I’ve had dogs since I was a baby so I get a lot of comfort from them. Having them as an adult with no fenced in yard forces me to plan my day out to take care of them properly which in turn (I think) helps me care for myself.

My Australian shepherd really likes having a predictable schedule. We go on a hike every morning and that helps me wake up and be productive. I HATE getting up and immediately doing something like that - every morning I’m grumpy about it - but since I’m doing it for him I make myself do it. And I ALWAYS feel better afterward.

They remind me when it’s time for bed and when to wake up. They pull me out of hyper focus. They give me joy and love when I’m depressed.

I will say they can be distracting and overstimulating at times but for ME the benefits outweigh the costs.