I cannot stress how much I recommend getting a pet if you have postpartum OCD/OCD. They are the best when you are dealing with a difficult situation. I am not sure if I have ever shared the back story behind my golden retriever Hugs on here before, but he really got me through some of my darkest times. I personally do not think I could have survived my postpartum OCD episode if I didn’t have him in my life. Just knowing that he was there with me for every night feeding, every time I cried, every time I panicked made me feel so much better.

I would like to share the background story behind Hugs because he truly is the best dog and friend. We adopted Hugs in July of 2019 from a small farm. His real name is Jager (like the drink), but he mostly goes by Hugs. This is also where I got the name for my blog. From the moment we got Hugs, I knew he was just different. For example, he has very odd fears. His number one fear in his life is white cherry pickers. I have no idea why, but anytime he sees one he has a major freakout. Hugs also has to go to bed at 7 o’clock every single night. He will sit and stare at me until I take him to bed.

My absolute favorite thing about Hugs is how obsessed he is with koi fish. My brother has a huge koi collection in my grandma’s pond. One time he caught one in front of Hugs, and from then on he was hooked. Now every single time we are at my grandma’s house, Hugs spends all of his time staring at her pond looking for the fish. I am not sure what he even wants with them, but the way he stares at them is hilarious. This obsession has been going on for over 2 years now, and nothing has changed.

Hugs is also one of the kindest most gentle souls I have ever met in my life. The way he treats Caia warms my heart. He never gets mad at her even when she pulls his fur or pokes his eyes. He is also best friends with my sister’s dog, who is a small poodle. They play fight all the time, and even though Hugs is 5 times his size, he would never hurt him. All Hugs wants is for everyone to be happy around him, and he tries his best every single day to make that happen.

Hugs is going to be 5 on April 2nd this year. I know this shouldn’t be a big deal, but to someone with OCD like me, all I can think about is how much time we have left. When people say humans don’t deserve dogs, I truly believe that. I have no idea how I was lucky enough to be blessed with such an amazing dog and friend. Hugs is the most loyal friend I have ever had, and he saved me from so many dark times, but he has also been there for the good times too. I can’t wait to make more great memories with him. Truly, I cannot recommend a pet enough if you have OCD because they will love you through everything no matter what.