifically tell their dog "I love you." And of course, 60 percent of the best dog parents gave their hairy babies a special treat on Valentine's Day — some leftover sandwich meat or bacon would be primo, but a Pup-Peroni would be even better. 

This article appears in Feb 5-11, 2015.