Combat stress dogs help to put soldiers at ease

The Leaf Chronicle | January 12, 2008 | SPC. RICK L. RZEPKA 1st Brigade Combat Team

[Kaslin]

The article can not be posted due to puplisher's copywright complain. To read the article

Go here

[billorites]

Well, the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII operated their “comfort stations.”

[Kaslin]

That’s about the dumbest reply of the day

[Doogle]

related story, same pooches found here with pics
also more info...

http://www.guidedog.org/vetdogs.htm

[Slings and Arrows]

Ping!

[junkman72]

It’s early yet, give’em a chance.

[Kaslin]

Thanks for the link

[maine-iac7]

Battle co of the 173rd Airborne, in the he*l hole of Korengal Valley, had a camp dog, "Tank", who provided this small piece of normalcy - and warned them if anyone was trying to sneak up on them. Tank was featured in the ABC film about Battle Co. - The barbarians got a hold of Tank, tortured him so badly that, even tho' he was able to crawl back to camp, they couldn't save him. It was a big blow to the troops - and they don't dare get another one.

Tank's dog tags now are worn by the troops when they 'go out'

[Larry Lucido]

due to puplisher's copywright complain.

Maybe the "puplisher" needs a stress puppy. ;-)

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

While this is good, I wonder what the long term prospects of the program might be. That is, the soldiers will go home, but without “their” dogs. This might be a problem.

It might be better to have a program like this back in the US, and with the understanding that if a soldier and dog bond, that adoption is an option.

I can imagine a long term care facility that is half hospital-therapy spa, and half animal shelter. After some matching, the soldier is “assigned” a dog that is “his responsibility”—something for him to focus on instead of himself. The dog would live with him, and accompany him through his therapy.

Psychologically, this could put soldiers in a very healthy, nurturing state of mind that would be superb for healing both body and mind.

[Kaslin]

The Leaf Chronicle is owned by Gannett corporation, and articles can not be posted as per publisher's copywright complain.

The Leaf Chronicle, or as most here in Clarksville call it the Laff Chronicle was a nice little news paper before it was sold to the Gannet corporation about 20 years ago

[Tailback]

I’ve seen these dogs over here. They were staying in one of the tents our generator was hooked up to. They’re trained to be very friendly and it was nice to see them. It kind of threw me for a loop at first because the only other dogs over here I’ve seen are the police dogs and they’re not exactly friendly.

I think it’s a really effective type of therapy because these dogs were absolutely mobbed by people as soon as they went outside the tent. Can you imagine what the dogs think? They’ve got to be happy as a pig in....mud.

[capt. norm]

I've heard that interaction with a pet can lower ones blood pressure.

I do know this, when I come home from a rough day, sit down at the computer and my cat, "Panther" (she looks just like a min-panther) gets on my lap and starts purring, I can feel all the motor nerves in my body relax.

I would hate to think how much Valium (or the tranquilizer du jour) it would take to reach those same results.