anyone use a service dog for PTSD? - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Message Board

Angel77 · 01-24-2004, 10:02 PM

I am just curious if any of you have used a service dog for PTSD? I place service and protection dogs with survivors of rape, domestic violence, childhood trauma, etc. I just placed one with a woman who was almost killed and relocated out of state.
Is anyone interested in this type of program or does anyone have a service dog?

lilTroublemaker · 01-26-2004, 10:53 AM

Hi. I would really like to hear more about this program.

I am a young adult (18) living on my own. I have PTSD, Anxiety, as well as some other issues caused by severe abuse/trauma when I was younger. I did some research on service dogs and read some stories about people whith PTSD having service dogs. I think its a great idea. I would someday like to get a service dog, problem, they are hard to find and very very expensive.

Angel77 · 01-26-2004, 10:24 PM

Actually they are neither hard to find nor expensive. They're as close as your nearest animal shelter. I run the program on my own right now and am writing for some grants to provide aid to those who want a dog but can't afford some of the cost involved. I am training my own service dog. She was expensive but that's because she was born with the capability to alert on my narcolepsy attacks prior to having them. She was 750.00 but many don't need the alert abilities. You can find one that will work with you by constantly visiting your shelter or local rescues and you'll know when it's the right dog.
Dogs sense things and either shy away or are drawn to you. Don't take the first dog you see because it's cute, you have to have the connection.
Do you have any experience with dogs? What type and with what breeds? What type of living situation are you in? House, apt, etc.? I can help you determine what to look for needs wise and you'll have to trust your instincts on the match...I can help a lot with it, but it's got to be a connection. The people that click with their dogs have the most successful partnerships.
If you're interested, post some more info and I'll do my best to get you going in the right direction.

lilTroublemaker · 01-26-2004, 10:43 PM

I know that a lot of service dogs come from shelters, and I know dogs from shelters aren't very expensive, but the dogs there don't have the training to be service dogs. I don't have the money to pay for training and I don't think I'd do much good training a dog by myself.

I'm in a large apartment with a small fenced yard (10 by 10) I have some experience with dogs. Miniature poodles, Rottweilers, Pitbulls, German Shepards, and Mutts. I really like dogs and they like me.

My doctor thinks getting a service animal would help me to be able to go out of the house more. Maybe so, hopefully some day I will find a service dog for me. If I knew how to train a dog to be a service dog, or where to get cheap/free training it would be a lot easier. Right now everything seems so difficult though.

I'd really like to hear more and get some more info about what you do.

* Free ~ Spirit * · 01-27-2004, 10:44 AM

I'd like to hear more about this too. I have a service dog that I'm training myself. It's HARD work. You know where I can get some help?