Category Archives: Experience

Experience, Military, PTSD, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Wounded Warrior Jose and Jethro

I love keeping track of Service Dogs that were placed over a year ago. Here is a picture of Wounded Warrior, Jose, and his absolutely amazing, unbelievably well-trained, loving, attentive, life-changing Service Dog, Jethro. Jose lives in Del Rio, and was placed with Jethro over a year ago. Jethro received initial amazing training by our former trainer, Tony, with the help of his daughter, Jennifer. Tony already had a fully-trained SD, Lucy (who still is doing a wonderful job almost two years later!). Jose comes to San Antonio often for appointments at the VA, and he always calls to let me know how well Jethro continues to do. He says Jethro has literally brought his entire family back together. Jethro not only is Jose’s constant companion for PTSD and other medical issues, but every day, Jethro does “checks” on all four children in their rooms, morning and night – and will alert Jose and his wife, Roberta, if any of the children are sick, crying – anything. Jose and Roberta have said that Jethro has literally changed ALL of their lives – bringing healing to Jose, and bringing the family closer together. He is one AMAZING rottweiler!!!!! SO PROUD OF YOU, DEAR JETHRO!!!! (He’s on the right side in the picture giving daddy a KISS!)

Anxiety, Experience, Panic Attack, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas

Rachel and Her BFF Piper

An update from trainer Sue, who is working with 6 year-old Rachel who has severe PTSD, and her 6 year old Brindle Greyhound mix, Piper. Piper has been raised with Rachel.

“Piper is a well-trained companion dog, as Rachel’s grandmother showed and trained collies for AKC Conformation and started obedience training with Piper as a puppy.

Piper knows sit, down, heel, cover, come, load and unload, waits and does not cross the front door threshold. She gets along with men, women, other dogs, cats, kids and strangers. Rachel’s mother, Rebecca, takes Rachel and Piper for walks and Piper automatically heels on Rachel’s left side and has been trained to obey Rachel’s commands. When Rachel gets stressed out and distraught, Piper immediately sits or lays with her to allow her to hug her until she is back to normal. Piper sleeps on her bed so that Rachel does not have nightmares. Piper puts the other two dogs that live at the house in check (in a mom dog way) when they are getting too crazy. They have a male Lab/Great Dane mix 2 year old and a 6 month old male Pit-bull/Lab mix puppy.

Rachel has many triggers. She has PTSD and has screaming fits, will freeze and tense up, shuts down and won’t communicate and even will go run and find a dark place to hide when there are loud noises, knocking, sirens, raised voices, fire alarms etc. Rachel can go to PetSmart and PetCo where Piper can go, and Rachel has no episodes as she has Piper there to comfort her. Rebecca cannot take Rachel to Walmart or HEB without Piper without having to leave because Rachel has an episode. Rebecca has to go to school to help comfort or pull Rachel out of her freeze/hiding trances. The school had a fire alarm last week, and Rebecca got called to the school as Rachel ran and hid and would not come out.

Piper seems to only need to refresh her obedience commands, sit stay, down stay and do an automatic sit when you stop walking. I left Rebecca with homework this week to work on these three things.

Rebecca and Susan (her mom) have requested my assistance in helping them get grant funding and would like me to be Piper’s trainer. I think they may be eligible for “SIP” to help them fund vet care and dog training and service dog equipment for Piper. They know that eventually they will need to start training another dog that can step in to be Rachel’s Service Dog when it is time to retire Piper as a Service Dog, but hopefully, that will be sometime down the road. Piper is almost at the point where she can pass her PAT.”

 

Experience, Military, PTSD, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

An Update from Wounded Warrior Donald

A wonderful update from Donald, a Wounded Warrior who was at Laurel Ridge here in San Antonio and adopted beautiful Maximus. He is working with a Service Dog trainer in California. Donald writes:

“I’ve been so busy getting adjusted to being in the real world and military again and training Max. I’ve been training with him daily. We have worked on heeling on my left side. My trainer and I have been really focusing on heeling; for example – Max has at all times to keep his shoulder to my knee when I walk and not have his full body past my knee. We also been working on changing directions and having Max stay in a perfect heel.

