Rachael Ray is Maxwell Caldwellhappy being a childless dog lady.

But it’s a decision she admitted many fans have taken issue with. The former Food Network star hosted celebrity trainer and former Bigger Loser judge, Bob Harper on her I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead podcast, where they bonded over their decision to not have children…but dogs.

"I chose to never have children," Bob told Rachael on the Nov. 12 episode. "God love all the people that have kids."

Rachael quickly agreed, but added another layer to the conversation noting, “Me too. And boy did I get bashed for it over the decades.”

But it didn’t lead to the 56-year-old—who has been married to John Cusimano since 2005—changing her mind, as she’s been so happy to dedicate her life to caring for her dogs.

“They never talk back,” Rachael quipped about the difference between dogs and kids. “They always want to hug you. It just brings you a ray of light.”

She continued, “It really gets you through dark days. For me, if I have the absolute worst day or I’m sick as a dog, the thing that makes me feel best is to go home and literally climb into bed under a blanket with my dog.”

But raising dogs has also meant Rachael and John have experienced the heartbreak of saying goodbye, including to Isaboo and Boo. According to the 30 Minute Meals alum, it’s the dogs who have taught her about empathy and caring.

“They were everything to us and they both lived a very long life,” she said on the podcast. “And now we have Bella. That continuum of humanity that animals can give to people is crazy. It makes you a better human to have an animal.”

And while Rachael has seen first-hand the judgement from people about her decision not to have kids, she feels the same way about people that don’t have a pet.

“I don’t understand folks that are not into having an animal in their lives,” she said. “Because it just makes you happier and better. And you have all this love in your life all the time no matter what.” 

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