A New type of dog to Assist with PTSD / Anxiety
Guardian PTSD / ANXIETY
MSAR is introducing a new type of dog to assist with mental health recovery. It is now available after our successful test pilot project with veterans, first responders and the general public. We offer a fully trained Guardian Dog for PTSD / Anxiety with task training included to assist with managing anxiety / ptsd. This type of dog is not a service dog but a trained guardian and trusted friend that can also provide nightmare interruption, compression or emotional regulation to name a few task options. This dog is for the person confident enough to go out in public spaces but doesn't want the attention of a service dog, or has a job that would not safely allow a service dog to be present.
These types of dogs are generally German Shepherds and other large guardian breeds and fit a needed niche for people working on their mental health recovery. They are trained in full obedience, off leash capability, crate trained, socialized, protection trained (which includes house checks and sweeps for intruders) and have tasks to assist with ptsd or anxiety. This dog does not have public access rights like a service dog but is a different tool from the recovery resource tool box to fit the needs of people in their mental health recovery journey. These dogs are being very well received and the orders and interest have greatly increased - here are some testimonies from the pilot project.
Please contact MSAR if you are interested and to get more information on the program and if it can suite your needs. MSAR has a long history of helping people with ptsd and understands the unique challenges that it provides to people simply just trying to move on with their life. Please share if you know someone that this might help.
Participant Testimonials
“ I had an amazing fully trained service dog from MSAR which helped me tremendously to get over the hump of being in public so for my next dog I wanted something to assist with me feeling comfortable and safe at the house since I feel I no longer require a dog to go in public. I have conditioned myself to my public trips which were short anyway as I’m more of a home body. This new type of MSAR dog a beautiful German Shepherd that I have received has helped me to take the next level of my treatment and bring the comfort, safety and security that I wanted at home and they can provide some nightmare interruption, compression and is a wonderful companion - thank you so much MSAR for taking the next step in helping veterans and first responders move on with their life. I love my service dog it was totally needed for me but this is the next step for me thank you so much I love this dog.”
Steve (Canadian Forces Veteran)
"I am the survivor of domestic abuse my first MSAR service dog was amazing and it was the anchor that I needed to give me the confidence to take care of my kids and move on with my life. For the next dog I needed for my recovery I entered into the new MSAR guardian dog program - this dog is amazing he’s fully trained off leash completely crate trained, socialized, is great with my kids but has the ability to wake me up from nightmares, de-escalate me when I get overwhelmed from emotions from the trauma that I have received and is also there to be a good friend and guardian of me while I sleep. I got a beautiful German Shepherd that has seamlessly fit into our life - I now can go in public with the kids with confidence on my own but when at home or around my house and area - the dog is there. I love this new type of dog and it’s great to have a German Shepherd trained by professionals that come from policing and military canine background and have extensive experience in training a German Shepherd. This is next step in my treatment thank you so much MSAR I love this !!!!"
Tracey (general public)
"
I needed something to help calm and regulate me but I did not want a dog to be in public with me. I just didn’t want that extra attention of having a service dog in public. So after discussing it with MSAR I decided to try one of their new guardian dogs for ptsd. I requested a German Shepherd since I was familiar with that from the RCMP and this dog has made all the difference in adding positively my life.
I continue to test my boundaries and go out in public I feel confident and comfortable enough to do that and to build up my exposure time going out in public but I don’t want to be on spotlight by having a service dog. I needed the dog when I was by myself or around my house on my acreage or area and this fits perfectly for what I needed. To have a dog that’s fully off leash trained and socialized, yet can wake me up in the middle of the night if I’m having a nightmare, guard my family and myself while I sleep - this is it what I needed in my mental health plan. Thank you so much MSAR and in particular George Leonard for listening to me and providing exactly what I require in my new guardian dog thank you, thank you!
"
Darren (RCMP retired)
" I decided to go with both - I received my MSAR service dog which is amazing and it has changed my life but there were still some things that I needed to add to my mental health plan that the companion guardian breed fits perfectly. When I go out in public I take my lab perfect for service work to help control me, provide support that I need to carry on in public and when I’m at home my guardian dog kicks in and provides that additional support for safety and security around the house. I live in a remote area and wanted that extra peace of mind and it’s great to have my service dog for out and around and my guardian dog for home and around my area. They are a great combination and a solid team for my mental health plan …thank you MSAR for helping me get my life back."