Rob Osman

Rob Osman helps men to open up about mental health by taking them on a dog walk. He said dog walking had pulled him out of "years of suffering with depression" and now wants to share the space with other men who could also benefit. “Walking a dog is a conversation waiting to happen,” he said.  The group, started in Bristol, has already helped army veteran Nick Hoon. Men are notoriously resistant to seeking mental health treatment, but dogs seem like an easy entry point to talking for many guys. “Dogs are like[ four-legged antidepressants](https://dudesndogs.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR2bhDvv47iinOf9svhd1Dxf5DtxmqohZzBRZiecUjMQcf8EdFfqE0rGpBM),” Osman said. “When people are around the dog they drop their defenses. They play with the dog.” At the beginning of 2019 Osman’s life was in transition. He gave up his corporate job and started walking[ dogs](https://www.today.com/popculture/tim-tebow-posts-heartbreaking-video-saying-goodbye-his-dog-bronco-t167937), focusing his family and studying psychology at a local university. He soon realized that walking Mali or other pups helped him when he experienced depression and anxiety, something he's dealt with since his 20s. "She has helped me mentally and physically, her love is unwavering and no matter how you feel when you come home she instantly makes me happy," he explained.