Page 938 - Total War on PTSD

Even with Maggie, and she's kind of hyper...Shepherds usually have a little more 'juice' than the rest of them...but even with her being hyper, when I come in on days when I don't feel good, she will get up and lay on my chest. I think she just knows. All these animals help in their own way. We have the horses and a 150-pound pot-bellied pig named Rosebud that runs around here. They all have been here for me...this is all therapy...every bit of it. Sam actually raised Rosebud. When she was a baby, if Sam laid on the floor, or on the ground outside then Rosebud would be sure to lay as close as she could to him. Maggie and Rosebud are best buddies because they will take turns chasing each other until Rosebud gets tired and lays down, and then Maggie will come over and lick Rosebud in the face. They've all been therapy for me, they really have. Like I said, the biggest thing for me with the PTSD is learning what causes it, learning your symptoms, and learning your triggers. Once you know all that, you can deal with your issues because you know what's going on and how to deal with it the best you can.
I'll be honest, I think the dogs saved my life. If you really want to know the truth...I've really got somebody...or rather two somebodies (Sam and Maggie)...to watch my back.
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