From our trainer Terry, in El Paso, who did an initial assessment on new client Wounded Warrior Ethan, and his SDIT, “Shae’mus”. Ethan suffers from severe PTSD, anxiety, and a TBI. Ethan’s wife wrote that since Ethan has been home, Shae’mus already seems to know there is something wrong, and helps my husband when he is sleeping if he’s having nightmares by coming and lying half his body on my Ethan. If they are out in public, Ethan has severe anxiety. Terry writes:

“I performed an assessment on 4 year-old Mastiff mix, Shae’mus for trainability and temperament. Shae’mus passed the assessment perfectly. Shae’mus has some knowledge of basic obedience commands, and executed them to a good degree of accuracy. From observation, I could detect a very strong bond between owner Ethan and Shae’mus, and the dog’s willingness to assist and please the owner. Shae’mus is a fairly large dog, and the living arrangement with another dog in a house was good, as it provided a large backyard for exercising. In addition, the owners take Shae’mus out for walks to allow him some other means to relax and exercise. Shae’mus is excellent with the children inside the home, as well as with the other dog in the family. I checked Shae’mus for any skin discoloration, scars, protruding bones, teeth decay, and any other sign that might indicate a pending health risk; there was none found. However, I did note that the Shae’mus has a slight limp, and the owners have agreed to take the dog to the vet for further observation. I would highly recommend Ethan and his dog Shae’mus for training in the Service Dog Express Program.