NORTH TEXAS – Canine Companions has placed approximately 400 dogs nationwide and 60 dogs in the South Central region since 2015. A new partnership with the Texas Veterans Commission will now help even more of our nation’s heroes.
Retired U.S. Army Sergeant April Duckson-Jackson served the country for eight years.
“In my case, my wounds are not physical,” Duckson-Jackson said.
Now she has a constant companion at her side who helps her treat the wounds that no one can see.
Rhapsody Jalapeno is a two-year-old Labrador-Golden Retriever mix that Duckson-Jackson got in July through Canine Companions.
“For me as a veteran and PTSD sufferer, Rhapsody is not just a companion. She helps me build my confidence,” Duckson-Jackson said.
“If I’m disturbed by a nightmare, she can pull on the blanket to wake me up,” Duckson-Jackson said.
Thanks to financial support from the Texas Veterans Commission, veterans can afford more service dogs like Rhapsody.
“This is the pilot program for the Texas Veterans Commission scholarship, so this is the first year they’re doing it,” said Laura Manning, director of philanthropy at Canine Companions.
The Texas Veterans Commission will donate $100,000 per year to Canine Companions, an organization that breeds and trains service dogs for veterans and people with disabilities.
“Canine Companions is proud to provide these dogs to the veterans at no cost,” said Manning. “The veterans have given so much to us and our country.”
The service dogs are trained to do everything from picking up pill bottles to retrieving phones to turning on lights. They also learn to recognize and respond to signs of fear.
“This helps you love him and provides a form of depression therapy. They can be trained to respond to different signals. A common one is the leg jiggling,” said Canine Companions dog trainer Makenzie McGuire.
Trainers teach service dogs how to make veterans feel comfortable in public.
“Many of our clients feel uncomfortable in large crowds. Having the dog behind them like this gives them more space,” McGuire said.
“After just a few weeks of having her, I can honestly say that together we will break down barriers,” Duckson-Jackson said.
Rhapsody is much more than just a service dog for Duckson-Jackson. For the veteran, it’s a way to feel safer as the pair move forward together and look to the future with confidence.
