The Arsenal midfielder, who can list playing in a World Cup final as one of his achievements, says he used to be scared of dogs until he got himself a Pug.
He told Sport Magazine: "I have one dog, his name is Balboa.
I got it as a puppy, raised it and have overcome my fear. Now, I love dogs
Mesut Ozil
"But I was frightened of dogs as a kid! I wanted to overcome my fear, so I decided the best way to do this would be to own a dog.
"I got it as a puppy, raised it and have overcome my fear. Now, I love dogs."
And he's not the only Arsenal player to have developed a love for man's best friend, as Alexis Sanchez and Jack Wilshere also regularly post their pooch pics on Instagram too.
INSTAGRAM
Sanchez and Wilshere pose with their dogs on Instagram
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