Service Dog Training by Service Members/Veterans: Reflections on the Need for Empirical Evidence

Five members of an interdisciplinary team reflect on the development of a service dog training evaluation designed for service members/veterans with PTSD.  We describe the process of working together as a team to learn the principles of dog training and the practicalities of designing a human-animal intervention in order to generate empirical evidence of the human-animal bond.

[1]  E. Martinsen,et al.  Farm Animal-Assisted Intervention for People with Clinical Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial , 2012 .

[2]  Mary R. Lee,et al.  Service dog training program for treatment of posttraumatic stress in service members. , 2012, U.S. Army Medical Department journal.

[3]  R. Barker,et al.  Research on benefits of canine-assisted therapy for adults in nonmilitary settings. , 2012, U.S. Army Medical Department journal.

[4]  Arthur F Yeager,et al.  Definitions of animals used in healthcare settings. , 2012, U.S. Army Medical Department journal.

[5]  Jan Shubert Dogs and human health/mental health: from the pleasure of their company to the benefits of their assistance. , 2012, U.S. Army Medical Department journal.

[6]  Ingrid C. Hendrix,et al.  Service dogs and people with physical disabilities partnerships: a systematic review. , 2012, Occupational therapy international.

[7]  D. Marcus,et al.  Animal-assisted therapy at an outpatient pain management clinic. , 2012, Pain medicine.

[8]  C. Taft,et al.  Couple and family issues and interventions for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. , 2011 .

[9]  Lori Friesen Exploring Animal-Assisted Programs with Children in School and Therapeutic Contexts , 2010 .

[10]  S. Bannister,et al.  A Qualitative Study , 2009 .

[11]  S. Pettingell,et al.  Animal-assisted therapy as a pain relief intervention for children. , 2009, Complementary therapies in clinical practice.

[12]  M. Olmert Made For Each Other, The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond , 2009 .

[13]  Tyler C Smith,et al.  New onset and persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder self reported after deployment and combat exposures: prospective population based US military cohort study , 2008, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[14]  A. Kazdin Parent Management Training: Treatment for Oppositional, Aggressive, and Antisocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents , 2005 .

[15]  J. Coyne,et al.  Posttraumatic stress disorder and current relationship functioning among World War II ex-prisoners of war. , 2004, Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association.

[16]  Shirley G. Fitzgerald,et al.  Benefits of assistance dogs: A review. , 2002 .

[17]  S A Zapf,et al.  The development of an instrument to match individuals with disabilities and service animals , 2002, Disability and rehabilitation.

[18]  D. King,et al.  Male WarZone Veterans ’ Perceived Relationships With Their Children : The Importance of Emotional Numbing 1 , 2002 .

[19]  M M Camp,et al.  The use of service dogs as an adaptive strategy: a qualitative study. , 2001, The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

[20]  P. Cardon,et al.  A qualitative study. , 2001 .

[21]  J. Bradshaw,et al.  Provision of Service Dogs for People With Mobility Disabilities , 1998 .

[22]  Lynda A. King,et al.  Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale: Evidence for the Dimensionality of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. , 1998 .

[23]  D. Riggs,et al.  The Quality of the Intimate Relationships of Male Vietnam Veterans: Problems Associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder , 1998, Journal of traumatic stress.

[24]  D. Weiss,et al.  Problems in families of male Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. , 1992, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology.

[25]  Lawrence L. Martin,et al.  Designing and Managing Programs: An Effectiveness-Based Approach , 1990 .

[26]  Lynette A. Hart,et al.  Socializing Effects of Service Dogs for People with Disabilities , 1987 .

[27]  D. Foy,et al.  Vietnam combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: analysis of marital and cohabitating adjustment. , 1985, Journal of abnormal psychology.

[28]  J. New,et al.  Developing a Multidisciplinary Pet Placement Program for Community-Based Elderly , 1984 .