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Man Sets Up Dog Walking Group to Encourage Men to Talk About Their Feelings

By Emma Taggart on February 20, 2020

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A post shared by Dudes & Dogs (@dudes_anddogs) on Nov 19, 2019 at 3:27am PST

Pets aren’t just cute companions—they also come with some powerful mental health benefits. A Bristol-based man named Rob Osman struggled with depression and social anxiety in the past, but found that walking his dog Mali, a Hungarian Vizsla, made him feel a whole lot better. So much so that he wanted to share the experience with other men suffering from mental health issues. So, Osman set up Dudes & Dogs—a dog walking group where men are invited to talk about their feelings.

“Picture the scene. It’s one of those horrible wet and windy crappy cold days that we do so well in the UK. There’s no way in hell I want to go out in this, especially not the way I’m feeling,” says Osman. “But there’s the dog, she doesn’t care that I feel like crap today. She doesn’t care that the weather is rubbish, she just wants to get out and play. With me. Really? Yes really. And you know what, it’s been the best therapy I’ve ever had.”

Osman believes that dogs teach us to enjoy the simple things in life, from walking in the woods to enjoying a few brief moments of winter sunlight. Now, the dad-of-one is encouraging others to join him on his walks, as a way to create a comfortable environment where men can open up about how they’re feeling. “It is a good way to do so because you do not have to look at each other in the eye and are in an open space,” says Osman. “It is at their pace and there is no expectation for them to have to talk— it could be that they just listen the first few times.”

If you’re in Bristol and want to walk and talk, check out the Dudes & Dogs Facebook page for more information on how to join.