November 10, 2025, 1:28 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
A dog as a lifesaver, a daily motivator, an emotional support? For many, this sounds like the perfect solution in tough times. But what if the animal companion becomes overwhelming? Dog psychologist Marc Ebersbach knows the fine line between helpful structure and additional burden—and explains why a dog isn’t always the right choice for mental health issues.
“Dogs Are the Best Medicine”—Is That Really True?
PETBOOK: “Dogs are the best medicine.” That’s a phrase you hear often. But should people with depression really get a dog?
Marc Ebersbach: “We need to differentiate. If we’re talking about a short phase—a fundamentally mentally stable person who temporarily falls into a crisis—then a dog can indeed be a support. I know this from my own life: The dog distracts you, forces you to go for walks three to four times a day, ideally offers closeness and the healing experience of unconditional acceptance. At best, it’s a little cuddle monster that shows you: ‘I’m still here.’ And that does people in a crisis incredibly good.
But if we’re not talking about a phase, but a mental illness, we need to differentiate. Then the dog can be beneficial on one hand, but it can also become a burden. The key is whether I can maintain a stable routine for the dog and take responsibility despite my problems. And not just as a duty, but with joy.
Because dogs need rituals and consistent routines. If I can provide that with joy, then the dog is a wonderful support that continually gives new energy. But if I notice that this responsibility becomes a burden, then it backfires—and the dog is not good for me in this situation, but becomes an additional obligation.”
“Dogs Need Discipline—Especially in Everyday Life”
So can dogs indeed be a support and help owners through tough times?
“Yes, definitely—but they are also a responsibility that can become a burden for some. Some people have written to me saying they realized it became too much for them at some point. Some solved this by involving a second person to help. Still, they found that the responsibility was sometimes too great for their mental state.
Because owning a dog means absolute discipline, especially in the small things: regularly taking the dog out, feeding it, providing fresh water several times a day, keeping the bowl clean, responding when it’s sick. And immediately, not when you feel better. This responsibility is continuously there. And it’s completely human to say: ‘Under my burden, I can’t manage that.’ But one should also be honest with oneself.”
What advice do you have for people considering getting a dog?
“My advice: Look to the past, not the future. Because saying ‘I think I can handle it’ is worth little. Many overestimate themselves in a good moment—and in the end, the dog suffers.”
A Dog Senses Every Mood
That’s why my recommendation is: Look back—and be brutally honest with yourself. Have you been stable in your daily life over the past five or ten years? Has your environment not even noticed your problems because you had them under control—whether through medication, therapy, or your own strength?”
Can dogs suffer from their owners’ mental state? Can they develop problems due to their owners’ mental issues?
“Absolutely. Dogs absorb the moods of their caregivers like a sponge. In my training, there were dogs where I could actually diagnose depression. And when I asked the owner, it became clear: They also suffered from depression. This directly transfers to the dogs. They develop similar symptoms as their humans: listlessness, not wanting to go out, appearing sad, and lacking drive. Dogs are extremely sensitive and pick up on such states very strongly.
Additionally, people in crisis often can’t provide what dogs need in everyday life: regular walks, engagement, and social interaction. The animals suffer from this too, as they can’t understand why their humans’ behavior changes.”
“Many Say: Without My Dog, I Wouldn’t Be Alive Anymore”
A few months ago, you also made a video on this topic. What was the feedback?
“It was very varied. Notably, many people wrote: ‘Without my dog, I wouldn’t be alive today.’ They described their dogs as lifesavers who prevented them from committing suicide. That intensity surprised me. Others reported that the dog is good for them, brings structure to their daily life, and is simply the best thing that has ever happened to them.
But there were also voices that differentiated. Just because you have depression doesn’t automatically mean you can’t care for a dog. Some people with clinical depression wrote to me that they have been well-managed medically for years. As a result, they can reliably and responsibly care for their dogs—sometimes even two. The animals don’t even notice the illness in this form.
These people wanted to emphasize that you have to distinguish: Is someone medically stable and in treatment—or not? Because that can determine how much a mental illness affects the dog and its care.”
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“Don’t Look Forward—Look Back”
What severity of mental issues are you referring to in your video and recommendations?
My recommendation in my video was not to immediately label the topic with terms like depression, clinical depression, or depressive mood. Instead, one should ask oneself:
- Have you been able to act mentally stable in the last five to ten years?
- Have you been able to reliably and consistently organize your daily life?
These are the crucial aspects. And of course, being mentally stable doesn’t mean you never have fluctuations. It’s part of life to have better and worse phases. That’s not what we’re talking about.
We’re talking about exaggerations: When people remain in mental lows for days, weeks, or even months. Or when they are unable to structure their daily life for extended periods.
Okay. I understand.
“That’s why I say: Don’t ask yourself, ‘Will I be able to do it?’ but look at your past. Because many think in the here and now, when they feel stable: ‘A dog will do me good, it will help me, and then I can manage my life better.’ But that’s a big misconception. A dog can be an enormous support—but it is always a responsibility. And you have to be able to handle that responsibility permanently.”
“Only a Small Minority Was Strictly Against It”
Back to the feedback. I imagine there were also very negative comments, right?
“Yes, there were. But it was only a small minority of hardliners who commented very harshly. In the video, I differentiated and said: Under what conditions would I recommend it, and under what conditions not.
These hardliners then wrote: ‘No, under no circumstances should a person with any mental fluctuations or depressive moods get a dog.’ But that was really only a minority. Most people approached the topic very moderately and with a lot of nuance—and that pleased me.”