Page 806 - Total War on PTSD

face to wake me up so that they don't become full-blown. He just knows when things are bothering me.
The instincts that he has, that dogs have, are just incredible. They rely on their instincts to keep themselves alive, that's just the way their brains are geared. Everything that we did in training focused on paying attention to your dog. Although that may seem like a small thing, petting your dog when you aren't anxious helps to build the bond between yourself and the dog. If you feel yourself getting anxious, you need to get control of your anxiety before it gets overwhelming. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't...that's just the way things are. So, what you do is you get your person to focus on their dog...and it's really pretty cool because what you see, or at least what we have experienced is, there are times when people are extremely agitated, and then they go over and pet their dog. They start with quick, agitated strokes...and as they calm down their strokes start to slow down and become less agitated. It helps the person to redirect or manage their agitation in an effective way.
You never know where life is going to take you or what you’re going to get from it. I didn’t realize it at the time but JP became and is beyond important to me. He is my lifeline while dealing with the injuries I have and is an important part of my healing process. He has taught me a lot. He is one of the reasons I try not to let my disability define who I am. I love him with all my heart...I seriously do.
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