Im diagnosed with ptsd i am interested in getting a service dog to help me cope and get out into public more. Don't know if it is possible till i officially get out after my med board. anybody out thats gone through this? I'm in Virginia. Thank you
Service dog ptsd
- Thread starter ksteele
- Start date
I have tried repeatedly through several organizations to get a service dog and eventually just got my own dog and hope to be able to get her trained. The VA might help with Vet bills, but as for getting one, try one of the many organizations out there. The VA website lists several. Perhaps you will have better luck than I did.
Welcome to the PEB Forum!
Indeed, your feedback is well appreciated since the use of a service dog for PTSD was previously mentioned throughout my recent experiences as a military veteran albeit I haven't pursued this course of action at this time. Take care, get well, and continue to enjoy life!
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."
Best Wishes!
VA still does not recognize service dogs for PTSD. I know Madigan at JBLM recognizes them and helps service members get them however, so you may be able to get something lined up by talking to you BH provider. Once you are out you'll likely be on your own until the VA studies their effectiveness enough.
From my research on the subject: A reputable breeder/trainer offering PTSD service dogs is not all that specific to PTSD. If someone says you can just pickup a dog and it will help you with PTSD, chances are low they are reputable. However, the process is identical for service dogs that help with autism, epilepsy, etc., Its really only guide dogs that are a one size fits all.
So, don't look for a PTSD dog, look for a service dog. There are breeders that specialize in trying to perfect the temperment of the dog, so training it all the way on your own is easier. Its a minimum of 6 months to get a dog ready to be a service dog though, and certainly not for beginners. Then its a process of training the dog to work with your specific needs. So you really need to find a trainer in your area. Getting the dog to learn your queues for when you're getting stressed and how to nudge you out of that state is pretty specific to you. Any trainer that can train a dog into a service dog should be able to help you out, but if they specialize in PTSD dogs they'll help you figure out what you and the dog needs more easily.
http://www.surfdogricochet.com/my-blog-ricochet-speaks/so-you-want-a-ptsd-service-dog
provides some good information I think.
I have a buddy who was lined up to get a dog through Madigan, but the wait was long enough that he opted to train his own. Plus the travel time during the training process was pretty far. His dog is very effective at keeping him out of the panic he experiences due to aggrophobia and helping him maintain his personal space. The time and care invested in these dogs is quite high so they are incredibly picky about placement and have almost zero chance of keeping up with demand, so patience is pretty key.
From my research on the subject: A reputable breeder/trainer offering PTSD service dogs is not all that specific to PTSD. If someone says you can just pickup a dog and it will help you with PTSD, chances are low they are reputable. However, the process is identical for service dogs that help with autism, epilepsy, etc., Its really only guide dogs that are a one size fits all.
So, don't look for a PTSD dog, look for a service dog. There are breeders that specialize in trying to perfect the temperment of the dog, so training it all the way on your own is easier. Its a minimum of 6 months to get a dog ready to be a service dog though, and certainly not for beginners. Then its a process of training the dog to work with your specific needs. So you really need to find a trainer in your area. Getting the dog to learn your queues for when you're getting stressed and how to nudge you out of that state is pretty specific to you. Any trainer that can train a dog into a service dog should be able to help you out, but if they specialize in PTSD dogs they'll help you figure out what you and the dog needs more easily.
http://www.surfdogricochet.com/my-blog-ricochet-speaks/so-you-want-a-ptsd-service-dog
provides some good information I think.
I have a buddy who was lined up to get a dog through Madigan, but the wait was long enough that he opted to train his own. Plus the travel time during the training process was pretty far. His dog is very effective at keeping him out of the panic he experiences due to aggrophobia and helping him maintain his personal space. The time and care invested in these dogs is quite high so they are incredibly picky about placement and have almost zero chance of keeping up with demand, so patience is pretty key.
Ksteele,
You dont have to wait until your Med board is complete to apply for a service dog program. I personally have applied for & was accepted into a program called "TADSAW" or Train a Dog, Save a Warrior. This program specifically caters to SM's w/ PTSD &/or TBI. Bart Sherwood is the director, just google the program name & you'll find all the application info you need. I live in Maryland & the trainer we were assigned actually lives in Virginia so thats where we would go every Saturday for our hour of training. Good luck...
You dont have to wait until your Med board is complete to apply for a service dog program. I personally have applied for & was accepted into a program called "TADSAW" or Train a Dog, Save a Warrior. This program specifically caters to SM's w/ PTSD &/or TBI. Bart Sherwood is the director, just google the program name & you'll find all the application info you need. I live in Maryland & the trainer we were assigned actually lives in Virginia so thats where we would go every Saturday for our hour of training. Good luck...
