00:00So we just came off of May being Mental Health Awareness Month.
00:05Yep.
00:05And I think that we should be aware of mental health all the time.
00:10Absolutely.
00:1112 months out of the year, right?
00:12Not just one.
00:12So I wanted to share this story with you, Donnie,
00:15because you and I have both been very open and honest about our dealings with anxiety.
00:21Absolutely.
00:22And it affects people in very different ways.
00:25And shortly after my father died in 2017, I found myself having panic attacks.
00:30Yeah.
00:30And then I went on medication and I started seeing a therapist
00:34and really was trying to get myself balanced, I guess, as much as one can be, right?
00:42Absolutely, yeah.
00:42And then we got a dog.
00:44And honestly, the dog is what saved me.
00:48Really?
00:48I went off everything once I got my dog.
00:52And I remember the doctor checking in with me saying,
00:55hey, just want to see how everything's going.
00:57And I was like, you're going to think I'm crazy.
00:59But I went off the meds because I got a dog.
01:01And she said, no, I think dogs cure everything.
01:03Especially that dog.
01:04Oh, my gosh.
01:05He is the best.
01:06He paints happy trees.
01:07I know.
01:07His name is Bob Ross.
01:08He's a standard poodle.
01:09And he is just the love of my life.
01:11Sorry to the rest of my family, but they know how I feel.
01:15So anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States.
01:19Around 19% of adults having one in the last year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
01:26And that's just been diagnosed, right?
01:28Like so many people are dealing with things like anxiety without even realizing that's what it is.
01:33Like I was having panic attacks and I didn't even know that's what it was.
01:37So it turns out that dogs are very helpful when it comes to dealing with your anxiety.
01:42There's a calming sense that they can provide.
01:46But not just any old dog.
01:48So they actually came out with a list of the best dogs to help treat anxiety.
01:55Okay.
01:56Best dog breeds, right?
01:57I like this.
01:58So one of them is in Newfoundland.
02:01They're gigantic.
02:02Oh, they're the massive dog.
02:03Yes.
02:04They call them gentle giants because they're known for being calm and steady and they have a strong attachment to
02:10their humans.
02:11And that's helpful for anyone with anxiety.
02:14I like these dogs.
02:15Labrador Retriever also made the list.
02:17One of the most popular dog breeds in the United States has been for decades.
02:23And it's because they have this eager to please personality.
02:27They just want their owners to be happy.
02:29So they kind of do whatever they can to make that happen, which is really sweet.
02:33Golden Retrievers, also another really good one.
02:36Gentle nature, emotional awareness, very popular therapy dogs.
02:41Poodles.
02:42There it is.
02:43I didn't even know that when I got my Bob Ross.
02:45Both poodles, standard and miniature poodles, can be excellent therapy or emotional support dogs.
02:50They're invested in making sure that their humans are okay and they stick close to humans in stimulating situations like
02:57at the dog park, which I find really interesting.
02:59I feel like my dog would not stay by me at a dog park, but he knows when I am
03:07depressed.
03:08Like, he knows when something isn't right with me and he stays right by my side.
03:13Yeah, that's how my dogs or my parents' dogs were with my mom.
03:16Yeah.
03:17You know, whenever she had, like, any kind of surgery or doctor's appointment, they knew how anxious she would get.
03:22Yeah.
03:22They're like right by her.
03:23I know.
03:23I was like, that's awesome.
03:25It provides such comfort.
03:26True.
03:27And then the last one on this list is a greyhound.
03:29Really?
03:30Surprisingly, retired racing greyhounds can be very calm at home, and the experts say that makes them great therapy dogs.
03:38Interesting.
03:39So, a lot of choices there from the National Institute of Mental Health if you are looking to just kind
03:45of...
03:46Woosah.
03:48Woosah.
03:49Yes.
03:49Exactly.
03:51Yeah.
03:54Nice.
03:54Hello.
03:54This is my pleasure.
03:54I'm your pleasure.
03:54shaкам.
03:54You.
03:54I'm your pleasure.
03:55So, theえ, is she grooming him?
03:56Instagram.
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