Picture this: it’s 6 AM, you’re sleeping peacefully, planning on sleeping in…. and your dog jumps on your face.
That’s my day, every morning! And I would never ask for anything else. I got Martini, my mini dachshund, two months ago. She’s four months old and has such a personality. I’ve been wanting a dog for years — I grew up scared of dogs until I was around dachshunds in high school. Then I fell in love with their short, long little bodies and fiesty personalities. I knew I would end up getting a dog in college regardless of how many people said not to because I wouldn’t have time.
Tini makes my day every single day, and I could never ask for better. Throughout college, I’ve suffered with anxiety and depression, and I knew when I went home for the holidays to be around dogs it always made everything a little better. Dogs look forward to seeing you, they rely on you, and they give you a reason to keep going. I talked to my doctor about it, and she thought it was a great idea. I got Tini registered as an Emotional Support Animal, or ESA. ESAs are able to live with you in buildings that pets aren’t allowed to be and are allowed to fly with you on airplanes for free. They are not service animals — ESAs can’t go everywhere with you because they have no training. They aren’t pets either; ESAs are there to help their owners emotionally. Many studies have shown that playing with or petting an animal can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone and can lower your blood pressure. I’m so thankful I was able to get a dog in college because she has greatly improved my mood throughout this last year of school.
Here’s a few reasons why getting a dog was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made:
She gets me moving early in the morning
Some people might look at this as a negative, but I love it. I used to sleep until noon all the time and on bad days, it was hard for me to get out of bed. Depression made me feel like I just wanted to sleep the whole day away. With Martini, I have to get up whenever she wants to go outside — she keeps me moving and reminds me that someone is relying on me for their survival. Once I take her outside, we usually eat breakfast and play fetch. I don’t crawl back into bed and I tend to have a much more productive day.
We exercise together
I’ve never really loved exercise, but I love getting to go on walks with Tini. She loves running around outside and smelling everything possible. We love getting to walk outside around Iowa City and we usually walk to Big Grove when it’s nice out.
She encourages me to stay home
There were a lot of things that I didn’t realize I’d have to do when having a dog. One of them was being aware of the amount of time you spent away from home. I used to spend all day studying on campus, or I would go out all night. I can’t do that anymore because she needs to go out, eat, and just be socialized so she’s not in her kennel. Plus, I feel bad having to leave her. Having a dog makes me think twice about going out during the weekends because I know she wants me to stay home — which is definitely a good thing, because it helps me save money.
She’s a great distraction
This could definitely be considered a negative, but I love having her around because she always wants to play or cuddle. It’s easy to get stressed by school and worn down, so having Tini definitely gives me a good study break to play with her and spend time not thinking about whatever is stressing me out. She’s a great stress reliever!
It’s easy to stick to a schedule
Dogs are really, really good at following schedules. They can pick up their owner’s schedule really easily. So, when something isn’t normal, dogs get a little freaked out and are confused why you’re not following the schedule. Having Tini makes it easy to stick to a schedule. She expects to get up and go outside, eat at a certain time, she knows I go to class at specific times, and when I come home.
There’s always someone who’s excited to see you
At the end of the day, I love going home. I’m constantly looking forward to going home, because I know Martini is waiting for me and will be excited to see me. She relies on me and I never want to let her down, and definitely helps me forget if I’ve had a bad day.
Getting a dog in college isn’t for everyone. It requires dedication and commitment to them. However, it really does pay off — and you get a best friend in the process! I’ve been stressed my whole college career, but Tini has made this year way easier. I would always recommend getting a dog if you know you have the time and money for it! HCXO!