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Janelle Richard
ENG 112-78
Instructor Connie Douglas
Proposal Final
5 October 2014
Man's Best Healer
We have all heard the often saying, "Dog is a man's best friend." Many of us turn to dogs
for a loyal companion in life, and sometimes we even prefer the companionship of a canine
rather than the friendship of a human. A dog will not intentionally hurt you out of spite, will
never offer backtalk or negative comments, and is not an easy being to offend. What if these
same desirable qualities dogs offer to their owners can help someone who suffers from a disorder
or a disability? One specific disorder service dogs can be of great aid to is Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder, or PTSD. The image provided on the previous page shows the love and companionship
shared between a woman who suffers from PTSD and her service dog. This picture was chosen,
because the woman in the picture's powerful story is shared later on in this proposal, and the
picture really captures the relationship she has with her dog that many others can relate to. To
fight the effects of PTSD, many sufferers turn to numerous medications, but along with these
drugs come various side effects and potentially high costs. Instead, those who suffer from PTSD
should greatly consider the use of a service dog.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health's website, Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder "develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical

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harm. The person who develops PTSD may have been the one who was harmed, the harm may
have happened to a loved one, or the person may have witnessed a harmful event that happened
to loved ones or strangers." ("Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)") One of the main
treatments used for those who suffer from PTSD is medication. However, negative side effects
tend to go hand-in-hand with the use of drugs, and they can also be extremely expensive to
obtain. Two medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for PTSD are
paroxetine, or Paxil, and sertraline, commonly known as Zoloft, which are both classified as
antidepressants. Several of the most common side effects associated with antidepressants like
these are nausea, headache, sleeplessness or drowsiness, agitation, and sexual problems. The
FDA also issued a warning on antidepressants, and "in 2004, the Food and Drug
Administration... conducted a thorough review of published and unpublished controlled clinical
trials of antidepressants... The review revealed that 4 [four] percent of those taking
antidepressants thought about or attempted suicide... compared to 2 [two] percent of those
receiving placebos." ("Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)") Other side effects associated
with alternative medications to treat PTSD include memory problems, medication-dependency,
weight gain, and a higher risk of obtaining heart disease and diabetes.
In order to avoid the financial, emotional, and physical effects related to the use of
assorted medications, service dogs are both an effective and natural solution. There is specific
training dogs must undergo in order to become a PTSD service dog, and different organizations
will customize this training to tailor to the needs of the individual seeking a service animal.
Canines 4 Hope, an organization that offers PTSD Service Dogs and PTSD Service Dog
Training outlines this training in an article found on their website under the topic of PTSD
service dogs. Canines 4 Hope states, "Training main include providing environmental assessment

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(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." ("Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD Service Dogs")
Another organization, the Pet Partners Organization, provides a brief explanation on how one
can go about obtaining a service dog: "There are a variety of ways you can go about getting a
service animal. Some organizations raise, train, and place service animals, while others solely
train the animal for you or assist you in training the animal yourself." ("Service Animal FAQs")
The benefit in this is if a victim of PTSD already has a dog of their own, they can undergo their
pet in the process so they can become a service dog, rather than needing to adopt and get used to
an entirely new canine. And if an individual who suffers from PTSD does not have a dog already
of their own, it would be very comforting to know there are dogs available to adopt that have
already gone through training and are ready to fulfill the needs of their potential owner.
A powerful story showing the evident effects of dog therapy comes from a woman named
Jenny (pictured at the beginning of this proposal) who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder. Jenny was imprisoned in her house for a total of eighteen months, and she had taken
various medications in order to relieve her disability, yet none of them helped her to get over the
fear of being alone in public. Jenny could not perform the simple task of going to the grocery
store, which would send her "into a full blown panic attack." ("Jenny's Story") Jenny felt she
needed a friend to accompany her wherever she went, and the inability to be alone sent her into a
very depressed state. Jenny explains the constrictions of her disorder had put her in a rut of
which she had no idea how to escape. However, this changed when she was acquainted with the
owner of Canines 4 Hope, Jason Devito. Jason guided Jenny to the perfect dog, Kiera, a twoyear-old rescued German Shepherd. Through Jason's PTSD training, Kiera is able to alert Jenny

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when she is experiencing a panic attack. Jenny says Kiera has completely changed her life by
giving her a sense of safety and confidence, as well as lifting Jenny out of bad spirits. Most
importantly, Kiera has played a major role in helping Jenny to conquer her fear of being alone in
public. Jenny explains Kiera is responsible for changing her life for the better, and she has gained
the confidence to enroll in school, something she was too afraid to do before. Jenny's experience
is only one of many success stories PTSD victims have shared in relation to their experience of
owning a service dog.
When it comes to the benefits of service dogs, they are numerous. PTSD Service Dogs
are able to "help adjust serotonin levels, help lower blood pressure, help with episodes of
depression, provide companionship, calm their handler, [and] prevent people from crowding
around or rushing up on their handler." ("Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD Service Dogs)
PTSD service dogs are also able to assist an individual in a critical medical situation, offer help
with managing overwhelming emotions, achieve tasks dealing with security, and provide
assistance related to treatment. Studies have shown the use of service dogs to greatly help
individuals "achieve specific physical, social, cognitive, and emotional goals." (Turner)
Overall, one of the most effective and natural ways to help combat the effects associated
with PTSD is to turn to dog therapy. The negative side effects and financial costs of numerous
medications can be avoided, and a long-term companion filled with unconditional love is gained.
Although PTSD is not a disorder with a cure, the assistance of a canine can greatly reduce or
eliminate the effects that go along with it. It would be a great recommendation to anyone who
suffers from PTSD to consider a furry friend who will guide them on the path of healing.

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Works Cited
"Jenny's Story." Canines 4 Hope. Canines4Hope.com, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)." National Institute of Mental Health. USA.gov, n.d.
Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD Service Dogs." Canines 4 Hope. Canines4Hope.com,
n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
"Service Animal FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)." Pet Partners. 2012 Pet Partners, n.d.
Web. 30 Sept. 2014.

Stecker, Tracy, Ph. D. "Why Dogs Heal PTSD." Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, LLC, 30
July 2011. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.

Turner, Judith. "Pet Therapy." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, Inc., 2005. Web. 30
Sept. 2014.