The Unique Bond Between Veterans and Their Therapy Dogs
Veterans and their therapy dogs have a very unique connection. Many veterans view their therapy dogs as their best friend and constant companion that helps them cope with life after military service.
Veterans often tell us that their therapy dog has helped them cope with their mental, emotional, or physical disability, and drastically improved their quality of life. Without the connection to their therapy dog, they might not have recovered the same way.
The unique connection veterans have with their animals is attributable to the true companionship and comfort that dogs can provide veterans. In this article, we are going to discuss how this unique bond develops between a veteran and their therapy dog.
The unconditional love shared between veterans and their therapy dogs
A veteran and their therapy dog’s bond is created by their unconditional love for each other. A therapy dog can offer a veteran unconditional love, something that a veteran may not have experienced for some time, or is struggling to find after serving.
A therapy dog is trained to support the veteran’s needs and offer constant companionship. A furry friend will always greet their veteran with a smile and a wagging tail. A therapy dog often turns into a constant and loyal friend. Unconditional love and support can allow space for the veteran to properly recover and cope with their ailments.
Understanding their veteran’s ailments
As we mentioned above, a therapy dog is specifically trained to address a veteran’s unique situation such as mood disorders, or assist with physical disabilities. A therapy dog is always fully supportive of its veteran and is able to help them through the hardest days.
A veteran that is lacking a support system that offers a complete and full understanding will find solace, companionship, and an unbreakable bond with their therapy dog. It can be difficult for veterans who experience mental disorders or physical disorders in combat to find full and complete understanding outside of similarly situated people.
Companionship
Lastly, a veteran and their therapy dog develop unique bonds because they offer each other constant and fulfilling companionship. A veteran and their therapy dog typically spend day in and day out together.
A unique and unbreakable bond is formed from going through daily life together. A therapy dog can offer a veteran a shoulder to cry on and a tail wag to rely on to brighten their day. And in return, a therapy dog can count on their veteran for food, exercise, and daily love.
The bond is real between a veteran and their therapy dog
All in all, a veteran and their therapy dog are in a unique situation to rely on and be understood completely by each other. That unique situation fosters and grows a unique bond between a veteran and their therapy dog.
If you are a veteran looking into a therapy dog to assist you in coping with your mental, emotional, and physical needs please reach out to a veteran’s organization such as the VA, or a therapist to help you through the process.
Therapy dogs need veterans just as much as veterans need therapy dogs! You could be making a big difference in your therapy dog’s life, just as the therapy dog could make a difference in your life.