Page 947 - Total War on PTSD

personalities aren't going to clash, then you know it after a few days...and that dog could be a good Service Dog for you. Steve, the trainer who I did all of my training with, he said he could tell the first morning. What they do is give you the dog and you go over to the guest house with the dog, and the dog’s food, and she knows to go outside to use the restroom. And they pretty much, for the next 36 hours say that they will not come and bother you whatsoever. So, you are given that time to get to know the dog...and for the dog to get to know you. So, the first day we came in to do training they could already tell that we were a good fit.
There wasn't really much break-in time with our Chihuahuas either. One of them is pretty old, and bumps into everything so all she knows is that she bumped into Charlotte and probably thought it was a wall and then went somewhere else. The other one, it took him a day or so to adapt to it. Charlotte's a lot younger so she just wants to place and he has more of a 'I don't know about you' attitude. So, they get along now. If Charlotte had her way, they would play together a lot more than they do. They would be in the backyard and Charlotte would try and catch up to him, and end up booting him across the yard. Because she is so much bigger, we try to discourage it somewhat.
She acts as a brace for me or, if I have fallen, she helps me to get back up. She will lean into me as a hug and act as a brace when my balance fails. Sometimes, if we are giving her scratches and she is really enjoying it she will lean into you. If she REALLY likes it, she will keep leaning and she will literally knock us over if we don't stop. She walks with me wherever I go and has improved my ability to interact with the world as a disabled Veteran.
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