Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) impacts veterans, first responders, abused children , victims of violence, accident victims, victims of bullying, etc. This devastating psychological/neurological disorder affects every aspect of a person’s life. It is an unescapable state of anxiety, anger, and hypervigilance, which can lead to isolation, depression, panic attacks, and even suicide. PTSD Intervention Dogs recognize anxiety through body language, heart rate, and hormonal changes (like adrenaline and cortisol spikes) and interrupt their escalation. These dogs will wake their person from a nightmare, disrupt a flashback, alert to people approaching, and block people from getting too close + more than 60 Public Access commands and behaviors.

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SDA trains service dogs for disorders that require assistance for balance, walking, and wheelchairs such as MS, Dysautonomia, joint and muscular disorders, and Spina Bifida. Mobility and Wheelchair Assistance Dogs can open and close drawers and doors, retrieve items that are out-of-reach and turn on lights. They are proficient in fall alert, assistance with walking (with a harness), balance, and stability. Their support allows a person with mobility issues to live an independent life and lessens their dependence on others, giving them new security and confidence. 

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Diabetic Alert Dogs (DAD) smell any changes in blood sugar and alert to the change. Alerts for these dogs are “sequenced” from gentle nudges to check meters to frantic barking to getting help. These DADs combine consistent low or high glucose alerts with safety assurances for the person and their family at night, in school, or when traveling. They are a reliable back up system that does not require a battery or a needle!

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Seizure Alert and Assistance Dogs will attempt to rouse their handler and/ or alert to a seizure. Dogs are trained to stay with their person in public areas if they should fall and have a seizure. At home, they can be trained to either press an Alarm Button OR go and get help.

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SDA trains Service Dogs for children diagnosed with certain types of Autism, including Asperger’s Syndrome. Service Dogs for Autism are proficient at intervention techniques. These highly skilled intervention dogs alert to anxiety and stop the progression of escalating thought patterns that lead to disruptive behaviors, undesirable stem patterns, and panic attacks. Patterns that are consistently disrupted and unable to complete their cycle cause the brain to rewire itself to produce different outcomes. These consistent interventions can create sustainable change. 

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SDA Facility Dogs are trained for intervention tasks and to work with multiple people. They are chosen for this particular training when their personalities are confident enough to work off-leash without direction. They must be able to act independently of their handler when they seek out the children/people who need them. 

Facility Dogs are awarded to schools, youth facilities, Juvenile Probation Officers and Judges as courtroom and interview dogs, and State Agencies where stress is prevalent daily such as Police Departments, Fire Departments, and departments managing crime or human trauma.

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