‘She never lets me off. I have to get up, no exceptions. She then stares at her empty bowls, then at me’: The heartwarming tale of the pupper who unknowingly helped her pawrent overcome his ADHD struggles just by being a good golden retriever

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    Grew up with a Golden Retriever that my parents got us when I was 14. Lost her two years ago at the age of 26, but she was a great dog. A few months later, I was diagnosed with Combined ADHD.
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    Fast forward about a year and I decided it's time to get a dog of my own. I'd been considering an Emotional Support Animal as my doctor said I had anxiety (I was really struggling at work) and I was about to bring up
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    the topic with him until I realised I did so much better when my old dog was around. Just as an example, the one set of exams I did well in while studying engineering (I know...) in university
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    was when I snuck my old dog into my dorm and looked after her for the weeks leading up to exams. My new dog, Croga, turns one tomorrow: For the last year, she's woke me up at
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    6am (at the start), which quickly became 7/8am. She never lets me off. I have to get up, no exceptions. She then stares at her empty bowls, then at me.
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    Since I'm feeding her, I feed myself. Protein shake thrown into porridge every morning, easiest thing to make ever (protein helps us think btw!). Even when you forget to buy milk, water and whey protein is fine.
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    Since I'm giving her water, I make myself coffee (and sometimes drink water too). I leave my Vyvanse next to my automatic coffee machine so I don't forget to take it.
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    Since she's already finished her food and water, she's waiting at the door to go outside. So I take her outside with my coffee/breakfast and get a bit of fresh air.
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    Since she's needs to pee/poop, when we go back inside, I do the same. At this point, I've usually thrown on whatever clothes I was wearing yesterday (as Croga is on my case about
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    State SI
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    getting outside asap!) and feel disgusting (even if they're clean), so I have to have a shower. I'm now dressed, fed, watered, medicated, emptied and had some fresh air and ready to start
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    pretending to be able to do my job at 9am! Throughout the day, I will get firm reminders from her that she needs to go for a walk. She will literally climb on my lap during Zoom calls until I respond.
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    She will fetch her leash and drop it on the ground next to me. So I also get a walk in. She will bring her food bowl to me at lunch so I also feed myself (even if it's sort of junk, better than a large pizza being ordered at 6pm!).
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    I can't do these things for myself consistently, but by mirroring her, it's been totally manageable. On top of that, the ADHD diagnosis, understanding why I am the way I am, and why I behaved how I did when I was
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    younger has basically relieved me of that anxiety. Being a Golden Retriever, you don't get to be introverted anymore. She's making you friends whether you want them or not! There's a MILLION other
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    examples like the above of how she makes my life so much better, but in the end, I didn't need an emotional support animal, I just needed the right dog.
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    One that basically looks after me as much, if not more, than I look after her.
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