In addition, when I stop walking, we are training Max to immediately sit and wait. We are working on having him stay at a spot while I walk away 20 to 30 yards without coming to me while give the command stay. I’ve been walking with him every day to get the motion of him heeling beside me more fluid and natural. There’s some more things we’ve been working on but that’s the major ones. I will send pictures later today when I’m off work of Max. He is wonderful!”

 

Air Force, Army, Austin, Coast Guard, Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, Experience, General, Houston, Lubbock, Marine, Military, Navy, New Mexico, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Waco, Wounded Warrior

Unbelievable kindness

Unbelievable kindness. Ken, a Wounded Warrior who has Service Dog “Mozart”, does this amazing artwork. He is donating proceeds from the sale of it to help wounded warriors get funding for Service Dog training with Service Dog Express!!! THANK YOU KEN!!!!!

Helping Veterans suffering from PTSD the oppurtunity to adopt service dogs to assist in their rehabilitation at no cost
Helping Veterans suffering from PTSD the opportunity to adopt service dogs to assist in their rehabilitation at no cost
Experience, Houston, Military, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Update from Ronnie

A happy update from one of our clients, Ronnie, and his SD, Roxy – sent to his trainer, Kendra!

“Hi Kendra,

Just wanted to update you on Roxy and I. Unfortunately, I have been working a lot so we were pretty limited to where we went except for work. She has been doing great at night waking me up during nightmares! Recently, Marleah and I went to the movies and the Renaissance Festival with Roxy. She did great at the movies – she even put her head between seats to watch the movie. She also did great at the festival; tons of meet & greets and did awesome every time. I’m so proud of her and thank you for all the amazing training.”

WONDERFUL WORK, KENDRA!!! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, TOO, RONNIE!!

Experience, Military, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

HOORAY FOR MAXIMUS AND HIS NEW DAD, WOUNDED WARRIOR, DONALD

HOORAY FOR MAXIMUS AND HIS NEW DAD, WOUNDED WARRIOR, DONALD!!!

After over a month of planning and preparation, Wounded Warrior Donald, who was receiving treatment at Laurel Ridge, finally set off for sunny California with his new SDIT, Maximus! (now renamed “Boris”). Thanks to a great team effort with amazing fosters from San Antonio Rocks and the entire SA Rocks team, Donald spent a lot of time getting to know Boris and bonding – which was instant! Donald’s doctor wrote the prescription for Boris – who got to also meet two other Service Dogs placed with Wounded Warriors staying at the Laurel Ridge facility permanently until discharged.

Donald first saw Boris on our website, and over a month ago started emailing and calling me every day about him! We talked extensively about Service Dogs, their special training needs, his ability to take care of a Service Dog, and general knowledge about having a Service Dog for his PTSD and other medical issues. He read our manual thoroughly, signed our contract promising to take care of Boris for life, and already put me in contact with two Service Dog trainers back in California that have agreed to work with him. I have made contact with each trainer. Donald filled out the SA Rocks application, and they accepted him after professionally confirming that he was capable, ready, and able to take care of Boris – which I know Donald can!

Equipped with all the necessary items, I picked up Boris at 4 am to make it to the airport by 4:30 where I met Donald. We checked in (it was United Airlines – even though I called ahead and arranged the flight), the “supervisor” at the check in desk asked to see Boris’ “paperwork”, to which I answered, “No, I have already called in and arranged with your Disabilities Department that Boris will need no paperwork because he is a medical alert dog”. Then, she said, “I’m going to check on this.” To which I said, “I’m sorry, ma’am, there is nothing to check on. It is illegal for you to deny Donald and his Service Dog entrance onto the plane”. She walked off in a huff. United has always given us the biggest problems. So then, as always, I requested a gate pass to help Donald through the Security checkpoint. We stood in an EXTREMELY long line, very nervous about making it to our gate in time – and the “greeter” at the end of the line clearly saw the dog – when we FINALLY got to go through security, they said, “Oh – if you have a Service Dog, you get to go through the preferred passenger line and cut through”. Thanks for telling us! In any case, knowledge for you all to know.

We did make it to the gate just in time, and Donald and Boris were first to board. They made it to California just fine, and training begins Monday!!

Anxiety, Dallas-Fort Worth, Experience, Texas, Tourette's Syndrome

Training at Trenton’s elementary school

From our wonderful trainer, Candace, in Fort Worth, who went above and beyond training Trenton and Priddy to pass the PAT!!!

