5 Ways My Dog as Helped With My Depression

My bouts of depression swoop in like a thief in the night. One minute I can be on cloud 9 and the next day I am loathing what most and myself call a blessed life. I can say it has been A LOT better than previous years and comes a lot less frequently, but the changing of seasons from summer to fall and fall to winter often serve as trying times for your girl. But this season a new addition to my family has definitely eased this transitional period.

I welcomed home my new puppy Layla.

Okay, so I lied. Layla isn’t entirely my dog, she’s my brother’s, but I couldn’t be a prouder aunty to the most special canine I have ever encountered. She is a 13 week old Golden Retriever with more personality than most people I have met in life. Here I will outline how my four-legged niece has made me an overall happier human being in just two short months.

1. Structure, accountability and routine. Not even going to lie taking care of a puppy is a lot of work. She requires constant supervision and trainings as she learns how to navigate the world in her first weeks of life. We keep her on a strict feeding/walking schedule so that she will learn how and when to do these things. When I mess it up ie. let her roam the house before I have taken her outside or let her drink too much water without measuring the quantities, I have to pay for it by cleaning up a poopy or peey mess. I structure my activities around her time and her schedule which then allows me to add more structure to my personal schedule. It helps me practice sticking to a routine which has encouraged me to apply more routines to other parts of my life such as creating a morning routine, night time routine etc. I see the benefits of this structure and routine, and like dealing with Layla I know that if I fall off I will have to deal with a poopy or peey mess (not literally but you know what I mean).

2. She gets me outdoors and active. I really enjoy being active and outdoors, but for some reason its harder for me to make being active and going outdoors for myself a priority. With my Layla I have no choice and I like it that way. I want to ensure she gets the puppyhood she deserves. We run laps around the yard, we race, we play fetch (mostly me throwing it and her running away, hiding and me trying to find her). But we play, we breathe in fresh air and move and it has been a passive and joyful way of getting exercise on an everyday basis.

3. Her excitement in seeing me. Every time this dog sees me it’s as if I have walked in the room with $1,000 to give. Her tail begins to wag nonstop, she jumps, she tries to bite my hair, she circles me, and she licks me. I cannot help but be elated by her excitement. It’s such an outward act of being appreciated and loved. It makes me feel wanted and that my presence brings joy. It just feels good to know you are loved and she shows me that EVERYDAY.

4. Rubbing her fur. Layla is the softest cuddliest thing I have ever put my hands on. Something about rubbing her head, back, legs and even tummy just calms me. It’s as if I am calmed by her mere warmth and softness. We often talk about the skin to skin necessities of human beings, but that fur to skin is just so soothing.

5. She has connected me to others. Layla has brought my family closer together. Again raising a puppy takes a lot of work. My dad, mom, brothers, my brother’s girlfriend and I all have a role in taking care of our best friend. We often stand there and laugh at her antics; we coordinate who is taking her out when and who is taking her for the weekend when someone has a trip or commitment. She has further strengthened the kinship, bond, communication and connectedness of our family in a way that I did not know was possible.

Beyond my family Layla has attracted countless rubs from strangers and conversations with them about their dogs. The kinship and person to person interaction although a little annoying at times has been good for me.

Layla is what I never knew I needed in life and I am so happy to have her. She has no ego, no underlying trauma leading her actions (that we know of at least). She’s just free and weirdly enough that feeling is infectious.

Feeling down? If you are in the financial and physical space to do so I say get you a dog. I love you so much Layleeeeee!