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What would be the best dog breed for emotional therapy and a small apartment?

i have suffered from ongoing depression since i was 12 years old. i also have an anxiety disorder, and ADHD. i am now 18 and living on campus at college for the first time. even with my morning cocktail of medication, i have begun to relapse. my main contributor to my depression is loneliness, and abandonment issues. i'm socially awkward, and i am going to try and talk to my psychiatrist to help get together the appropriate documentation and recommendation, but i need help deciding what would be the best dog for my situation. i live in an apartment on campus with three other roommates, and i take a full load of classes. i have plenty of time to be at home, i'll just be spending most of it on homework. i also have allergies to dogs, but not too severe. i've lived with animals all my life. my college allows service dogs. there are about three of them living on campus. i'm pretty sure they'd be fine with an ESD as well. i know i'd have to get the paper work, but i think i can. i don't want to get a cat, because i'm even more allergic to them, and i've had cats all my life... they're not the same as a dog. not as loyal, and they choose when to love you and when to be loved. dogs have always helped to relieve my depression, as i have very few friends, and no close friends, which among other reasons, is why i'm so depressed. no one to talk to or trust. so now i'm stuck in an apartment with a ton of people i don't know, and i don't have anyone. i just really need a dog. i like the idea of a couch potato dog. and i've been looking into cavalier king charles spaniels, but i'm still not sure.

Public Comments

1. Try a rat terrier. They are small and really hyper. They love to snuggle too!
2. Get a truck load of STUFFED ones at your local Wal Mart or Toys "R" Us.
3. i woudl advise companion breeds such as the CKCS, shih tzu, or even perhaps a toy poodle. i say the poodle because they are good for allergies and dont shed thought they do require grooming. make sure you get an adult dog preferably a little trained with good manners. discuss your routine with the shelter or whoever you get the dog from first to make sure the dog doesnt have abandonment issues too! if you need any more advice feel free to email me good luck
4. If you have allergies to dogs, I recommend toy poodles. They are very friendly, and shed very little. They love to snuggle and make great pets.
5. allergies try a poodle but it depends on what dog is trained for your needs
6. Are you allergic to cats as well? They make better indoor only pets if you like them, and shelters are usually begging for new cat homes. If you really want a dog you should get a couch potato breed who will be okay with less excercise look into Basset hounds, Chinese Crested, French Bulldog, Pekingese, Shih Tzu. Stay away from terriers as they re very demanding. Any dog, though, will require a good deal of commitment from you.
7. To ATL above, that was really rude. Corgis are great, if you a lot of time to exercise with them, since they're pretty active. Pomeranians need grooming and are also active and need to be trained not to bark. I also support the cat answer, cats are very intelligent, sensitive, and attached and will make a great pet as well.
8. hey, i understand what you are saying but i really do not think a dog would help. they are a lot of work and if you suffer from bouts of depression i fear your dog may not get the care that it requires. i mean no offense what i am trying to say is that dogs require so much attention and if your are ill you can not and can not care for your dog i just feel it will make you feel worse and of course be a shame on the dog. what i do suggest is a smaller pet that requires less care, such as a rabbit. hope this helps
9. Ok first off your question is one that has several in it really. You have to look at alot of facts first off does your apartment allow dogs? Because if not then you have to first get all the paper work together to prove it will be an ESA (emotional support animal) that is different then a SD (service dog) your dog will not be able to go places with you like a SD but under the fair housing act you should be able to keep a dog or another type of animal in your apartment IF and only IF your psychiatrist believes that having that animal is a help to you. Plus you say you are in college which is fine but understand most schools colleges are a bit better then most but still can give problems do not even like to allow SDs in and that is covered fully by the americans with disabilities act also known as the ADA. You also state you will be spending alot of time doing homework which is normal for someone in college but you have to figure out if you have enough time to spend with a dog even a small breed. That dog will need time training and exercising which you have to figure out if you have the time you will need. There are a few breed choices that would work for you even with your allergies a mini or toy poodle being one of them but that is not the only breed. I have trained dogs for not only SD work but several other things for years and have helped place other dogs in homes that they were ESAs. I am also a Service Dog user myself and went through the whole fight to get my partner allowed at school which yes is different then getting them to allow it as an ESA. With your allergies though you may want to think of getting a different type of animal like a cat. But as said before there are breeds that would be just fine with both you having allergies and a small living area.
10. I think you should get a shih tzu. Not only are they adorable to look at, they are funny. I have had 2. My first one loved me so much,lol and I did him as well. He lived to be 9. I was very attached to him{Dillon.} He would walk around sometimes with his snout up in the air.=) If he was playing on my bed and happened to fall off, he would pout for 2, sometimes 3 days. It was so funny. I would love on him and he would just hold his snout up in the air. =) He always had to be wherever I was, he was my shadow. He always loved on me and wanted to be near me. I recently got another shih tzu. He is funny too. When we go to bed, he will lie right up against me and then start kicking me with his back legs, over and over, until I move or I move him, lol. He only weighs 10 pounds. He, too, follows me everywhere I go. He pouts too. He pouts when I leave and he is home by himself. =) Shih tzus are pleasers. They want to please you. They are very sweet and easy to potty train. The bad thing about them are, many are born with pre mature kidneys and there are no signs until they reach chronic kidney failure. =(that is what happened to my Dillon. Sorry to hear about your depression. You just need to tell your psychiatrist that your meds do not seem to be working. I suffer as well, but with my medication, I am okay. You say you are socially awkward.... to feel that way and have the courage to attend college is awesome! Whatever dog you choose, they all need lots of love and affection.
11. ANY breed of dog can be an ESA.. do understand that an ESA is not considered a service dog tho. It can be difficult to get accomodation for an ESA. You're going to have to find out if the campus will allow for you to have an ESA in your housing, and also verify that your roommates dont have an issue with dogs (your college had to make reasonable accomodations for the students with service dogs and place them with roommates that liked dogs) If you are indeed allowed to have one.. your solution is to find a breed that fits your lifestyle... and also something that you dont have an allergic reaction to. Poodles and Bichons are generally well tolerated by most people with allergies. My Chinese Crested is my ESA.