Some War Dogs Get PTSD

Kind of Hero" his picture still  brings tears to my eyes when I look at him so proud and handsome.  I find

almost all dogs exceptionally wonderful and loving- and certainly the dogs we train for war are this and

more.  As they are asked to perform in war, some of them come home battered and bruised.  Some also

come home with an all too common affliction of many of our soldiers --Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

(PTSD). 

 

Ddoc  the pictured dog is a Belgian Malinois who is presently a retired military working dog. The double

letter in his name signifies that he was bred to be an MWD at Lackland Air Force Base.  I surmised that 

MWD stands for Military War Dog. 

 

Sgt. Chloe Wells of Fayettesville, N. Carolina- pictured with him on the cover is a Behavioral Health

therapist who deals with the trials of soldiers who suffer PTSD.   She ultimately would be the one who

would help Ddoc to overcome this terrible affliction --PTSD.  He was one of 650 canines who have served

in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Here they worked as sentries and scouts, sniffed out bombs, and cleared

buildings while protecting our soldiers. 

 

These dogs are tough and brave and loyal, but of course, they are not immune to the horrors of war .  Now 

Ddoc was in need of a loving home.  The family who had adopted him wasn't able to keep him.  While their

reasons weren't given, I believe they probably couldn't handle Ddoc's PTSD.

 

Even though Sgt. Wells (Chloe) had two other dogs and recognized she wasn't a professional handler, she

and her husband took in Ddoc-at least til another home for him could be found.  The husband wasn't too

happy to get yet another large dog to care for.  But Chloe reminded her husband that Ddoc was a veteran

and they owed him that much at least.

 

With Sofie and Ranger ensconced in another room -- at least temporarily, they put Ddoc in the living room

by himself and laid down a blanket for him to lay on.  They watched Ddoc tense as he started to sniff the

room as though he was still on a mission -- clearing the space for anything dangerous.

 

Finally, he relaxed and lay on the blanket.  But then  BOOM!  The house shook from the practice rounds of

artillery being fired at Bragg- some 40 minutes away.  Poor Ddoc -  while Sofie and Ranger were quiet in

the other room Ddoc jumped up and frantically circled the coffee table, stopping to listen intently for what

might come next.

 

Trying to calm him, Chloe told him that it was okay now.  It's all done.  But it was as though he didn't hear

her and shaking, he didn't even look at her.  He was clearly some place else.  She realized it was the same

intense and haunted expression -- the paralyzing fear she would see in the soldiers she counseled.

 

Even Jeff felt sorry for Ddoc and said that this poor dog was really suffering and hurting.  Yes, she said that

she hadn't known about this problem before.  That night she called Ddoc's former handler in Afghanistan

and learned what happened to Ddoc while there.

 

She then relayed to Jeff what happened in Afghanistan :  "Just a few months go Ddoc was out on patrol with

his handler, Mike.  There was motor fire.  Ddoc and Mike were blown off their feet.  Mike landed on top of

Ddoc.  He tried to return fire but Ddoc wouldn't let him.  He dragged Mike to a ditch and stood guard over him

until it was safe to go back to the base.  Ddoc spent the night under Mike's bed.  He wouldn't stop trembling."

 

Ddoc was never the same after that.  He refused to come out from Mike's bed when Mike got his gear to go to

breakfast.  He wouldn't go on patrol.  Now they knew they had to send him home.  Even though Mike and Ddoc

found 14 IEDs which saved a lot of soldiers' lives, Mike didn't think he would ever be able to work again.

 

It would be a long protracted training by Chloe to bring peace and tranquility into Ddoc's life, but even though

he would almost be glued to her leg every time they went even for a walk, in time Ddoc began to heal.  She tells

of all the things she did to make him less fearful and more excepting of Jeff and the two dogs Sofie and Ranger.

And that day finally came when he showed signs of healing- especially when Chloe found Ddoc snuggled next

to Jeff on the floor. 

 

Chloe's wonderful patience with him worked wonders, and now she is even training him to be a therapy dog. 

There is so much more re her daily struggles with Ddoc in this post.  It even tells of the success Chloe had in

taking him to a crowded memorial for Fort Bragg's Military working dogs.  To her relief, it came off without a

hitch. 

 

I shared this Guidepost with my sister and others, but I knew I had to share Ddoc's story with those of you who

don't get the Guidepost.  It gave me a very good feeling to know that there are people like Chloe and Jeff who

feel an obligation to help our returning war dogs like Ddoc who need it.