Its funny I found this thread just now. I brought my service dog home last friday. I spent a week in Concordia Kansas being trained on how to use my service dog. It is for PTSD and Anxiety. I didnt have to pay a dime. All i needed was a memo from my medical team here at the WTB saying I would benefit from a dog.
Here is the dog i got from there, an amazing animal. http://imgur.com/MrfYZDf
True, Psych Service dogs are not considered service dogs by the VA, but you can STILL GET ONE. They just aren't allowed in government buildings. But im assuming you are getting out, so it wont matter once you are a civilian as the ADA says its a service dog.
http://caresks.com/
I would email Sarah Holbert (her info is in the contact page) and explain to her whats going on. She is an amazingly kind and helpful lady. She hunted down all the funds for my dog through charities and other donations. She will send you an application along with all the information you will need to get get going. 2 months after I applied, I brought my dog home. There is also another soldier in my WTB that got his dog in 2 months from the same place. People were flown in from across the country and there was even a canadian veteran there to get a dog. Just give her an email because they are out of the office doing stuff with the dogs and dont answer the phone often!!!! Do it!
BTW i wont give out my name but you can tell her Jase's owner recommended her!
*EDIT*
I read a post above and had to comment.
It doesn't matter if you look for a "PTSD dog" (read Pyschological Service dog) or a service dog for diabetes or epilepsy. Most organizations will require a doctors statement or a statement from your medical team (NCM, Social Work, OT) since you are in the MEB process stating what the dog is for. That memo will state what type of dog you could benefit from.
EX: My team recommended me for a psych service dog and stated so in the memo. Therefore regardless of the class of service dog (alert, therapeutic etc) I got, the army and va would still classify it as a "therapy dog", which they dont recognize. (there is currently a multi-year study on the effectiveness of these dogs being done by the VA) But it doesn't matter, again, because once you leave the base ALL applicable laws and priviledges apply.
pm me your email and i will send you the official army directive as well as the sample memo needed.
Here is the dog i got from there, an amazing animal. http://imgur.com/MrfYZDf
True, Psych Service dogs are not considered service dogs by the VA, but you can STILL GET ONE. They just aren't allowed in government buildings. But im assuming you are getting out, so it wont matter once you are a civilian as the ADA says its a service dog.
http://caresks.com/
I would email Sarah Holbert (her info is in the contact page) and explain to her whats going on. She is an amazingly kind and helpful lady. She hunted down all the funds for my dog through charities and other donations. She will send you an application along with all the information you will need to get get going. 2 months after I applied, I brought my dog home. There is also another soldier in my WTB that got his dog in 2 months from the same place. People were flown in from across the country and there was even a canadian veteran there to get a dog. Just give her an email because they are out of the office doing stuff with the dogs and dont answer the phone often!!!! Do it!
BTW i wont give out my name but you can tell her Jase's owner recommended her!
*EDIT*
I read a post above and had to comment.
It doesn't matter if you look for a "PTSD dog" (read Pyschological Service dog) or a service dog for diabetes or epilepsy. Most organizations will require a doctors statement or a statement from your medical team (NCM, Social Work, OT) since you are in the MEB process stating what the dog is for. That memo will state what type of dog you could benefit from.
EX: My team recommended me for a psych service dog and stated so in the memo. Therefore regardless of the class of service dog (alert, therapeutic etc) I got, the army and va would still classify it as a "therapy dog", which they dont recognize. (there is currently a multi-year study on the effectiveness of these dogs being done by the VA) But it doesn't matter, again, because once you leave the base ALL applicable laws and priviledges apply.
pm me your email and i will send you the official army directive as well as the sample memo needed.
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I currently have a service dog that was trained through TADSAW. They took my personal dog, a german shepherd, and we trained together and he was certified about a year ago. I am still active duty, going through the MEB process, and I'm able to bring him to work every day and anywhere I go out in public. I've never had a problem bringing him in any government building. I've traveled several times with him on planes and he sits right in front of me the entire flight. It helps tremendously having him with me since my PTSD and Anxiety are triggered whenever I'm in a situation where I'm around people I don't know and unfamiliar with the surroundings. TADSAW was an amazing program to go through and I liked the fact that they don't just hand you a dog, but make sure that both of you are trained together.
All service animals are allowed in public building, even dogs that help persons with PTSD. There is much confusion about this matter. The ADA says the following:
Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
source: http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
Mike
I don't have a service dog, but this sounds like a GREAT addition for many.
I am pleased to read that the organizations train you and the service dog on how to work together.
nwlivewire