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New Wireless Tech Helps Service Dogs Battle Veterans’ PTSD

Canine Companions will be announcing new technology, this week, that allows trained canines perform tasks like taming anxiety and interrupting dreams, after receiving wireless notifications.

Canine Companions has provided TechNewsWorld with information about the CanineAlert technology, which is meant to integrate into a service dog’s training in order to minimize trauma-related nightmares. This includes those that are experienced by military veterans who suffer from post-traumatic-stress disorder (PTSD).

The technology is not just about interrupting nightmares. According to the company, it also speeds up the recovery of the veteran. A service dog will initiate tasks that reduce anxiety and hypervigilance, while supporting them post-nightmare.

The company noted that since receiving their service dogs veterans have reported improved sleep patterns, including better sleep, a greater ability to stay asleep, and a higher quality of sleep. These improvements demonstrate the effectiveness of this device in improving sleep patterns, as well as their overall quality of living.

“Service dogs have been specifically trained to help an individual with a physical disability,” explained Kerri RodriguezAssistant Professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona.

She told TechNewsWorld that psychiatric service animals can be trained to help individuals who suffer from mental illnesses such as autism or PTSD. “In the specific case of PTSD, psychiatric dogs can be taught to interrupt or alert an individual’s anxiety or provide calming deep-pressure, retrieve medication, and wake the individual up from nightmares.”

“We also know that in addition to their trained tasks, dogs are excellent at providing nonjudgemental and supportive support which can be helpful for people who have suffered trauma,” she said. For someone suffering from PTSD, a companion dog and its comforting presence is therapeutic.

Veterans can now enjoy a new sense of independence

Lindsay Grayson is the chief revenue officer of K9s for Warriors, in Ponte Vedra, Fla.

These commands include “my 6” where the canine watches for anyone approaching from behind the vet.

Grayson explains how vets suffering from PTSD are often hypervigilant. They worry that someone is sneaking up on them. She told TechNewsWorld that “the commands give them the feeling of safety and security, knowing the dog will watch their back and alert them if anyone is approaching.”


Grayson stated that K9s for Warriors enlists a majority of rescue dogs as service dogs. Dogs must be able to meet certain weight, height and temperament requirements in order to do what is required. As an example, a veterinarian can place up to 30% of his weight on a dog in order to get it to stand from a seated or kneeling position. “For this reason, we choose larger dogs,” said she.

She said that the training of a dog can take between five and eight months. The success rate for rescue dogs is around 50%. She explained that this is because “we don’t know the history of a dog before it was brought to a shelter.” Sometimes, they have their anxieties.

Improve your quality of life

According to Canine Companions’ patent for their technology, the handler of a service canine will wear a device that monitors one or more physiological parameters. The monitoring device can be a watch, fitness-tracking device, band, necklace, or patch incorporating a computer.

The handler’s monitor is paired with a device which can send a first and second haptic alarm to a service animal trained to interrupt PTSD episodes.

The patent explained that while the service animal is trained to monitor its handler for specific actions or behaviors indicative of a PTSD episode, there are times when the service animal may be distracted by the environment — loud noises or crowds, for example — or the handler may not have any outward appearance or characteristics of distress. If a dog is resting or sleeping, it may not be aware that its handler has PTSD.

The patent stated that, in addition to being wirelessly connected with the alert device for the dog, data stored on the device of the handler can be transmitted to an online portal for long-term analysis and storage. Data can be stored and shared with a physician or other third parties such as a trainer, counselor or counselor. They can then use the data for research, monitoring or adjustments.


Canine Companions claims that its service dogs have had a significant impact on the quality of life for its veteran clients. Over half of the veterans use nightmare interruption tasks and recovery at least once a week or daily. Of those who use these tasks:

  • 85% of people report a reduction in nightmares or night terrors.
  • 89% of people say they feel more comfortable in a different location.
  • 88% of respondents report that they feel more comfortable in their bed.
  • 70% say they are more comfortable sleeping with or without a sleep protector.
  • 76% say that they have improved in terms of falling asleep, staying awake, and having less nightmares after receiving their service dog.

Service dogs offer healing and hope to veterans

Rodriguez stated that research indicates service dogs may be beneficial to veterans suffering from PTSD.

She said that “our research found that compared with veterans waiting to get a service animal, veterans who are placed with a dog service have significantly lower PTSD symptoms, depression and anxiety symptoms.”

“Having a dog that can help you with your daily tasks is associated with a reduced sense of social isolation, better resilience to stress and heightened life satisfaction,” said the expert. While service dogs do not cure PTSD, studies have shown that they are associated with a better overall well-being compared with usual care.

Grayson pointed to the fact that service animals can have medical benefits as well. When a veteran joins our program they may be taking anywhere between 14 and 20 medications. She explained that the medications were for anxiety, insomnia and other issues. When they get a pet, that reduces the need to take those medications.

She added that “studies have shown service dogs to be able to bring their handlers’ cortisol level to a normal condition.” Chronically elevated cortisol is linked to a range of mental issues including depression, anxiety and PTSD.

A service can impact the mental health of a veteran. Grayson says that “studies show a service dog can give veterans purpose.” When a warrior has suicidal thoughts, they’ll say, ‘I can’t leave my dog. Who will look after my dog? They may not want to get up every day, but will get up to walk and feed the dog.”

“We’ve learned over time that dogs can help veterans regain the dignity and freedom they enjoyed before serving in the military,” said she. They’re no longer dependent on medications and are happy.