CAN a puppy help my 16yr old?

[AlwaysSunshine81]

My 16yr old daughter self harms and is generally in a low mood. We were talking last night and she kept saying she wants a sausage dog. I have been looking today and found one. We already have An 8 yr old cocker spaniel and the idea of a puppy sounds lovely, I’m a single parent with anxiety/ depression too but I’m not sure I need the extra stress of a puppy. Can anyone help?!

[Chatterboxnz]

A puppy is a big responsibility for both you and her daughter. If you do decide to commit to a puppy, then you'll both be committing for the life of the puppy, as it grows into a dog etc.
Companion pets can help with anxiety and depression, but much depends on the individual and whether they are willing to change. Maybe see how serious she is about being responsible enough to look after a dog. Make an agreement where she is not to self harm and she needs to be doing a number of other activities throughout the day for an agreed on time period. If she commits to this, she may well be serious about wanting to take the responsibility of a puppy