Study finds bond between military veterans and their service dogs unusually strong
Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Merrick Pet Care, Newman's Own Foundation, release study examining the outcomes of service dogs paired with military veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Feb 20, 2019, 12:00 ET
PONTE VEDRA, Fla., Feb. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- K9s For Warriors, the nation's largest provider of Service Dogs to disabled American veterans, announced the publication of a new study in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Service. The study conducted by the Purdue University College of Veterinary Science validated the commonly held belief that veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) enjoy an unusually strong bond with their Service Dogs. The study also found that Service Dogs - or in the case of K9s For Warriors, rescue dogs trained to be Service Dogs - enjoy working and show no signs that being a "working dog" dampens their enthusiasm for life.
The researchers used general linear models to analyze an online survey of 111 veterans (M = 40.1 ± 8.3 years, 80 percent male) regarding frequency of training methods, PTSD symptom severity, service dog behavior, and the human-animal bondi. The findings demonstrate positive outcomes and a stronger human-animal bond with the use of positive training methods at home.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-finds-bond-between-military-veterans-and-their-service-dogs-unusually-strong-300798979.html
