Wednesday, February 09, 2011

My PTSD Dog



This post is brought to you by the anxiety attack that the Super PTSD dog Sadie interrupted last night.

So I am obviously still training my dog, but her medical training is all complete. She does amazing things for me (listed below), now if only I could get her to do the "little" things. LOL. She's a perfect example of a service dog, walking with me, sitting next to me, doing her medical duties, etc. But when not wearing her vest she doesn't always listen. *sigh* We're working on that.

I felt as though I should share her story with you as I love sharing her story. From scared abused dog who had to be carried into the yard to go to the bathroom to dog who walks proudly around campus when she has her vest on (without her vest I doubt she would).

She is a 3 year old abuse rescue American Pit Bull Terrier. Because she has PTSD and her momma has PTSD we got her a patch for her vest that says "PTSD DOG." :D Surprisingly I don't mind telling people that yes I do have PTSD, but I do get persnickity when they ask me how I got it. The patch on top of her back says "Service dog access required."

I originally just rescued her because I knew what an abused dog needed and I love pitties. But when she interrupted my first anxiety attack I knew that she may be able to help me in other ways with my PTSD/Bipolar/Depression. Here's what she did during my first and subsequent anxiety attacks: if I'm sitting or lying down she'll put her paws on my chest and paw at me until I make eye contact with her and start interacting with her. This brings me back to the present and out of whatever hell hole of the past I am stuck in. If I'm standing she paws at my legs and stands on her hind legs leaning on me (which she has been trained not to do) until again I start to interact with her - not just brush her off, but really solidly connect and interact with her. She knows when I'm about to have an anxiety attack (I don't know how, but she does) and she knows when I'm just going through the motions of interacting with her and when I'm really connecting with her and being pulled out of my head.

Since I realised she could do this, she has been taught to bark when it's time to take my meds, she nudges me in bed in the morning when my alarm goes off to get me to get out of bed at least to walk her which usually prevents me from staying in bed all day, and she comes out with me in public (we're still working on socialisation - that part takes about 6 months and she's strides ahead of where an abused dog should be, I've only had her since August). I feel like I can go so many more places now - I'm not scared to go out in public.

I ***HIGHLY*** recommend a service dog for people with PTSD. Here's a story of a PTSD dog. Let's just say I see my Sadie in there.


UPDATE: Here's Sadie's story on Stubbydog.org. And here's her complete background since she was rescued.


P.S. We went to the American Bully Kennel Club show on January 29th in Tampa. It was so fun being around all those pit bulls and pit bull lovers! Plus SADIE WON 1ST PLACE FOR BEST RESCUE:

1st place winner!



I don't know what I'd do without her - she makes my life so much more liveable.




8 comments:

  1. I love pits. Always have and always will.

    I am constantly amazed by what animals can do. It sounds to me like you are both very lucky to have each other.

    What a great story.

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  2. That is too cool! I love this story. And I'm glad to read your words here again -- I'd wondered how you were doing :)

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  3. Anonymous31/3/11 12:08

    my pup athena is going to look like your sadie! how do i know? bec her mother looks EXACTLY LIKE sadie.

    hooray for pits. they get SUCH a bad rep and its all for naught. also im so glad that you too found each other and that she's helping you

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  4. Anonymous3/5/11 05:31

    I read your comment about what happened at the Overtime. It seems that SC has a law about serving alcohol on Sundays which the bar gets around by claiming it is a private club. Hmm. Grounds for revocation of liquor license?

    http://www.yelp.com/biz/overtime-clemson

    I know this way of thinking is nasty but no nastier than the way you were treated.

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  5. What a beautiful story - I got pretty choked up reading it. Dogs are such intuitive and caring creatures and you are a very perceptive and loving person to adopt this precious animal. I hope your healing will continue to build though Sadie's love. Bless you both.

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  6. It is a beautiful story and thnks for joining it to Disability Blog carnival which is posted now at Not My Disease.

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  7. Glad I found you at Dis carnival - lovely photos of beautiful caring intuitive Sadie

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  8. i think i and my fiance just met you on the street! we both have ptsd and were so interested to learn about your dog!

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