health journal — therapy dogs & grounding

Journal 12/3/25 4:06am I didn’t appreciate the value of therapy dogs until recently. I’ve had dogs and I’ve loved dogs. But I’ve never viewed the vest-wearing, airport trotting, certificate-bearing therapy dogs that some humans insist they need in order to avoid their own malfunction. But over the past few weeks, as I’ve struggled with a combination of physical and metal health issues, I’ve succumbed to the unrelenting attention that our chocolate lab is willing to give in the face of discomfort. If I am having a physical panic attack, petting ruby and letting her lick my head has a calming presence that’s undeniable. I’m on a search for actions that are grounding to me in high stress moments, and she is surely a top five contender.

Lately I’ve had to admit something I didn’t expect: the “therapy dog” thing might not be bullshit after all. I’ve always loved my dogs, but I never saw them as medical equipment the way people treat vest-wearing airport dogs or “I must bring this animal everywhere or I’ll malfunction” situations. Then my body and brain hit this weird stretch of combined physical and mental symptoms, and Ruby quietly applied for the job without telling me. When a physical panic wave hits, her effect is embarrassingly simple and incredibly real. I pet her, she climbs up, licks my head, and my nervous system starts to downshift. My heart doesn’t magically fix, my problems don’t vanish, but my body catches a small, undeniable edge of calm. I’m actively hunting for things that ground me when the stress spikes—rituals, behaviors, anchors I can grab onto in the moment. Ruby is absolutely on that list now, probably in the top five. I used to roll my eyes at “therapy dogs.” Now I’m lying on the couch letting mine lick my scalp while my panic loosens its grip.