Receiving the Call
Erin Teague, Certified Canine Training and Behavior Specialist:
As the proud wife of a firefighter, I know that our service members are called to their careers. It is more than a job, it is a purpose. My husband loves serving so much he almost always has a grin plastered to his face which earned him the nickname "smiling John."
But there is a dark side to the job that changes them. They often try to protect their loved ones from it.
Eighteen years in, layers of trauma had built up. And then my husband was first on the scene at a mass shooting. After this event, he suffered debilitating PTSD. He didn't smile; the light left his eyes. He isolated from my son and me. He wouldn't leave the house except for work. He was quick to anger. He was not himself. I knew it was trauma; I knew he was suffering, but nothing I tried could reach him.
Our puppy, Walter, came home 6 weeks after the mass shooting. It was Walter who reached John and brought him back to himself, our family and his community.
My husband is not alone. I felt this acutely as I watched a badging ceremony at a fire academy graduation. I could see the pride, hope, and sense of accomplishment, both for the service-members and their family and friends.
While I shared those uplifting emotions deeply, I also felt an opposing truth. All of these new firefighters were about to be exposed to trauma regularly. They were about to be changed by the presence of that trauma; and they were about to discover how scarce the resources are to heal these invisible injuries.
I thought, "How can we keep their brave, generous hearts and minds alive and vibrant for themselves, their loved ones, and the communities they serve?"
I knew what Walter had done for my husband and his community. When I dove into the research and discovered abundant evidence that REGULARLY TRAINING DOGS REDUCES ALL SIGNS OF PTSD my career transition was undeniable.
I believe that Walter called me to serve and that my husband's calling as a firefighter ultimately brought me to mine, While I have loved all of my careers prior to being a dog trainer, none of them felt as true to my purpose as this.
John Teague, Firefighter, Life Coach:
"In the beginning, I was not experiencing joy; I thought I was. That was the trauma. I was full send 'I am FINE." When I realized I wasn't having fun around my new puppy that was a wake up call that I was not ok. Even in his playful presence I felt a dark void, a blank numbness. From that place, I was approaching Walter with tension. Walter showed me that if I wanted him to learn from me, I needed to show up in a different way.
There is no cheating it. With dogs, state of mind becomes very apparent. That presents an opportunity to bring awareness and an emotional shift.
Dogs mirror your emotions back at you; they are present moment beings. Walter can meet me where I am at, but also show me that I can be more than I am currently. I learned to ground and be confident in myself so he could have confidence in me.
Once I showed up differently, I started having fun. It felt so good to be able to show up and help Walter grow.
He motivated me to get out rather than isolate and be numb. We feel safer having each other around. He is still the reason I get out and do things more.
He has been with me through the struggles with my healing. I have a sense of calmness when journeying through this with a dog, a sense that I've got this; we've got this. The moment just seems to be deeper.
He continues to provide an outlet to identifying my emotions, but now he is also a window into fun and pride.
At PAWS - Partners Allied With Servicemembers, LLC, our mission is to keep first responders' and veterans' hearts and minds vibrant through relationship with dogs.
We specialize in dog training methods designed to strengthen bonds and communication between dogs and their people, making your life and your dog's life more vibrant.
Located in Boulder, Colorado, we offer expert guidance and personalized programs to help you and your dog level up.
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