Post #17 Why We Got A Dog For My Depression – Perks and Pitfalls

August 1, 2025

Today, I kept my dog Charlie home from daycare. I felt I could use his company to keep me from feeling lonely and anxious. I am currently job searching after a long-term medical leave of absence, so I’m essentially home every day. But due to multiple chronic conditions that keep me from being consistently able to care for Charlie on a day-to-day basis, daycare has saved me many times.

My husband and I got Charlie in 2021 when my latest bout of depression led to a medical provider recommending that we get a dog to ease my symptoms. (This was the depressive episode that ended up lasting three years until the end of 2023.) Doug had always wanted a dog too but not me, because . . . well, I don’t know. I wanted to keep the house pristinely clean, etc. etc. etc. I never grew up with a pet.

I didn’t know at the time that this little guy would be one of the best things to happen to me. I’d like to describe getting a dog is like getting a heart transplant – you have no idea how much bigger your heart gets when you get a dog, how much more love you had in you, and you witness the definition of a pure and innocent soul. I see the living world in a totally different way now, full of creatures with personality, preferences, and feelings. He gives me so much joy even in times I’m crippled with mental illness.

One pitfall is my inability on days to take care of Charlie’s needs when I’m massively debilitated by depression or fibromyalgia. We live in a townhouse with no yard, so he needs at least three outings a day: morning duties, mid-day walk, evening duties. I can’t always provide that, so we found a daycare for Charlie for those days. Another pitfall is it can get quite expensive, needless to say, but definitely necessary for Charlie’s well-being.

I’m lucky I have a husband who can take care of him before and after work. But if I were by myself, I don’t know what I’d do. Taking care of a dog is a huge responsibility but it comes with massive rewards. You couldn’t ask for a better companion, but it comes with work that you may not always have the ability to maintain. Charlie definitely alleviated my depression, but I can’t deny the anxiety that can sometimes come from caring for his needs or the guilt that comes from having your spouse do all the caring.

These are just some things to think about. When you get a dog, it’s not just about your needs. There are other ways to get the benefits of a canine companion without the finance or responsibility, such as volunteering at your local dog shelter to walk or play with dogs in need.