“Let’s go for a walk, tell me how you’re feeling.”

Dogs know what to say without saying anything at all.

Have you ever had a bad day and found yourself telling your fur baby about it? Have you ever found yourself in a counseling sessions with your dog? Countless studies have been done and continue to prove that dog-owners tend to be happier. Dogs help people battle depression.

That’s why dogs make the best therapists and here are 5 reasons why.

1. They listen to you

In today’s society, many people don’t feel comfortable openly sharing their emotions. Chances are, you’ve heard one of the following saying before; “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” “Just suck it up.” “Pain is weakness leaving the body.”

The truth is, your feelings DO get hurt. Words tear us down, but we’ve been taught to bottle all of the bad feelings up inside. This is not healthy.

A dog will listen to you. If you need to have a good cry, a dog will not judge you. Dogs create a safe environment for you to be vulnerable.

     2. They don’t talk back

Have you ever gotten something off your chest, and received unsolicited advice in return? Sometimes we just want someone to listen; not someone who will fix our problems. A dog will never tell you that your feelings are invalid or give you a long list of “you shoulds.”

      3. The love you unconditionally

Even if you are clearly in the wrong on a subject, your puppy will be understanding. They love you for who you are. They will see your heart and love you because you are you. You don’t have to be perfect, and this is something dogs seem to naturally understand. When you unload your thoughts and feelings on a dog, you don’t have to fear judgement.

     4. They can feel empathy

Your fur baby loves you. Sometimes when we are sad, we don’t need someone to try and cheer us up. We just need someone to stay with us while we feel sad. Your dog will cuddle you as long as you need. The dog will share his or her heart with you; you won’t feel alone as long as you are together. A dog is a friend who communicates by love.

     5. It’s less expensive than a licensed therapist

You could book a therapy session with your puppers every single day if you wanted and all it would cost you is a walk and a treat. Now, this isn’t to say that it’s not worthwhile to pay a licensed therapist if you are really struggling, but your dog will be there much more often. He will always be on-call.

If you’re having an off day, there are plenty of resources around to help you. You have friends, family, therapists, and even your dog. Remember that it isn’t healthy to keep everything inside. Your puppy would be glad to hear all the thoughts of your heart and help however he or she can.