Anxiety, Depression, Military, Navy, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Esteban and Tango

From our trainer Andrew, who is working with Wounded Warrior Esteban, who suffers from PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

I had my first session with Esteban to find him the right dog to begin his Service Dog journey. He requested meeting SDIT Tango from our Assessed Dogs section, and they bonded extremely well right off the bat! Tango seemed to take to his new home and new “dad” almost right away! My mother, Service Dog Express trainer Beverly, trained Esteban’s roommate’s Service Dog Sassy for Wounded Warrior Jason, and these two amazing warriors seemed to become good friends immediately as well – and that is how Esteban decided he could benefit greatly from a Service Dog! Our first session simply consisted of going over basic obedience and taking baby steps towards going for walks by teaching “wait” and patience at the door. It will not take Tango and Esteban long to learn what they needs to, as Tango is very intelligent and Esteban is very dedicated. They are going to be a great team!

At our second session, we began working on commands such as “watch me”, and correct heeling positions. We worked a little more on waiting at the door with patience before going for a walk – Tango gets very excited! But they are both beginning to understand the importance of patience before going out. We really emphasized the “mark” word during this session, and I explained the difference between “wait” and “stay”.

El Paso, PTSD, TBI, Texas

Ed and Edison

From our wonderful trainer, Terry, who lives in El Paso. He is working with handler Edward, who suffers from PTSD and TBI, and his SDIT, Edison!

Terry writes:

“Today, I conducted Service Dog Training covering these following fields; “Sit Command”, “Down Command”, “Controlled Load and Unload into and out of Vehicle”, and “Socialization” in crowded and non-crowded areas. Both handler Edward and his Service Dog in Training, Edison, performed very well in the all the areas mentioned! Edison seemed very poised and confident in all public areas visited. Edward has the proper verbal commands down very well, as well as having good leash control when working. These two are working hard, and it shows!”

Warmest regards

Terry

Mobility, New Mexico

Suzy and SDiT Jake

From our trainer Michelle, in New Mexico. She is working with Suzy, who suffers from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in her left leg, which is going into the right foot now.

“I met with SDIT Jake and handler Suzy yesterday in Alamogordo, New Mexico. We spend the approximately 30 minutes just reviewing items that needed to be handled and gone over as an overview. Our last meeting was before Thanksgiving 2014.

Jake is now 9 months old, and is a handful at times. Since there was a 2 month hiatus, we worked on regaining Jake’s focus and “leave it”. I am happy to report Suzy’s husband is now back from deployment, and readjusting at home with the family and Service Dog.

During my observations, I noticed Jake not listening to Suzy, but instead, following her husband Ted and watching him. I believe that Jake will do fine, he just needs to be reminded that he has to focus on Suzy first. I reminded Suzy that she needs to reinforce that bond between her and Jake. Jake may be focusing on Ted to make sure all is okay with him after his deployment.

Jake knows when he is working the vest is on. He is a little timid of the new laminate flooring that is being laid down in the house. Since he had an episode where he slipped once, he really does not like walking on it or on the floor in the kitchen. We began using baby steps with positive rewards for his movement into the other rooms with the laminate flooring. (Was cute, like watching a dog on an ice skating rink).

When we stood in the kitchen, Jake would not enter, and was good about listening; however, Jake believes it is okay to scavenge for scraps when the kids get up from the table. Although he prefers to not enter the kitchen, Suzy would like for him to be able to escort her through the kitchen into the laundry room. She is going to work on the invisible barrier for the kitchen when the kids are eating, and making sure all leftover scraps are cleaned up.

Jake has had accolades of praise from the doctors and physical therapists when he joins Suzy at appointments. The staff even ask first if they may approach! After working on “leave it”, and trying to get him to refocus on Suzy when Ted walks in and out of the room, we ran Jake for about 15 minutes, and he did great. Lots of encouragement for him to “bring” and “give” the ball. It was very rewarding when Ted gave Jake a can of soda and he “brought” the soda to Suzy (in a round-about way) – but it is definitely a start!
Suzy is now back to the grindstone, and working with Jake. I am excited to report that he will begin official training for his CGC, even though we know its not required; this will begin in March.

