This week, August 4th-10th, is International Assistance Dog Week. We would like to acknowledge the wonderful dogs that have amazed and humbled us over the years. People often ask us and our clients about our dogs and what they do, here is some information about the hardworking, loyal dogs that do assistance work.
An assistance dog is a dog that has been trained to perform skills which mitigate the challenges of a disabled individual. The assistance dogs trained at Paws and Stripes help veterans with a variety of disabilities. Many clients suffer from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, depression, sleep disturbance, anxiety and may have minor mobility challenges. These conditions often create obstacles that make daily living and social activities difficult and sometimes impossible.
When it is determined that an individual has a condition that may benefit from the help and companionship of an assistance dog, there are several different options to acquire one. A person may go through an agency that trains and places service dogs, they may purchase a pre trained service dog, they may attempt to train their assistance dog on their own or they may find a program like Paws and Stripes that helps them train a dog to perform specialized tasks and learn appropriate public access skills.
Training an assistance dog is a pursuit that requires a great deal of dedication, and sometimes training certain tasks or access skills can feel daunting. But the positive impact a service dog has in the life of their human is worth all the time and effort it takes to have a safe and reliable working dog. Supporting our clients through the training process and helping them reach their goals is our top priority. Our teams learn how to navigate challenges together and they grow to trust and rely on one another. This bond with their dog allows our clients to pursue things they once enjoyed but may have stopped doing, and to try activities they may not have considered before having their trusted canine companion at their side.
Our service dogs provide support to their handlers by performing a variety of tasks both in the home and out in public. Dogs that help people who have PTSD and anxiety are trained to do tasks such as buffering which creates space around a person, the dog may also interrupt an anxious episode by nudging or pawing them, or they may perform deep pressure therapy by laying their body over them or pressing into them. If the handler has a minor mobility issue, an assistance dog may retrieve objects, help with position changes using a pull strap, or provide bracing to help with balance. These are just a few of the many tasks that an assistance dog can be trained to do.
Our clients have told us that their dog has made them feel safer and happier, especially in situations that are difficult to experience. The dogs have helped our clients maneuver VA appointments, travel on airplanes, go on job interviews and find new social connections. We are pleased to be able to honor the assistance dogs we work with and all assistance dogs for their heroic contribution to a better quality of life for their humans!
-Deana Case, Team Trainer
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