PTSD Service Dog Program
What Are PTSD Service Dogs?
These are service dogs to help people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) overcome many of the daily challenges that they face. From recognizing and interrupting signs of building anxiety, interrupting self-injurious behaviors, or blocking people from getting too close, a service dog can help in many ways.
Our staff is experienced in helping clients with PTSD from Veterans, First Res-ponders, victims of physical or sexual assaults, or other traumatic events.
What Can A PTSD Service Dog Do?
Assist With Transitioning Environments and Working Out In Public
Many individuals with PTSD can become home bound and reliant on others for basic needs. A Service Dog can assist with getting the individual to go outside their home comfortably and be able to experience different environments that they normally haven't been able to go because the client can trust their dog to work for them.
Recognize, Reduce, or
Interrupt Anxiety Build-up or Panic Attacks
We can teach the service dog to recognize the various physical indicators of anxiety build-up or a panic attack coming on and interrupt that in various ways. From nosing you on the hand to let you know that your ramping up; leading you away from the source of the anxiety; or providing Deep Pressure Therapy The Service Dog can be custom trained to what works for you.
Block people from getting too close to you.
From supermarkets to theme parks people in public (or in private) can be oblivious to personal space. For many of our PTSD clients, people in your bubble can start the snowball of anxiety. A service dog can block (in a good way) these individuals from getting too close to you so that you can evaluate any potential threat or so you can be comfortable.
Alert You To Someone Coming Up Behind You
In addition to the anxiety of people being in your comfort bubble, people coming up suddenly from behind you can also up the anxiety level quickly. A service dog can re-position itself or nose your hand to let you know discretely that someone is approaching you from your blind side.
Help you to sleep better.
Many with PTSD have difficulty sleeping. Whether it's getting to sleep, troubles with being stuck in night terrors, or fear of a person entering the room in the middle of the night, a service dog can help with all of these.
Help you connect better with your family.
Dealing with the challenges of PTSD can be an isolating experiance, even from your own family and friends.
When you can't go out to dinner, can't go to your kid's holiday concert at school, or even treat your spouse to a evening out, this can push your family and friends away.
This benefit is more of a result of actively utilizing a service dog. A service dog can actively help you deal with challenges (see above) so you can start living your life again. It can also help act as a buffer to reduce the friction between your family.
Program Options
Select the training program that best fits your needs.
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PTSD Service Dog FAQ
Utilizing the service dog appropriately you can:
Although we do serve a lot of Military along with First Responders such as Police officers or Firefighters we serve other individuals too.
Over the past 13+ years we have worked with individuals with PTSD from Verbal, Physical, or Sexual Assaults; traumatic events such as a car accident or other violence. We have unique techniques coupled with the service dog to help you overcome many of the challenges you face.
Quick answer: We can work with both.
Long Answer: What works for an adult, may not work with a teenager or We have different training, procedures, and techniques that work for a variety of ages and PTSD causes.
It depends on the program option that you choose. For our Fully Trained Service Dog program it's all 1-on-1 training and our staff travels to you.
For our Owner Trained & Green Dog Program it is online based self-study programs. We do have small group classes if you are in the Phoenix Metro area or wish to have individual private lessons.
Many of our autism clients have limited or no language skills when we start working with them. Over the course of boot camp and beyond through the use of the service dog many have gained significant verbal communication or even started talking in the first place.
Instead of being the so called "weird kid" that yells, screams, jumps around, and gets upset all the time, they become the cool kid with a dog. One of the side benefits of a Service Dog for Autism is to help with social interaction & social skills. The dog is the commonality that provides a basis for connection. Properly trained & used it can make a huge difference in the acceptance of a person on the spectrum in the social context.
