Some of you might be familiar with the story of the ‘Black dog named depression’ portrayed in the clip below published by the World Health Organisation that illustrates how depression becomes part of us and how it can grow to an overwhelming and crushing magnitude.

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But I’ve got my own personal story about a black dog called Orlando. Our family dog. Although he’s black and he has been with us since he was a small puppy and now he’s a fully grown dog, he had quite the opposite effect to the one in the above story.
He has brought to us happiness, togetherness, laughs, healthy walks (we have discovered so many tracks and public paths around our area), meeting new people, challenges, patience (he still has his moments when he goes a bit potty), quality of life, love, understanding, headspace (the long morning walks are the best time to be with myself, connect with nature and reflect on things with a clear head), loyalty, and an overall feeling of wellbeing and balance.
I have to be honest with you, having a dog it’s a serious responsibility but the benefits of having a canine companion outweigh the few adjustments that need to be made to accommodate the new member of the family.
And this is our very own friendly black dog, Orlando.
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If you would like to find out more about the therapeutic effect of having a pet, please visit the link below.
8 physical and mental health benefits of having a pet