How has your dog helped you? Share with Sleepeezee - £300 voucher and dog bed to be won

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Our dogs are a lifeline.

Since my poor husband had to give up work to look after his elderly mother with vascular dementia, his early morning walk every day with our two mad, lovely cocker spaniels, Laddie and Poppy has saved his sanity.

Every day he’s up before 6:00am and takes them to our local park, where they all run around amongst the green trees and rolling lawns, then they return for their breakfast, which they all enjoy together before my husband braves the sheltered accommodation around the corner from us to care for his Mum. When he comes back home, weary and saddened our dogs greet him as if he’s been away for months with licks and barks.

On November the 1st 2018, it was a thursday. I got up and was shocked at the state of my beautiful dogs face and neck both where swollen and hot to the touch he also wasn't breathing well. I rang the vet and took him straight in. The vet said they would do tests but I had the feeling that it was my boy Rockys time. I left him and went home at around 2.30 I started crying and knew something was wrong, I rang the vet he started telling me about the tests he had done I stopped him and said " it's his time to go" the vet said "yes he is riddled with cancer he isn't in pain yet just uncomfortable" after coming of the phone I got in the car and went to the vets and held him as he went to sleep. Rocky was my soul mate I loved him so much and still do.
In March my cousins Jack Russell had pups I went to see them for a cuddle one of them started licking me when I picked him up my cousin said " that's Butch" named for her dad. I couldn't get him out of my head. I feel that Rocky led me to him. He is slowly healing my broken heart.
So here is my insite just because you love one pet it does not mean that when they go to rainbow bridge you can not love another they wont take your other pets place nothing could but they can help to heal a part of your heart so they can be loved xx

I got Pud in January. He's a small rescue dog. He is wonderfully loving and gentle in spite of everything he has been through. He makes me laugh a lot and that has been such a help to me in what has been an awful year personally.

I have panic attacks and as one is beginning my dog senses it, gets his ball and forces me to play- this distracts me and stops it escalating to a full blown attack. No idea how he knows. Soon as its over, he wont play then

getting the newspaper daily!

I don't know where to start with how much my dog has helped me. She is wonderful in every way. I suffer from lupus which includes chronic fatigue as a symptoms. Before getting a dog i struggled to physically get our of bed in the morning (but have still managed to maintain a full time job for 6 years) I am strong will

He's been there for me, when all others have broken my trust, never asked for anything other then cuddles & is loyal till the end!

Companionship, someone to talk too and take care of... They completes my life and give me purpose!

Our two Border Collies mean the world to us, the were both rescued separately from terrible situations as tiny pups. They
are wonderful company and now aged 10 and 11 and makes laugh every day, they are wonderful dogs. They keep me fit with all the long w.a.l.k.i.e.s, keep me entertained and very happy.

My dog keeps me from being lonely.She is so pleased to see me whenever I come back even if I have only been ten minutes. She helps me keep fit having regular walks twice a day and I get to meet other dog walkers in the park.

Out two dogs have helped our children develop responsibility, empathy and love for animals, They have been confided in and have heard so many secrets, troubles and happy stories. They are so much a part of the family.

He shows me unconditional love and loyalty. He gets me out and about every day and helps me connect with people when they stop to ask about him. He's very special to our family

A dog is so good for your mental health. Our lovely Sam recently passed away but he was such a joy and gives us so many memories to cherish and years of adventures together. Our home was truly a happier home with a dog.

My dog has helped me as l was very lonely before l had her, she has been my much loved constant companion.

Our dog helped our adult son who came back home to live after developing chronic lead poisoning, due to his employer's lack of health and safety, she literally stayed by his side constantly through his depression and the effects of his illness, he says she saved him She also puts a beaming smile on my autistic grandson's face no matter how frustrated and upset he is.

He comforted me, protected me and got me out of the house when my husband died. He stopped me feeling alone.

he forced my husband into walking every day, not far, but enough to get him a little fitter, he also barks when someone is at the door which always make me feel safer

we adopted our dog five years ago and it is the best thing we have ever done. He is great company and has improved all our fitness and well being

My Assistance Dog is called Marshall, and he helps me in so many ways - he’s been trained as a Hearing Dog, so he alerts me to all the sounds I don’t hear and has transformed my life!

Our day starts when he responds to my alarm clock and gets me up - his enthusiasm for a new day is a wonderful wake-up call!
From then on, he uses his nose to nudge me whenever he hears something that I need to know about. I then give him a hand signal and ask ’What is it?’ and he leads me to what it is…
This may be the doorbell (no more missed callers), the kitchen timer (no longer do I forget things), or someone calling me.

At home he doesn’t wear ‘uniform’, but when we go out, he wears a ‘jacket’ with the Assistance Dog logo printed on it, and has a distinctive ‘Hearing Dog’ lead. He has access rights wherever I go, so he’s allowed to travel on the bus, and can come into church, shops, libraries, coffee shops. In fact, wherever I go, he goes!
In our home town we’re well known, and I have to factor in ‘meet & greet’ time as everyone wants to stop and say hello to us!

Being deaf can sometimes be isolating, but Marshall has opened up my world, and he brings a huge amount of happiness to others. You can’t help but love him, he’s such an affectionate dog! And for me, that’s the other huge benefit of having an Assistance Dog. He’s such good company, and at the end of a day’s work we like nothing better than curling up together - though he always keeps an ear open!

Our Chocolate Lab makes me feel safe as she looks huge, thick set and scary to strangers but she is the softest kindest most gentle dog in the world. The walking is relentless but it's a small price to pay for the friendship and loyalty she gives.

I’m entering on behalf of my partner who has very limited mobility. She was very depressed and anxious and one day I came across an ad to adopt a rescue pug. This pug had been badly abused. We contacted the charity and were picking up the dog hours later. My partners life changed that day. She had a reason to get up in the morning (to feed the dog) and she now ventures outside to see the dog playing. They cuddle together in the evening and they love each other to the core.

I have four dogs. All of them came from a shelter. I didn't intend to have four, they just sort of multiplied. How do they help me? In numerous ways. I have a heart condition and one of the health-giving and preventative measures prescribed to me was exercise. So out I go on a daily basis to follow them up the hill paths round us. Their joy at leaping into the back of the car is quite infectious, the obvious anticipation of going somewhere they love makes me smile every time. Then - oh joy! The car door is opened and out they fly to sniff, root around, run and play. But it isn't just the exercise time, it's also those days when I am not quite myself, and they flop down on my feet or amiably squabble as to who sits next to me, pushing at my hands with their noses because they want me to stroke and fuss them, Do they know that it brings down my blood
pressure and makes me relax and feel better? Maybe. It certainly feels as if they know they are soothing me.
I would hate to be without my dogs. Be they collie, terrier, jack russell or pointer - all of which I have been lucky to own - they are invariably kindly, gentle, loving, entertaining and, most importantly, healing.

After my daughter died suddenly aged 33, three years ago, I lost a lot of interest in life in general and then withdrew for a long time from the world in general. My spaniel max was what kept me going. Always there loving me unconditionally and giving me a reason to get up each morning.

My little Luna has taught me that a house without a dog is not a home
She’s the sweetest thing and I love when she greets me after a long day at work

As a person who suffers Anxiety and Depression my dog Ziggy gives me a reason to get up in the morning and face the day ahead