Service Dog Tasks

[siniang]

Hi SD handlers!

pure curiosity, but if you don't mind sharing, what specific tasks do your SDs provide for your PTSD (and other comorbidities)?

 

[Eagle3]

My SD was trained to ground me when I dissociated or was anxious. He used physical touch to interrupt. He was trained to stand behind me in lines, and find family members in stores. I didn't really train this, but he'd get me up and walking when I was ruminating too hard. Walking seemed to ground me really well, and he did this purely on instinct (I encouraged it of course!). I also trained him to enter a room before me, and "check it out" for anyone hiding somewhere. He was friendly, so he'd just wag and interact with them (if their intention was good, he was a GREAT judge of character). He was trained to bark anytime there was a knock at the door or windows of the house. At a lean 125#, I wanted the deterrent! I did train him to pull my socks off, more as a game for him than anything else. He got tired of that pretty quickly though.

 

[Freida]

SD alerts me when I need pain meds, sits on my when I'm wound up, stands across the front of me when we are in public so people cant run into me, watches behind me to let me know if someone is coming up behind me and goes in doors first to look for shooters. Whew! No wonder he gets tired lol

 

[Sideways]

Doggo does block and cover when I'm standing depending on which side of me is most vulnerable.
If we're walking he'll tap my leg when my anxiety goes up, then start rushing ahead of me if it escalates further and I need to leave (eg shopping centres). If I'm sitting down while we're out, he'll sit, then drop, as my anxiety goes down then sit back up and stand up if my anxiety comes back up again for any reason.
He's trained to sit and hold eye contact with me if I'm dissociated, and do DPT if I invite him onto my lap. He'll lick my hand for a while in that position to help me ground.
He alerts to people approaching me while I'm asleep (barks), and to any other perceived threats (usually just warrants a nudge).
He persists in rousing me first thing in the morning to get me out of bed when my SI hits. This starts with playing on the bed (trained that because it cheers me up), but if I ignore him he will sit on my face (which always works!). He'll also keep me on my daily routine by indicating when it's lunch time, and time to wind down for the evening.
He'll indicate to me when I need to not leave the house, or not enter a place, or to turn around and go home while we're walking by sitting down and pulling back against his lead (basically "No, you're too distressed").
We're currently working on finding my car in busy carparks (bit hit and miss still).
He'll alert me if someone stands too close to me (which varies with my distress levels and where we are) and will alert me when very young children (or anyone intoxicated or high) is approaching me.
He has the front passenger seat in my car, and keeps his nose towards my hand on the gear stick. He'll inch forward and tap me on the hand if I'm getting upset while driving (to pull over for a while).

Needless to say - it's been very difficult without him this week!