A PTSD Story: Gavin

[shireen]

Gavin used to work for the ATF. In 2005, he spent 45 days in Iraq. When he returned home to Florida, he was further traumatized by two hurricanes that threatened his home. Following that, "the formerly fearless Gavin started exhibiting severe symptoms of  terror and began to shut down." He would crouch behind furniture, trembling. He cowered in a shower stall during the 4th of July fireworks. He's afraid of any loud noises, like smoke detectors.

Gavin is a Labrador Retriever.




I just heard about him in the Cesar Millan newsletter. There's going to be a show about him on the December 21st Dog Whisperer, on the National Geographic channel.
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/dogwhisperer/sneakpeeks.php


I wonder if Cesar could help people with PTSD too, some kind of dog therapy program.

[Berry Cool]

1. Can you blame the poor dog?

PTSD has got to be hard enough to deal with when you're a human being and you know, intellectually, that there's no reason for you to keep ducking every time you hear a car backfire. And the hurricanes at home can't have helped either.

What a challenge it must be to take a dog like this and rid him of his anxiety.

[madokie]

2. I'd like to spend a few days with him and our dog

I think it might do him and I both some good