Paws for Purple Hearts pairs meticulously bred, lovingly raised, and thoroughly trained assistance dogs with their ideal Warrior recipients using a scientifically rigorous matching methodology developed by the Bergin University of Canine Studies. We train and place three types of assistance dogs. Service dogs are trained specifically for a Warrior in need of mobility and/or psychiatric support. Facility Dogs can be found in a VA, DOD, or similar facility visiting veterans to bring joy ... Read More
Paws for Purple Hearts pairs meticulously bred, lovingly raised, and thoroughly trained assistance dogs with their ideal Warrior recipients using a scientifically rigorous matching methodology developed by the Bergin University of Canine Studies. We train and place three types of assistance dogs. Service dogs are trained specifically for a Warrior in need of mobility and/or psychiatric support. Facility Dogs can be found in a VA, DOD, or similar facility visiting veterans to bring joy throughout a facility. Finally, Specialist Therapy Dogs work with a clinician to improve the patients' response to treatment. We are also at the forefront of the overwhelmingly successful implementation of Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy®, a unique and life-changing canine-assisted therapeutic intervention that we developed in cooperation with the Bergin University of Canine Studies.
Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy® is an innovative therapeutic service-dog-training program that teaches Veterans and active-duty military personnel with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) the skill of training service dogs for Veterans with war-related injuries. According to a study published in the Quality of Life Research, the use of psychiatric service dogs with patients who have mental disorders is well researched. Studies show that under stressful conditions, the presence of a dog is effective at reducing stress responses in healthy adults, adults with hypertension, and children with attachment disorders (Emre Umucu, 2020). Our program is voluntary and is used as an adjunct to a wide range of PTSD treatments, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and/or medications. In addition to Canine-Assisted Warrior Therapy®, we also provide social therapy programs, which use the unique skills of our canine friends to bring comfort and joy while reducing stress in the lives of America’s heroes. Versions of these programs are developed for both Veterans and Active Duty Service Members.
Hide Full Text
