Free Dog Training for Veterans: A New Lease on Life

Veterans returning home from service often struggle to adjust to civilian life. They may experience anxiety, depression, or PTSD, making it difficult to interact with their families and communities.

Research shows that dogs can be incredibly therapeutic for veterans with mental health issues. Studies have found that simply petting a dog can reduce stress levels and improve mood.

A program called Puppies Behind Bars (PBB) uses inmate-trained dogs to assist veterans with disabilities. The dogs are socialized and trained by inmates, who learn valuable skills in the process.

These dogs can be a game-changer for veterans, providing companionship and emotional support. They can even be trained to assist with physical disabilities, such as opening doors or picking up items.

We train our service dogs according to American Humane's guidelines, which are informed by a team of experts including veteran advocates, mental health professionals, scientists, and animal welfare specialists.

These guidelines help ensure our service dogs are highly effective in treating veterans and first responders with Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury. The training is designed to maximize the efficacy of the service dogs as a treatment method.

Applicants must be engaged in mental health treatment with a licensed mental health professional to be eligible for our program. This requirement helps with the adjustment period when receiving a service dog, which can be stressful.

Our expert trainers work closely with the Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure our service dogs are expertly trained to meet the unique needs of each veteran or first responder.

Veterans K9 offers a unique training program at no cost to veterans and their immediate family members. This 7-week course teaches you to help your dog behave appropriately at home and on-the-go, while engaging with other veterans in a fun and helpful veteran peer-support environment.

The first class is an orientation, so don't bring your dog just yet. Puppies can start as early as 10 weeks, but they need to have had at least two doses of puppy Distemper/Parvo-virus shots beforehand. Dogs six months or older must have proof of Rabies vaccination or current titers.

You'll have the chance to explore areas of behavior you're most interested in improving with your dog, and even certify your dog as an AKC Canine Good Citizen. The emphasis is on basic training to make your dog a good companion, walk on a loose leash, and respond to basic commands.

Here are the key components of the program:

The program is designed to help veterans build strong connections with each other and their dogs, which is a powerful tool in overcoming PTSD, depression, and other mental health challenges.

Veterans can benefit greatly from service dogs, which can help them with anxiety, health conditions, and even trigger warnings.

Jerry Lyda, a co-founder of Veterans K9 Solutions, understands the importance of service dogs, saying "We have this service to help them. and we appreciate that we appreciate what they’ve done for our country."

Service dogs can also help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a common condition affecting many returning veterans.

Canine Companions launched a program in 2018 to directly place service dogs with veterans with PTSD, teaching them to identify unique stressors and perform tasks that disrupt escalation of symptoms.

Veterans like Amy McGowan have seen firsthand the impact of service dogs, saying "He’s the kind of dog that you can see all he wants to do is please me, he’s a great comfort dog. He can sense things. He knows when I’m sick."

These dogs can also help veterans like Andrea Triplett, who has trained multiple service dogs to help her with anxiety and health conditions, saying "These dogs help us and there’s more to it than just pet, they’ll alert you and they’ll know you."

To inquire about service dog training for veterans, you can call 706-832-4144.

Positive Reinforcement is a key training method used in our free dog training program for veterans. This method focuses on rewarding desired behaviors rather than punishing undesired ones.

Our trainers use a variety of rewards, including treats and praise, to encourage good behavior in the dogs. This approach helps build trust and strengthens the bond between the veteran and their dog.

Clicker Training is a specific type of positive reinforcement training that uses a small device to make a distinct sound when the dog performs a desired action. This method is particularly effective for teaching complex behaviors.

Our trainers also use Redirection to distract the dog from undesired behaviors and redirect their attention to more desirable ones. This technique helps the veteran and their dog learn new skills and behaviors.

Desensitization and Counterconditioning are also used in our training program to help veterans and their dogs overcome anxiety and fear-based behaviors. These techniques involve gradually exposing the dog to the feared stimulus while providing a positive association.