Mumsnet users share how their dog helped them and their family

[YanaMumsnet]

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Sleepeezee have recently released personalised dog beds, and to celebrate International Dog Day on the 26th August and dogs all year round, they’d like to hear about the ways your dogs have helped you and your family.

Here’s what Sleepeezee has to say: “British bed manufacturer Sleepeezee is proud to launch a collection of dog beds, in partnership with Battersea Dogs Home, which offer your companion a great sleep. Two distinct styles are available in a selection of sizes and colours, all of which can be personalised with your dogs name on.”

Perhaps the need to get out and walk your dog each day has helped you feel fitter and stronger? Or has the task of walking the dog helped your teenager gain some responsibility and independence they enjoy? Have you or your children learned any important lessons from your dog? Maybe being greeted by your dog’s smiling face and wagging tail at the end of a tough day helps you deal with stress?

However your dog has helped you and your family, share on the thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list) and a Sleepeezee dog bed.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ
Insight Terms and Conditions apply

our dog jack helps up keep to a routine and gets us out walking for exercise twice a day!

Our girl just helps by being there always ready to give unconditional love and cuddles no matter what. We all love her to death and don't know what we'd do without her.

Our dogs helped my children get comfortable with being around dogs. We decided we had to get a dog after our eldest daughter ran out over a road to get away from a dog coming towards her (on a lead and a perfectly normal dog). Since then we've had a range of dogs including a cocker, poodle and a few labs. We actually don't own them but they were all hearing dogs we were helping to train so hopefully they not only helped us, but went on to help others. Can't recommend volunteering to house and help train a hearing dog enough. Wonderful experience!

I didn’t want a dog. Was always a cat person. But my partner persuaded me and we have a gorgeous cavapoo called Barney. Barney helped my family when my dad had terminal cancer, it was something to focus on rather than the cancer. My dad loved him. Then he’s helped me with the grief after my dad died. He’s got me out of the house, and you can’t be miserable when you have a dog whose needs are so simple. He curls up on my knee after breakfast and makes me stroke him. If I stop, he puts his paw on my hand to say, carry on doing that. He also knows when I’m upset, he sits really close to me and won’t leave me until I talk to him. He gets me out in the fresh air and helps me meet other like minded doggy people. He’s a total therapy, better than any pills. I love him to bits, something I never thought I would be saying. He follows me round the house and all he wants is some love, food and a play. His needs are simple and he yet gives so much back. He’s my beautiful boy.

My lovely yorkie, helped stop a burgalry . I was upstairs with my partner late evening, children in bed. when the dog bolted upstairs looking scared and confused. We hear noise down stairs so go to investigate some one had forced our kitchen window and was mid robbery when our dog alerted us. They got a way with less thanks to our fur baby.

Evening walks as a family gives us time to connect.

My little girl has a form of aspergers which means she is locked into herself and doesn't often communicate verbally, since our little poodle cross has been in her life she has found her soulmate, they curl up together, sleep together and the dog even sits next to the bath as she bathes, my girl will happily chat and sing to him, it is a delight to hear her voice and we often don't for days on end but to her soulmate she can express herself without any boundaries.

my dogs have bonded our blended family. Every day the bring us joy and love. Their daily walks have give me time to talk
to my girls and their training is a family activity

I have four children aged 1, 3, 10 and 17. We used to really struggle to find a day out which all my children enjoyed, but getting our gorgeous dog Belle last christmas has changed that. We all love taking Belle for walks and finding dog friendly places to go. She's really brought our blended family together - the best Christmas present ever!!

I do not really understand why when I click the web link it automatically takes me to a checkout and asks me which dog bed I wanted to purchase when I just wanted to check out the website

We have just got our puppy after a lot of thinking, and he's such a boon to all of us.

DS is loving the companionship now that his older siblings have left home, and is learning a lot about responsibility and discipline.
DH is starting a business, and loves having the dog following him around while he works. He is in charge of training the dog, and teaching me and DS how to handle him.
And as I too work from home, I am really enjoying the dog's company and the enforced fresh air and exercise.

Our dog can always sense when someone is feeling low and always comes and snuggles up against you to give you some company.

Keeps me active

We got a dog for security reasons when I had problems with an ex. We didn’t realise until we got him he was the best dog in the world and one of the family my husband used to take him everywhere and let him sit next to him. When we passed away we said we could never get another one. Now we feel like we would love another dog, for us to walk for fitness reasons and to do something together as a family.

