Corgis and Mental Health: How My Dog Saved My Life

Dogs like Corgis help mental health by giving you a purpose. But more than that they increase the amount of serotonin you produce and lower your cortisol levels. This makes you feel less stressed and anxious. They’re a portable dopamine dose filled with love and acceptance. 

I love my dogs. I have a Corgi and two Swedish Vallhunds, and they are everything to me. Truthfully, they’ve kept me around. My dogs are the reason I’m here, and my oldest boy, in particular, has been through everything with me. I think Corgi owners everywhere stand united when I say they are exceptional and sensitive dogs. There’s nothing like them. 

Corgis and mental health go well together. They are the perfect recipe. A delightful balance of sassy and sweet that keeps you entertained and helps you get through even the worst times. I’m here to talk a little about how Corgis help mental health. But also to share the story of how my dog saved my life. 

Key Takeaways:

• Dogs help reduce the amount of cortisol your body produces when stressed or anxious 
• They boost the amount of serotonin your brain produces to relieve depression 
• The companionship and love from Corgis can reduce feelings of loneliness 
• Corgis get you outside, help you stay fit, build communication skills, and boost happiness when you need it most 

How Corgis (And All Dogs) Can Help Mental Health 

The main thing Corgis do for people is give them a purpose and help them find a new sense of structure and routine. They need to be fed, walked, and let outside every day. This means you have to get up even when you’re feeling awful. Getting out and walking also helps your body to produce more serotonin, which can help ease depression. 

When you’re anxious, simply stroking them can reduce the amount of cortisol your body produces and help you feel calmer. It’s especially good for those who struggle with panic attacks, as well as people with ADHD and autism from a sensory perspective. Corgi fur is especially soft, which makes it perfect for calming pets. 

They also give us companionship and love without condition or judgment. Loneliness is a mental health epidemic, and Corgis are there to help alleviate that. Over half of those who own dogs and struggle with mental health say that the best thing about them is the companionship. They help them feel less lonely. 

There are so many mental health conditions that Corgis can help with. Autism, ADHD, anxiety, and depression are just the tip of the iceberg. There have been studies to show how they help with bipolar disorder and BPD. They can teach children how to feel empathy and develop communication skills to help them work through being non-verbal. 

How My Dog Saved My Life

There’s a lot going on in my head. It’s not something I am particularly open about, but I have a fun cocktail. There’s a dash of autism and ADHD, a little bit of depression (a big bit, actually). There’s also acute anxiety (social and general), and a healthy dose of complex PTSD to top it all off. It can make things complicated and difficult, and it makes my dogs all the more important to me. 

I got my first dog in 2016, and he helped me through some of the toughest periods of my life. He’s incredibly sensitive, much more than any dog I have ever known. He always picks up on the smallest changes in my mood and mindset. I lost count of the number of nights he had laid across my chest and comforted me through the worst anxiety attacks. 

He was the only reason I got up in the morning and he gave me the motivation to go outside and take better care of myself because who else was going to take care of him at the time? I got outside, I got fitter, and I found myself more motivated to work. He sat with me when I panicked, and he let me hold onto him when I was overwhelmed and overloaded. 

In early 2021, my life fell apart. I wasn’t happy; I hadn’t been for a very long time, and I made a decision that changed everything. It was out of character for me to do something that big, to uproot myself from the depressing chaos I had built for myself. But I knew it needed to be done. I was ready to start healing and allow myself to find out what happiness actually was. 

The thing is, it was also the most difficult thing I have ever put myself through. I didn’t realise how bad things were in my life, which is where the complex PTSD diagnosis came in. After moving to a whole other country and starting my new life there, I was confronted by harrowing memories of a past I thought I had left behind. I was tormented in ways I didn’t think possible.

To be blunt, it left me suicidal and on the brink of ending it all. I came close a few times, terrifyingly close, and it was my dog who saved me. It wasn’t a need to take care of him or be there for him; there are people in my life who would have given him an incredible home. It was because of the way he was always there for me when I needed him most. 

I think he knew on some level what I was going to do that night and how close I was to the edge. I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t know how to go forward. I wanted to make everything that hurt me stop. But he put his head on my lap and looked up at me with a wagging tail, and I knew he wanted me to stay. He needed me. That’s the kind of bond we always had.

Because of him, I was able to reach out to a friend so they could come over, and I could finally talk to someone about everything. It helped, and my dog was next to me the entire time, sleeping as I stroked him to help keep myself calm as I went through every detail. Because of my dog, I was able to get help. Because of him, I am still here, and I have started to heal. 

That’s not to say there aren’t still bad days (and a lot of them). There are still times I feel myself return to that dark place, but my dog reminds me of why I stick around. He reminds me that there is good in life and the darkness doesn’t last forever – even when it feels like it does. My dog saved my life, multiple times, and I think he knows it. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Corgis Sense Changes In Mental Health?

Yes, Corgis can sense changes in mental health. Dogs are very perceptive creatures, especially because of how bonded they are to humans. While some dogs are more sensitive than others, you will likely find your Corgi finds subtle ways to comfort you when you’re going through periods of emotional distress or poor mental health. 

Can Pets Ever Cause Negative Effects On Mental Health?

Yes, there are times when pets can have negative effects on mental health. Most notably, pet owners who go through periods of unemployment are more likely to suffer from depression because they know they might not be able to take good enough care of their pets. The same goes for severe periods of mental turmoil when walking them becomes harder to do. 

Final Thoughts

Dogs are incredible for mental health. You’ll find your Corgi is a lot more understanding of what’s going on in your head than you think. They’re perceptive and sensitive dogs, which is only strengthened by the fact they tend to closely bond to a specific person in the family. They’re some of the most loyal creatures I know, and I’d never be without one in my life. 

There is so much stigma surrounding mental health, and we don’t talk about it enough. I’m guilty of that as well. If you or anyone you know is struggling and needs help, know there are resources out there that can help you through the hard times. It’s worth coming out on the other side. Not just for your dog but for yourself.