WOOHOO!!!! Great job Suzy, keep up the awesome work. I look forward to seeing how Jake does when he begins his “Puppy training.”

Agoraphobia, Austin, Depression, Experience, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas

Letter from Emmett and Daphne

A beautiful note written by one of our amazing clients, Emmett. We are SO proud of you, Emmett and Daphne!!!

My name is Emmett Luka and I have struggled with PTSD for the past 5 years. Currently I am a double major at a very competitive liberal arts university and my goal is to teach Spanish at the high school level. The past semester in particular was incredibly emotionally and psychologically taxing. At one point, I did not leave my room for 5 days due to the overwhelming anxiety and paranoia. I knew something had to change.

In November 2014 I was given the information for an agency called Service Dog Express. After speaking with the CEO and founder, Laurie Gawelko, I was able to arrange a meet and greet with one of the assessed dogs that was being fostered by Cherry Jenkins, with In Dogs We Trust. Meeting Daphne was one of the best moments of my life. I knew instantly that she was the partner I wanted and needed.

Over the past few months, Daphne and I have done extensive training. Some of it with trainers through the agency but a good majority of it on our own.

At first, Daphne had a few triggers of her own such as motorized sounds, small spaces, and large rod like objects. Now, Daphne can walk past the patrol buggies that roll around my university. She will willingly go into the Men’s restroom and stall with me, and does not shy away as much if someone has a broom or assistance cane.

She really is the best medicine. On the days that I cannot find my way around or home, she guides me there and sits with me until the feeling of disorientation has subsided.

She is very attuned to me and the reactions I have to triggers. Just the other day I was working a night shift and suddenly became very distressed. Daphne immediately hopped up next to me, set her head gently in my hands and did not move a muscle until I was calmed. That type of behavior is not one she was trained to do, it is simply her knowing me on an incredibly deep level and willingly offering the best she has.

Words cannot express how proud I am of her for all that she has accomplished. Nor can they express how thankful I am for all that she does for me. I am proud to be her handler and I am extremely honored that I was paired with such an exceptional partner.

People always say, we are the ones who rescue dogs from shelters, but I think they are the ones to rescue us.

Army, Military, Mobility, MST, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Denise and Sandy

From our wonderful trainer, Brenda, who is working with Denise. Denise is a Vietnam Era Veteran with PTSD due to MST while on active duty. She also got hurt in basic training, which over the years led to her being in a wheelchair. She can walk and stand for short periods, but not much more.

“Denise, her SDIT, Sandy and I spent the first half of the session with Denise showing me all the things they had been practicing since our last session. Sandy is now doing exceptional at “sit”, “down”, “sitting back up from down position”, and “watch me with verbal and hand commands and without treats”; “waiting” for her treat when she does get one; she is “heeling” perfectly either next to Denise or just in front of her wheelchair. Sandy is now much better when she sees a dog or cat – no longer barking, and Denise can get Sandy’s focus back easier. I gave her some suggestions to fine tune her training even more. Denise needs Sandy to be able to go on the bus with her, so to prepare for that, we practiced with my wheelchair-accessible van. I was inside, lowered the ramp so Sandy would know to “sit/stay” while it’s lowered and get used to the sound, and then Denise would give her the command to “load”. She caught on quickly, so we will go on the bus the next session.

At the next session, we worked on public and bus training. This was Sandy’s first time on a bus and in the store. Sandy waited patiently for the ramp to come down and wasn’t bothered by it! I entered/exited the bus, first backwards to help coax her while Denise told Sandy to unload. She was very nervous and unsure the first time, but did much better on the return trip. She laid down and was perfect on the ride! At HEB, Sandy and Denise entered perfectly. At first, Sandy was a little distracted by the people and smells, but by the time we left, she wasn’t paying much attention to anyone or the food. She mostly stayed where she was supposed to and will do better navigating as she learns “left and right”. Denise is starting to work on that with her.

