Dogs Are the Only Best Friend You Will Need

Darlings, 

One word. Dogs.
I adore them.

When I left school due to bullying and converted to home education, my Cavalier Ruby was by my side all the time. Whether that was when I was doing my school work, she would be sat on my lap. If I was revising in my room at my desk she would lie on my bed and wouldn’t move until I did, it was like she knew what I was feeling in terms of loneliness and didn’t want to leave me. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her always being there, also I’m not even ashamed to admit it but I used to talk to her and tell her everything because I really did see her as the best friend I always wanted plus she could never tell anyone and she was a really good listener ha! They say dogs also sense when a human is sad and I can definitely back that up. I truly believe she knows when I am having a bad mental day/week because she clings to my side and always makes sure to smother me in kisses when I come down the stairs in the morning. Just that makes me realise I am not alone, because I look at her and she is one of the reasons I keep going every day. And I love everything about her, from the uniqueness in her spotty cavalier coat to the way she knows when it is her bedtime, at 8pm.

 June 1^st 2018, the day when we laid eyes on our Coton De Tulear Teddy and we instantly knew there was no chance we were walking out of them doors without him in our arms. He had the most mischievous face we have ever seen especially compared to our Ruby who is the complete opposite. June 5^th we brought home and we just fell in love with him more and more as he started to show his personality and grow into the gorgeous (but very naughty!) dog he is now. He completed our family. It’s funny how much they differ from each other but get along so well and how he looks up to Ruby almost like a mother figure. Wherever she goes he follows, whatever she does he has to copy and it really is the most heart-warming thing ever – they have grown to be the best of friends. They both have been my little best friends and I just can’t express how much I love them and would protect them with my whole life.


So as the title says, why are dogs the only best friend you will ever need?

Well for starters they don’t judge and love you unconditionally. You have a best friend for life who wants to protect us from being hurt because they instinctively know when we are vulnerable.

As Doris Day said once “I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source”

The soothing sense of unconditional love they give to you and the comfort of knowing someone is always there just from the padding of their feet can make lives tainted by mental health seem just that bit more bearable and a reason to keep going, for the sake of them. I know with my two dogs they are always wanting someone to stroke them or play with, in particular Ruby who loves cuddles and really is like a hot water bottle – like my mum says. It is a sense of calm of that closeness that dogs only want and if you love them and snuggle them then they are always happy.

Statistics show that 74% of pet owners reported mental health improvements from pet ownership. The field of human-animal bond research is dedicated to studying the health benefits of pets and human-animal interaction. Positive interaction is related to the changes in physiological variables in both parties, including a reduction of subjective psychological stress (fear and anxiety) and an increase of Oxycontin levels in the brain. Science demonstrates that these biological responses have measurable clinical effects. Specifically, pets and therapy animals can help alleviate stress, anxiety, depression and feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Additionally helping people suffering manage their long-term mental health conditions. Another study conducted in 2016 explored the role of pets in the social networks of people managing a long-term mental health problem and found that pets provide a sense of security and routine that provided emotional and social support. Studies have always shown that pets are facilitators of getting to know people, friendship, formation and social support networks.

Caring for a pet also gives your day purpose and reward, a sense of achievement. It also helps you feel valuable and needed. It’s a morning motivator as you know there is someone that needs you to look after them and share your routine. So if you haven’t thought about getting a pet, go for it! You won’t ever regret it and it could an answer to improving your mental health and well-being. They really are the most precious things in the world.

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