Dogs are very healing and yes they are truly our best friends. I love them....

Hi again. Haven t written in a while but we just brought our puppy to be evaluated by the shelter that sold him to us and we found out that he isn t traumatized, but insecure. Sure had us worried for a while. He likes to manipulate and has me wrapped around his claw. Anyways glad that you agreee that dogs can have PTSD too.

My chow/rott "baby" is the only reason I can go outside and ever feel even the least bit safe - so protective of me and lets everyone know it. I, too, am so very grateful for my canine angel.

Grace

I often think of my dog as my angel, too. They are special animals.

Hi Dshanks, I am fglad that your puppy's p[roblem is not as severe as you thought. What I advise you is to get the pup checked by the canine behaviorist or hire a good dog trainer for him. Manipulative dog in the house is unpleasant for all, so inappropriate behavior should be corrected ASAP. Good luck!

Years ago, in an attempt to help me with the agoraphobia aspect of my PTSD, my therapists (two separate ones) agreed together that getting a dog would perhaps "pull" me out of the house by having to walk it, shop for it, trips to the vets, etc. Fine...Ive always been a dog lover, had several growing up...sure...
so i find a beautiful AKC miniture pomeranian....tinest little thing ever...4.6 lbs at full grown weight..1.4 ounces when we bought him home at 8 weeks...no bigger than a cigarette pack ya know?? he had his playpen in the livingroom since he wasssss in fact too small to wander around the house at that time...his little baby front pack carrier that i would tote him around in..and i did in fact take him with me everywhere when i ultimately couldnt get out of it lol....he had all the little silly clothes and yes, even snow boots for the winters....lololol.......had soooo much love wrapped up in him to give it was unreal!!
well, it was wonderful having him, all the laughs and smiles he gave me, but yeah, their theory didnt work. I learned to work around the getting out of the house thing. Somehow i always managed to get someone else to cover things for me. (Inventive creatures when we have severe traumas,arent we all??) It wasnt a complete failed attempt to help me however lolol for the sunshine that lil dawggie bought into my life was invaulable and helped me threw some severe rough times. And altho the original desired results werent as fast coming i suppose as the therapists were hoping for, there was no getting around the fact that Buttons was most definetly a great addition to my "survival toolbox."
Well, now fast forward a few yrs later, and ultimately i did venture out with my lil buddy off and on, (much to my therapists delight lolol) and had some great walks...and altho lil Buttons did unfortunetly get attacked by a coyote while out for a potty break in our (5 ft fenced) yard, he sadly did not survive I cant help but remember how vaulable his friendship and love was too me..then and to this day.
RIP little Buttons....your pictures are still all over our house and we love you and still smile when we think about you. You will forever be missed.

There is also an organization that has therapy dogs for people with Agorophobia. Can't remember the name right now, but I am sure a search would work.

I can honestly say that the day we brought our Boxer home was the first time I slept well it is so nice to feel protected and loved at the same time, while he thinks that he is a lap dog and for those that know how big they get he really isn't a lap dog. Ryder has been my companion when we go out for walks I am not as fearfully of everything, but the biggest thing he is is gentle, quiet patient with my daughter, you know what else he is great for listening to me cry, and not telling a soul. I think that animals play such a huge part in our lives, give yours a pet just for being there.

I am a dog lover also...but..my two burmese cats keep me calm. They accept me as the best of the best. They never repeat a thing I tell them. I think any pet is helpful when you have self esteem issues. They just plain love you. Don't cheat on you. Don't lie to you. Don't hit you..just love you. Wish people were as accepting and fair. Although they do "bully" the dog a little

We have a black lab mix possibly sheppard of some kind. We fostered her at her young age of 2 1/2 to 3 weeks old. Someone abandoned her at a Wal-mart store in 2003. She has since grown to be about 80 lbs and she is wonderful. Her name is: Kimber. She loves hugs and believes she is a lap dog instead of a lab, we know she doesn't spell very well.
However, her vocabulary is large. She loves kids. My hubby suffers from PTSD and he loves her dearly. One day last summer we couldn't find her, he got all shook up and upset. We finally did find her she was under the house where is was cooler. The temps were over 110 degrees f. She like the air conditioned house when it gets that hot. Spoilt, nah...just well loved. ranger loves her very much, as do I. He wants another black lab puppy to raise up and train. Kimber even speaks some sign language, such: as sit, stay, speak, shake.


We have always loved animals, dogs & horses most especially. I feed wild birds and build bird houses for them.

hope you enjoy the love of animals...

donna
aka/wildcritter -- gee I wonder how I ended up with that name.............lol