I dropped something loudly while I was rolling behind them to create a distraction. Sandy glanced back to see what the noise was, but didn’t stop walking! She was very patient while Denise looked at things and waited in line. I was very impressed for Sandy’s first time in HEB and on the bus! She is quickly catching on to what is expected of her and I anticipate her being even better when we work on it again this weekend. They are such a pleasure to work with!

Anxiety, Epilepsy, San Antonio, Texas

Amanda and Diezel

From our trainer, Andrew, who is working with Amanda, who suffers from epilepsy and resulting anxiety, and her SDIT, Diezel.

“This session was the first we have had since before Christmas, so Amanda, Diezel and I worked on focus (“watch me”) and passive attention (which teaches a dog to defer to its owner. It works because it incorporates signals that dogs use to communicate about their relative roles in their natural social systems. It works well on when training owners of dominant dogs.

Diezel has issues with focus. So, I went straight for a warmup exercise that I learned from Sophia Yin’s techniques. It consists of the dog and handler on leash facing each other; then the handler, with perfect posture, backs up fast enough so the dog has no chance to hesitate yet slow enough so the dog doesn’t get pulled, and far enough so the dog has a chance to get going without running past the handler and defeating the purpose of the exercise. The dog is then rewarded for sitting directly on front of the handler, then again for remaining seated, then once again for keeping attention on the handler, and once again if the dog looks away for a second and returns attention to the handler.

Service Dog Express's photo.

We then we worked on a “reorienting exercise” where the handler stops at the threshold of any new environment, allowing the dog to go in first. The exercis

e is done in a way to train the dog to reorient its attention to the handler by looking at them as soon as they cross into a new environment. When the dog goes in first, as soon as he turns his head in the direction of the, the handler marks and rewards the dog and continues on with the exercise. Remember that the head turn is what we are marking, not the eye contact. This teaches the dog to use the handler as a land mark instead of getting lost in its surroundings upon entering a new environment i.e. a grocery store, home depot, etc… We then worked a little off-leash and my dog Penelope demonstrated that and some waits and stays.”

ADHD, Agoraphobia, Air Force, Anxiety, Army, Asperger's, Austin, Autism, Bipolar, Cerebral Palsy, Coast Guard, Conversion Disorder, Dallas-Fort Worth, Depression, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, El Paso, Epilepsy, Experience, Fibromyalgia, Houston, Hypoglycemia, Lubbock, Marine, Medical Alert, Military, Mobility, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Navy, Pain Management, Panic Attack, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Psychiatric, PTSD, Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Schizophrenia, Seizure, TBI, Texas, Tourette's Syndrome, Veteran, Waco, Wounded Warrior

Assistance in the Rio Grande Valley and more

This is a message from our exceptionally brilliant and compassionate trainer, Jacqueline (Jackie). Her life’s passion is to help Veterans, and she asked us to post this for all Veterans, especially in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), if they need help.

I have been a graduate psychologist at the VA down here in the RGV. After working in 3 different VA health care systems, I have seen the great need for Veteran care and have seen both good (actually excellent) and bad ways VAs are run and treatment is provided. It is with an EXTREMELY saddened heart that I can no longer allow myself to provide a lower level of care to Veterans than what they deserve, nor be forced into functioning in a treatment setting that is providing unethical care.

I LOVE my work with Veterans and see such a huge need for this to continue, but as I leave, I also see several other amazing psychologists leaving as well due to the same challenges. I continue to see a need for Behavioral Health Care in the Rio Grande Valley, with Veterans and Civilians alike. After 11 years of schooling and 7 years providing Behavioral Health (BH) Services, I was completing my licensure requirements as a psychologist to provide the highest and most comprehensive options out there, however, despite the need for services in the RGV, I ran into several dead ends for finishing this last piece. However, I am willing to put my own final step on hold to help two communities (Veterans and anyone in the RGV) in need of BH services.

