Depression

Question
I have very serious depression and have had some terrible losses over the past two years.

I live alone with my 9-year-old toy poodle, and she is the only bright light in my life. However, I am crying and sleeping a lot, and she just lays next to me and licks away my tears.

Am I hurting her in any way? I treat her with loving care, but I almost never go out right now. She is so important to me, my little Scarlett, and I want her to be happy. Please, I beg your help.

Answer
Hello Annick and Scarlett,
You are not hurting Scarlett physically by anything you are doing, and she is helping you deal with your losses and depressive feelings which makes her feel important because she knows she is helping you.  However, by staying inside and keeping to yourself, you are not giving her the socialization that is so good for Poodles.  Most Poodles love to be around people and show off (which is why Poodles were typically chosen for Circus dogs).  
One way that you can help her is to teach her a few simple tricks.  This gives her a neat trick to learn, builds her confidence and you both get to spend more time together.  

Try a few of these simple tricks.
SHAKE PAWS/HANDS:
To teach this trick, have her sit in front of you and show her a treat (something small like a piece of chicken or hotdog).  Tell her "Shake Hands" then reach down and gently take her paw.  Praise her and give her a piece of treat.  After a few times, see if you can just touch her leg to get her to give it to you.    Keep doing this until she starts giving you her paw on her own.  

FIND THE TREAT:
You need 3 styrofoam cups or small containers for this trick.  Start off with one cup, show her the treat and put it under the cup.  Tell her "Find the Cookie" and see what she does.  If she knocks the cup over and gets the treat, Great and praise her.  If she can't find it, show her how to knock the cup over with her foot or nose to find the treat.  When she can find the treat under the cup by herself, you can add another cup.  Let her see that there is a treat under only one cup so she understands that she has to search for the treat.  Praise her when she finds the treat under the right cup without needing to look under the other cup.  Finally, add the 3rd cup and see if she can find it.  

Having your dog "Sit" on command.  
Use the treat and hold it over your dogs head and say "Sit".  When she is looking at it, move it backwards towards her rear.  She should move her head up and back, following the treat.  As she does, her rear will drop down and she will sit.  Make her sit still for a second or two before giving her the treat.  Tell her "Alright" to release her and Praise her after a couple of seconds, then give her the treat.  You can build up the time you make her sit there until she will sit for a minute or longer before you release her and give her the treat.    

Walking with your dog helps exercise both the body and the mind for the dog and the owner.  The body benefits from the moving and the mind benefits by the stimulation of the senses.  Dogs really enjoy getting out and sniffing out the latest "gossip" in the neighborhood.  We, as dog owners should just enjoy being out with our dogs doing what makes them happy.  
If you don't feel like tootling the neighborhood just yet, walk out to the mailbox and back.  Don't think about what is bothering you for the moment because our dogs can pick up on our feelings, just think about what you see around you.  You could also try just going out with your dog in the backyard or walking her around the outside of the house.  Try seeing things the way your dog sees them.  Close your eyes and listen to what you hear or try seeing what you smell.  Its a neat way to try "seeing" from your dogs perspective.  
These are some things that will make the time you and Scarlett's time together more interesting and may even add some fun to your lives.

I hope I have given you some neat ideas to try and if you have any questions for me, please feel free to ask me.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim