How Can AHEPA Service Dogs for Warriors Help

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. During this type of event, you think that your life or other's lives are in danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening.
Anyone who has gone through a life-threatening event can develop PTSD. These events can include:
Combat or Military Exposure, Terrorist attacks, Sexual or physical assault,                                   
Serious accidents, such as a car wreck, Natural disasters, such as a fire, tornado hurricane, flood, or earthquake

After the event, you may feel scared, confused, or angry. If these feelings don't go away or they get worse, you may have PTSD. These symptoms may disrupt your life, making it hard to continue with your daily activities.

AHEPA Service Dogs for Warriors can help create customized training programs for PTSD Service Dogs to help those who are suffering and living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

PTSD Dogs are trained to:

• Assistance in a medical crisis
• Provide treatment related assistance
• Assistance in coping with emotional overload
• Perform security enhancement tasks

A Specially Trained PTSD Dog can provide a sense of security, calming effects, and physical exercise that can make a positive difference in the life of those that suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Like all assistance dogs, a psychiatric service dog is individually trained to do work or perform tasks that mitigate their handler's disability. Training may include providing environmental assessment (in such cases as paranoia or hallucinations), signaling behaviors (such as interrupting repetitive or injurious behavior reminding the handler to take medication, retrieving objects and guiding the handler from stressful situations. PTSD Service Dogs can literally change the life of a Veteran or other persons with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD Service dogs can help a Veteran remain calm by preventing people from crowding around or rushing up behind in public places which will provide a comfortable space for the Veteran or PTSD sufferer.

PTSD Service Dogs can:

• help adjust serotonin levels
• help lower blood pressure
• help with episodes of depression
• provide companionship
• calm their handler
• preventing people from crowding around or rushing up on their handler

The above tasks represent what a PTSD service dog can perform. Each PTSD service dog is specifically trained to their owner’s personal needs based on their medical condition and may or may not include the above tasked described.