Our ddog has brought our family together in a way we never expected. He loves his walks and we have spent so much more time outdoors since we collected him a few weeks ago. It's been a busy time with him keeping us up a lot of the night but my DP is really enjoying being up early every morning to take him for a run and he has reported he feels much better in himself because of it.

Now I can't wait to take him on holiday with us when we're camping next summer...it'll either be brilliant or we'll be going mad!

I suffer from bad Anxiety and depression. A few years ago a neighbor threatened me and my family and I didn’t feel safe with my little dog, so we got another dog and the two dogs love each other and we love them.
The house is a lot more calm and when we go out they have each other’s company and I feel my house is safe.

When I feel I can talk to one of my family and friends I talk to the dogs and it just helps to see my problem from a different perspective.

Our little doggy is the light of our lives. She loves us soooo much and if we’re sad, she knows.
I never knew it would be like this. Dd and I ‘joke’ that we’d save her in a fire over us/each other because we have opposable thumbs

My dogs have helped me in more ways than I can possibly fit in here, but I will try!
I had a health scare this year where a lump was found in one of my lungs that was suspected to be cancer. Thankfully it wasn't but I needed to lose weight to help my health. It it wasn't for the dogs I doubt I would have been as focused as they help me push myself.
Earlier this month my husband suffered a heart attack. As he needs to pass a medical to get back to work they are now helping him.
My dogs have also helped rescue dogs as we foster and they really help new additions for however long they are with us.

Plus they give the best cuddles to help when you are having a bad day!

When we moved back to the uk after living abroad for dh’s work we felt really unsettled. The children missed their school, their friends and their own lives. And so did I.

We decided to rescue a dog so that we would feel more settled. She helped us get to know people in the area as everyone talks to you when you have a dog! We’ve also been to places we would never have found if it wasn’t for walking her.

She’s given me a rhythm to my day. I have to be out and about because she needs her walks.

My dog is a rescue but really he rescued me. I have been through some challenging times over the last few years and he has always been there with his kind understanding brown eyes and his thumping tail. He can read my emotions and knows when I am sad. He also has a thing for checking on me when I am in the bath - you can set your clock by him as he checks every 5 mins. He is simply wonderful

Our Dog Lenny is wonderful. We got him from dogs trust not long after we moved in together. Yes he has his problems (long standing knee injury from when he was a stray, and reactive with unknown dogs which can be hard as he's a big lurcher) but for every tough moment there's tons of great moments. He's been there for us helping us through depression, miscarriage, loss, anxiety...always just by our sides, offering unconditional love but also making us get up and function for his sake even when the world felt like it was imploding. He's a beautiful big lazy lurcher who makes us laugh every day. And he's going to be a big brother soon as we have a baby on the way, which I'm sure he'll be fab at. He is our family x

My dog helped me get over my crippling phobia of dog poo! I had health anxiety about my dcs dying and dog poo had the power to kill them. It was the only way to give them the ability to walk on pavement. During the height of it, Id have preferred them to walk in the road. I was also getting over the trauma of having abusive parents and he forced me to leave the house, when I was afraid, to walk him. Both my dcs have additional needs and he lets me practice mindfulness on our walks. I love watching him tracking scents and his bounding feet running. I listen to the birds singing. Recently I have started couch to 5k and he makes me go because he's so happy and excited to go out with me. He accepts me for who I am and loves me anyway. This is really important because my parents hate me and want to cause me pain. He has helped me become whole again.

amatsip that is lovely. 🥰

Definitely getting out every day is the highlight. It's an excuse to walk around without feeling like you should be doing something else.
It's helped my children be respectful and understand a bit better not to be rough with animals as they grew up.

We got our dog a year after my mum died. She died in an accident on holiday and he has given us all an outlet for the love that suddenly had nowhere to go.

It was my father in law who originally suggested getting a puppy and it was definitely the right thing to do. Initially I was really cross that during the day when the children were at school I could no longer lie in bed crying but had to look after this little being. As time went on though he really helped to lift my mood as I walked him every day and the fresh air and his gorgeous face helped me to grieve.

The most striking help though has been with our son. Mum, his nana, was his best friend and he was bereft to go through the pain of losing her just as he started secondary school, and with no warning or planning. Even 4 years on he still walks him every morning before school and as soon as he gets home as well.

Our neighbour is elderly and when his dog died he decided not to get another due to his health and age. However he now shares our dog and walks him every afternoon which has done wonders for his health and mood. He will come and get him if we are out and sometimes I have to go over and ask for our dog back! This makes me happy as our dog is bringing him so much joy too.

All in all our puppy that I was reluctant to get is truly a wonder dog and has brought love to lots of people.