FLASHBACKS
Flashbacks can happen when sound, smell or sight causes someone to relive a traumatic experience. A person suffering from a flashback may only give off small physical signs like disassociation or a shift in eye focus. It may be hard for people to notice these signs, but dogs are able to pick up on the subtle shifts in focus. A service dog is trained to intervene when a person is suffering from a flashback to direct the attention back to a positive environment.
A service dog will need to be trained on what method it should use to intervene with the individual suffering from a flashback. Dogs can jump, bark, wine, nudge, or have other physical interjections that can shift focus, but depending on the individual these actions may not be the best fit. That is why at Paws of War we continue the training process with you to make sure that your service dog has the right skills and practices to positively interject themselves during a flashback.
