If you’ve ever noticed a dog in public, calmly maintaining its composure while wearing a vest labeled “Service Dog: Do Not Pet,” it’s likely a working service dog. These dogs are trained to provide essential support to their handlers, allowing them to navigate various environments and situations.
Service dogs perform a range of tasks, from assisting their handlers in crossing streets safely to helping them manage anxiety and depression. This specialized training enables individuals, like military veterans, to regain independence and engage in activities they might otherwise avoid.
“I’ve seen people go from being homebound to being able to attend their children’s school events and travel, which is something they never would have been able to do” without a service dog, stated Sarah Kasper, program manager of Wausau-based Patriot K9s of Wisconsin.
Kasper shared, “They don’t need to rely on another person as long as they have their dog with them. I’m so happy that we’re able to give them that kind of freedom,” during a recent interview on WPR’s “The Lee Rayburn Show.”
Since 2017, Patriot K9s of Wisconsin has been instrumental in training 130 service dogs specifically for military veterans, providing not only companionship but also emotional support to their handlers.
Kasper explained, “Our dogs are trained to help veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress syndrome, traumatic brain injury, or military sexual trauma.”
She elaborated, “We teach our dogs to recognize a change in the behavior of their handler. We all have a tell when we get nervous or angry or upset. Your eye twitches, you start breathing heavier, start shaking your leg or chewing your fingernails. We work with veterans individually to identify what that thing is for them, and teach the dog to recognize it.”
Once the dog senses a behavioral change, it nudges the handler to indicate a need for a break, Kasper noted.
The nonprofit also trains these dogs for “deep pressure therapy,” where they apply pressure on their owner’s chest or lap to lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone. Kasper mentioned, “Twenty minutes of deep pressure therapy has two hours of benefit. It can be used like a preventative medication before a stressful situation.”
Training service dogs is a significant investment, both in time and money. Starting with puppies as young as eight weeks from service dog lineages, the training spans two years, followed by an additional seven months or more of joint training with their veteran handlers.
Despite the high cost of up to $30,000 per dog, these service animals are provided at no cost to eligible veterans, with funding sourced from the federal Wounded Warrior Service Dog Program and private donations.
Currently, 26 veterans await service dogs, and plans are underway to expand training facilities in Wausau to meet growing demand.