“Today I spent five hours at Trenton’s elementary school. What an incredible day! Priddy, who passed her Public Access Test the previous weekend, did spectacularly! She stayed under Trenton’s desk or close by his chair the entire time. She was alert and aware of the children and classroom movement, but she did a great job of “blending in” as much as she could. Trenton did amazingly as well, both personally and handling Priddy. His symptoms were decreased or avoided!! (Tourette’s and anxiety). Not only that, but Trenton was the hit on the playground during recess. The only thing that Priddy didn’t handle too well was dodge ball!

Their homework is to get Priddy into the gym more around balls so that she becomes comfortable with them. Until then, an area was specialized for her outside of the immediate gym area. What a wonderful day! It was a pleasure being a part of Trenton and Priddy’s debut together in school!”

WHAT A MARVELOUS GIFT YOU HAVE GIVEN THIS FAMILY, CANDACE! TRENTON AND PRIDDY – WE ARE SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! AND WHAT A MARVELOUS WAY TO TEACH OTHER STUDENTS ABOUT SERVICE DOGS!!

Equipment, Experience, Military, Mobility, Navy, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Talk about inspirational people!

Talk about inspirational people!! All of you are such inspirations to us at Service Dog Express!!

Here is an update on 53 year-old Wounded Warrior John, and his 8 year-old SD, Sancho. They keep on truckin! Even though John has suffered many strokes and a heart attack, he still wakes up every morning focusing on the positives in his life – especially the love he has for his best buddy, Sancho. They continue to go on walks with John in his scooter, and some days, John will walk without being in a scooter to keep his legs moving. He takes SUCH good care of Sancho – teeth cleanings, joint supplements, and keeps himself busy by reading all he can about dog training. John has difficulties finding words sometimes because of his strokes, and his memory can sometimes escape him, but nevertheless, he persists and usually expresses more concern about how I am doing when we talk or visit than how HE is doing. What a compassionate, selfless man! Here is a recent update from John’s wonderful caretaker, Mary:

“Hello,
These are the photos I forgot to send yesterday. This is a quiet Walmart. We went here to get some vitamins and flavored water with my sister, Kathy, who suffers from schizophrenia. A few customers noticed Sancho’s adorable shoes, and he attracted so much loving attention! Sancho was on his best behavior – as usual – and everyone there talks about how calm and sweet Sancho is! The bottom picture is John talking with the optician at the Walmart.”

NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Austin, Experience, Texas

Lucia and SD Lily’s Exciting News

SUCH EXCITING NEWS FOR OUR DEAR CLIENT, LUCIA, AND HER SD, LILY!!! THIS IS FROM HER TRAINER IN AUSTIN!!

“Hi Laurie!

I had a session with Lucia and Lily a couple of days ago. The Austin Pets Alive shelter had a videographer following Lucia and Lily around, doing a documentary and they filmed a training session of ours, along with an interview with me! We met at a Target so we could work on distractions and “leave it” in the toy aisle. Lily did well, except there were moments where she was VERY distracted; dogs have off days just like us humans too!

Lily does exceptionally well out in public and I was super happy that Austin Pets Alive had chosen Lucia and Lily to film to show a clip at their upcoming Gala to raise money for animals!”

OBVIOUSLY AUSTIN PETS ALIVE SAW HOW WONDERFUL AND DEDICATED LUCIA HAS BEEN THROUGH HER STRUGGLES AND HER AMAZING WORK WITH HER SD, LILY!!! SO PROUD OF YOU TWO!! THANK YOU TO OUR TRAINER!!!

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Experience, Houston, Military, PTSD, TBI, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

CONGRATULATIONS to Ronnie to SD Roxy

CONGRATULATIONS to Ronnie, a Wounded Warrior with PTSD and TBI, who, with the excellent training of Kendra, passed his PAT with now SD, Roxy!!!

“We met at target to do Ronnie’s PAT. I am SO proud of the hard work and dedication of this team! They did beautifully on the PAT and they PASSED!!! Roxy was born to do this work; as a matter of fact, when I was trying to get a picture she kept getting up to do covers because people were walking behind Ronnie! She just does it without having to be told! These two make the perfect team and are so inseparable, they love each other so much and it shows!!!! Congratulations you two!!!!”