Dogs as Prozac......Yes, I said Prozac

Those of you who know me well know that I've ingested my fair share of the over prescribed drug mentioned in this title, and it has been a life saver at times (literally), but I've now replaced my daily dose of Prozac with a little dog named Winnie. Since the day we brought that tiny, quivering, furry pooch home, my serotonin levels have been rising and I feel like they've reached an all time high. She just tickles my happy place in a way that no drug can. (See video)

While I'm talking about my current favorite dog, I feel like giving a shout out to my other favorite dogs who have raised the feel good chemical in my brain over the years.......

First we have Juanita.....




she was a little chihuahua belonging to my Grandma and Grandpa Johnson. The poor dog was completely traumatized by all the gazillions of grand kids chasing her through the house, but if I could catch her, she would eventually settle down for a nap in my lap as I rocked in Grandma's chair. She liked the salty taste of my skin. Before napping she would lick my arms and hands thoroughly.
( I know, it's gross, but I was a kid)



Me and my brother Andrew with two of Juanita's puppies

Next we have Rais.......


the dog my mom shocked us all by bringing home. He was a sweet, docile dog and a calming influence on everyone in our house. If we raised our voices when fighting with each other he would get agitated and circle around us, barking. Since no one wanted to cause our sweet boy any stress, fighting was greatly reduced. Rais heard about all of my teenage woes and never passed judgement.
Then came Maggie.....



Maggie was CRAZY! She had some serious energy. Luckily Mike and I were young and spry and could keep up with her, barely. Border Collies like Maggie are great at herding. I so wish I still had her to keep my boys out of the street, but alas, she is herding the children of another family somewhere in Cache Valley. We miss you Maggie Woo Woo!

And last but not least, Tasha the Wonder Dog.....





Tasha was my biggest fan when I entered the Dickey family as Mike's wife. She and I got along well. Once when Mike and I were taking care of Tasha while the rest of the family was in Yellowstone, she got herself lost. After a sleepless night I finally found her wandering aimlessly through the parking lot of the local Thriftway. Our reunion was something out of a scene from a Lassie movie complete with tears and lots of tail wagging. It's a good thing I found her or Mike and I might not still be considered part of the Dickey family.


So, if any of you are out there feeling like your brain chemistry could use a boost, might I recommend a dog. They can be much cheaper than a therapist, don't have the side effects of drugs and in my opinion can be more effective than both. Still not convinced, just watch the video below. (Meredith, give Sprout a scratch behind the ears for me. I'm so glad you've joined the ranks of dog lovers around the world.)