I hold a Masters Level License in the State of Texas that allows me to practice independently (but with some restrictions from what I would have had with my psychologist license and obviously at about 1/3-1/4 of the pay). I am hoping to make some things come together over the next month or two (and will probably be open to picking up random general labor work as my student loans have gone into effect and I incurred debt moving from Idaho to here), but am hoping to offer TeleHealth (similar to Skyping but in a much more secure system) and/or in home therapy/animal assisted-therapy services here in the RGV at hopefully a fraction of the cost of some other places (most likely on an income based sliding scale fee basis) since I will not be accepting insurance and I am wanting to reach a larger population of those in need.

That being said, minus the in-home piece, I am able to offer this TeleHealth service within the scope of my practice anywhere in the state of Texas. I am most wanting to reach Veterans as I know for many, wait times between treatment sessions is 2-3 months in several facilities throughout the state. However, I am also really wanting to service Civilians in the RGV and throughout Texas. I am NOT bilingual unfortunately, but have a considerable amount of understanding of the RGV culture, the Hispanic Culture, and the Texas Hispanic Culture.

For those of you who may know of people who may be able to benefit from this, please feel free to contact me. I will gladly share my extensive training and treatment experience with anyone who requests this, and am hoping to start this as an option for the community within the next two months.

Please contact me at: Jacqueline Kappelman

Anxiety, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas

Kathy and Olla

From our trainer, Andrew, who had two sessions with Kathy, who suffers from PTSD and anxiety, and her SDIT, Olla:

During this session, Kathy expressed to me that Olla has been having focusing issues. So, for the first part of the session, we did warm up exercises to get Olla’s energy a little spent. Next, we worked on heeling, and our basic obedience. Then we worked on some passive attention; allowing Olla to look at other things and rewarding her for returning her focus to Kathy. We then worked on engagement and more behavior conditioning . We wrapped up our session practicing a lot of “leave it” and obedience, including “watch me”s.

At our next session, we worked on more complicated forms of the warm ups, and then I introduced them to the reorienting exercises. Then we had Olla rest in the park for a few minutes. After a short reprieve, we continued with heeling and focus sessions and then went back inside to practice “find your place” and then some basic obedience. I brought my dog Penelope as both of them get along famously. They got to play a little in the end as a reward for performing beautifully… Olla is progressing slowly but surely!

El Paso, PTSD, TBI, Texas

Ed and SDiT Edison the Great Dane

A wonderful write-up from our trainer, Terry, in El Paso, who is working with Edward, who suffers from PTSD and TBI, and his Great Dane, SDIT, Edison!!  Terry writes:

“Good Day Edward & Edison!

I would like to thank you for our Saturday Dog Training Session.

 Leash Control: Was very good when you, Edward, gave your SDIT a command. You were in a great position for this execution, and you both did the action in unison.

Canine Drive: Edison has a strong desire to please you, Edward, the initiative to do great things, and stamina to make all of that happen. You also possess similar desires and motivation, coupled with the ability to control and maneuver him through his daily duties as a Service Dog.

You did well on the following tasks listed; Heeling through the building, Six foot recall on lead, Sits on command, Downs on command, and noise distraction.

I can tell that you and Edison have been doing a lot of work together. Please keep up the good work.  Please continue to work on the proper commands for each test areas.

This next session will include the following commands listed below.

  • Off lead
  • Approaching a building
  • Socialization with other dogs
  • Passive, active, and hand commands. All dogs should honor your commands verbally and with hand gestures.
  • Controlled unit and Load unit vehicle

Edward and Edison – I look forward to our next session! See you then!