Dogs are the best therapy

I no longer second guess it. Dog is the ultimate therapy. And not the fancy clinical type with sofas and clipboards, but the other type that matters. You come down and do not feel well and they just intuitively know and show up with the exact kind of energy that you require. Questions asked none. Expectations made none. Only pure presence.

Strange how the room is understood by the dog more so than any other human. You might be having the worst day and do not want to talk with any other human, and the next thing your dog simply gets off the bed and sits the other side. Without asking for affection. Without uttering anything. And for some bizarre reason, the entire room is different. You no longer spin and twirl for a moment. You breathe easier. You even smile without purpose.

There is something with the way a dog is gazing at you that allows you to be understood without you perhaps actually saying anything at all. They're not studying you. They're not solving your issues. They simply are and at times that is enough. A quiet presence that at times at least in part reassures you that you're not totally alonewith insanity.

And when you do require distraction, the dogs are proficient in that as well. Walk. Ball throw. Walk. Sit and see them move and the whole world is intriguing and beautiful again. That’s infectious. It gets you out of your own consciousness. You get a glimpse at things again, the little things, like the sky or the movement of air or how hilarious it is while your dog is running at the butterfly. It’s simple and it’s an excellent pick me up.

Even the everyday things matter. Caring for them. Bathting them. Picking up for them. It gives you no choice but do something different with your own emotions. You understand, regardless how you're doing', your dog is gonna require attention. And for whatever portion, that is like gives you a meaning. A why for at least another hour or day.

Some do not identify with them. They see the dog as a typical pet. But if one has been through rough stuff or is just off and away, the dog is different. They are an emotional anchor. They anchor without work. You do not need to be together at your best and the dog is fine sitting with you. This is another kind of loyalty when you are not at your best.

And the manner in which they relish the small things is beautiful. I’m like, you come home and it’s a party every day. I give them a treat and I’m essentially giving them the world. They get that daily reminder day in and day out how to savor the small things and it accumulates. It’s not manufactured. It’s them.

Even the bad days when everything feels overwhelming, there’s something comforting in the reality that your dog still requires a walk. Still craves tummy rubs. Still stretches across your lap like they comprehend no version of personal space. It gets you away from your whirlpool just enough so you get through it.

Of course,dogs are no substitute for real mental health care if one is genuinely required. But they provide some kind of companionship that is genuine and lasting. They are constantly with you. Constantly hearing, even though they do not comprehend one word. Constantly here simply for the sake of sitting and making everything just that tiny bit less overwhelming. So yes, these are not technically licensed therapists, but the ultimate possible emotional support you could ever wish for. They need no words for them to heal you. They are simply themselves and that is enough most days.