If I didn't have my dog I wouldn't do even a quarter of the walking I do now. I live in a flat, so you see I have to take him out...it would be cruel not to!
Even when I feel totally rubbish I still walk him to the park, sit on a bench and throw a ball. I would be terribly isolated without the dog.
Thanks Shep!
Gorgeous boy. 😍 My dog is the best medicine. I'd be so depressed without him.
I was terribly depressed before I got Shep. Wouldn't even get out of bed some days.
Glad yours cheers you up.
Aw he's gorge x yup my doggies keep me going too!!! From getting out and about to unconditional love when I'm having a down day x
Huge hugs shep for the wonderful things you do without knowing you're doing it 🐶 xx
Thank you. Dogs are definitely a huge comfort. He always forgives my occasional grumpiness.
Yes definitely. I have two though the collie was unintentional. He found us and just moved in. They don't let me sit still for a moment!
Collies are fab! Mine is collie/ Australian sheperd. He had two different coloured eyes.
I have a little yorkie. She is 15 now so not as fit . A dog is a great companion for walking. I wouldn't have half as much exercise without her. I always feel much better after a good walk. Your dog is beautiful.
Thank you. He is indeed beautiful, and a great hit in my village. I think he rescued me!
What a lovely pic, gorgeous boy! He sounds as though he's your reason for having walkies, stops you being insular when you have a dog to consider. x
Exactly! 😄
He's a gorgeous boy - and you're very lucky to have him in your life(and him,you). I've been struggling for almost 3 yrs since the start of my symptoms,diagnosis,and then the roundabout of trying to find the correct drug combination that worked for me - all in,it's been bloody hard over the past couple of years,and I've also had to basically retire almost 20 yrs earlier than I ever expected. I got very down earlier this year again,as on top of my health issues,I also found that I'd lost my social group(funny how so called friends stop calling when you can no longer meet up or give lifts like you used to?!) I was a very active person,being down the gym 6/7 days a week on top of a full time job in London and a social life to boot,when I was suddenly taken ill with very aggressive symptoms at the start of 2014 - I had to stop exercising on the back of everyone's advice as my joints were so swollen it would've done more damage than good,as you can imagine,losing another bit of my identity/lifestyle had even more negative impact on my life,and as expected,I found myself needing anti depressants just to get through the day. Luckily,everything started to look up for me when my drug combo finally 'clicked' overnight back in Aug/Sep this year,and I suddenly got a glimpse of a possible future that didn't involve rotting away indoors on pills just to get up. As a result,I decided the best way for me to get active again(starting very gently) was to walk,and as we all know,there's no better company on cold crisp mornings than a lively bundle of fun itching to get out of the door - I've always had large dogs previously,but obv that was out of the question now as I just wouldn't be able to give them the care they needed if my condition deteriorated severely again,so I started to look at small dogs that I could still care for if I was to end up needing my wheelchair again. It took lots of research into the best suited breed for me,and I finally decided on a Maltese - it took me a while to get my head around the fact that she'll only ever be half the size of my smallest cat,but this way she could still have the life she deserved even if she's just out in the garden letting loose for a few days instead of going to the local parks/fields. Ever since speaking with the breeder a couple of months ago,I've had a new lease of life getting myself and the house ready for her - I actually looked forward to getting up each day instead of just feeding the cats and then acting as if I were one by doing nothing but sleeping for the rest of the days!! I picked Minnie up on wed,and I can't explain how much she's already changed my life - the cats are fine with her because they don't see her as a threat,and I've joined the wildlife trust so that I can have access to all of their parks and visitor centres,now instead of just walking around the same park every day,we can go off in the car and explore different areas,making it much more fun for both of us - all of my family have said that they can't believe the difference in me since I made the decision to get her. Like I said,it wasn't an easy decision,and to start I had plenty of people telling me I was doing the wrong thing because of my conditions,but once I sat them down and explained that I'd virtually lived as a recluse for the past 18months,and I've NEVER let my animals down in the past,this was the perfect incentive for me - my partner works nights,so my days are usually spent alone,albeit with my beautiful cats,but when they're sleeping most of the day too,it just made me even more miserable being stuck at home on my own,day in day out!! The final confirmation that I'd chosen to do the right thing was when my social carer said that she thought it was a fantastic idea to get me back out into the community,and speaking with people again,as we all know that dog owners usually stop and talk to each other,and you can meet some great people this way too. I'm counting down the days until she's had her second Jab and it's safe for her to start venturing out,as it means that I can finally start getting some much needed fresh air and exercise. To me,this is the perfect way to start my new year - if anyone else was considering getting a dog,I'd say go for it,and if you're unsure because of the commitment of having to take it out every day,then maybe consider a much smaller breed - it's something I would never have done if I hadn't been ill,but as it stands,I've now got a new understanding of the toy group - they're not just for dressing up as you see on TV or in mags nowadays,but do have legs and still need exercise,just far gentler than a spaniel or similar size. I'm more excited about the new year than I have been in years,and it's all due to my new little cloud on legs 😊 X
By the way, apologies for the war and peace version 😝
Brilliant!
Yes, life has been pretty grim for me the past two years. I found I'd totally isolated myself. I was so flipping angry, I had a really nasty seething depression(I still suffer from time to time!).
Shep is quite a big dog, and some days I struggle. However, I've come to an arrangement with neighbouring dog owner. I'll walk their dogs, fee of charge on the condition that they'll walk Shep if I'm in a bad way. I also have a smashing doggie walker who I pay if I need a rest.
I'm so glad you've found a little furry friend, it helps to have something to take care of doesn't it?
Blessings to you this Christmas 🎄
Thank you Hidden ,
Yep,depression is that lovely illness that tends to go hand in hand with the rest of our debilitating conditions,doesn't it?!
You're also so lucky to have good neighbours like that too - I used to have a similar agreement with a very good neighbour of mine years ago,where instead of using a cattery anytime we went away,the other would just nip in and keep the cats happy and fed each day,we were also very lucky that we could leave our front doors open and the cats could wander between the two,as we had the fire door/corridors between our front doors and the rest of the communal hallways - it certainly made for happier pets. It's a blessing to have true friends like that around you.
Best wishes for Christmas to you too.
Nicki x
I couldn't agree with you more. If it wasn't for my dog, Ravin, I would of gone crazy suffering this this dang RA.
Shep is a beautiful dog 
I totally agree, after four years without a dog we got our golden girl last year. Since having such a rough time this year, she has become my rock.
My Poppy is the reason I get up on those days when all I can manage is to lift my head off the pillow, I don't know where I'd be without her.
Shep is a gorgeous dog and reminds me of the collies we used to have x
Look at those ears - how lovely he is. Yes, my dog moans at me to go for a walk but the best part is they listen to all your problems and never judge you - perfect company. Take care xxxx
Anyone with advice on dogs? 
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Opinions on dogs
