Ptsd service dogs

[MissMacD]

I live in Canada, not sure what the deal is here for service dogs but pretty much certain that I'd have to pay money to have her certified.

 

[Britt.f7]

I wouldn't live without my dog. She seems to know when I am not doing well. I think getting a service dog is a great idea. Good thing you have a place that is fairly close to you.

 

[FindingMyself88]

Thanks everyone who shared. Yes, my dog use to help me a lot but now I live away at college and cannot have a regular pet. Plus I really need help with grounding and a regular dog doesn't do that. I really hope I get accepted, my psychiatrist and therapist both think that a service dog would help me more so than the medicine has.

 

[Britt.f7]

I think regular dogs can do that, however, it is a crap shoot finding one. With a trained dog you are guaranteed, I would think, that they will definitely pick up when you need it to be there. I hope your application is approved!

 

[FindingMyself88]

Thank you Britt. I will definitely keep everyone updated. Even if I get accepted, I am looking at atleast a year and a half before I get the dog. So I just hope I can make it through until then. I'm barely functioning anymore in school and work...

 

[JustBe]

Having Kira by my side wherever I go is the reason I was able to leave most meds behind.

Good luck.

 

[FindingMyself88]

What all does Kira do for you?

I know personally I need a service dog trained to ground me, cover me, wake me up from nightmares, and maybe alert me when a situation is getting too stressful. By this I mainly mean family get together a when I'm around my abusers. Sometimes I don't realize how much anxiety is building until it's too late.

 

[JustBe]

She does all that and if I begin to dissociate she'll alert and lead me to an exit and bring me to a safe place while grounding me.

Sept 2012...

I would not be able to leave the house without my service dog. At night she sleeps against me and if she is calm, I can relax. When we are out she focuses my attention on her needs rather than my hypervigilance. If she greets someone I know that I am safe. If she alerts, we move away.

Before I go into a full blown panic attack she alerts and distracts me. When we are out she is a buffer between myself and others. If I freeze or dissociate in a store she alerts and leads me to the nearest exit. When I shake and fly out of myself at home she lays across my legs or chest and grounds me. She is my friend, my angel and my support "person" 24/7.

When she doesn't have her vest on she is free to be a dog and she romps and runs and rolls in nasty things like any other dog. She has a chihuahua that we got as a puppy that she raised and dotes on.

Just yesterday at the grocery store (something I could not do before she came to me) 5 employees greeted her by name with big smiles on their faces. Two of them told me it makes their day when they see her.

My world has grown and become safer because of my service dog.

 

[FindingMyself88]

Wow, that is amazing. This makes me wish to hurry and be accepted. It gives me some hope.

 

[DharmaGirl]

My Nugget does all that too, except she is rusty in stores since I hardly take her. I need to take her more. I trained her myself. I also have her sister, Bella, who does not care if I have nightmares, or stressed. She is very well behaved though. So it is a crapshoot if you get a dog and try to train her yourself.

 

[mightyinkkedone]

She does all that and if I begin to dissociate she'll alert and lead me to an exit and bring me to a safe...

Justbe

I know the feel I'd be so lost with out my service dog
She sleeps with me and goes everywhere I go dost not matter if it's getting up during the night to go to get a drink or doing chore she is my shadow