Yes, it’s puppy love for the 24-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets forward. Wennberg, in his fifth NHL season, has found the ideal off-ice teammate in the form of his dog, Lexie.

When he was asked to come up with Top 5 reasons why he loves having a four-legged companion, the Swedish native rhymed off his answers with ease.

In fact, Wennberg could have easily come up with a much bigger list. But that would have taken away from spending time with Lexie.

Top reasons to be a dog person

1. Paws for thought

“The best thing about having a dog – she’s my first one – is the company and the cuddling. She’s pretty small, about eight pounds, but any time you want, you can pick her up and cuddle her. You never get tired of that or having her around.”

2. Fun house

“Playtime is definitely on the list too. Whether it’s teaching her a new trick or just playing with the toys she has, it’s a lot of fun. It’s great when you see them so excited to want to play.”

3. Winning look

“When you have a dog, or you’re out and see other ones, you quickly notice how cute they are. Sometimes you when you see them, maybe it’s a cold day outside or it’s a little harder to wake up, you take a look at the dog and it gives you a smile, for sure.”

4. Unconditional love

“When you see how much they love you, it’s amazing. As I said, this is my first dog and my first experience with one, but when you spend time with a dog, you see how much love they give… it’s a great thing to be part of that.”  

5. Calling the shots

“With a dog, they kind of run the day. She’s always running around the house and wanting to have fun. She’s the boss. They look out for you sometimes more than you look out for them. You feel very fortunate to have them in your life.”