Bandit

Bandit

Service Dogs are trained to help people with many different things, one of them is helping people with PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is not only from war but it can be from witnessing a violent crime, being a victim to a violent crime, abuse, etc. Service dogs are also trained to help people struggling with PTSD . They are trained to help their owner when they are having a PTSD episode. Service dogs that help with PTSD can help prevent nightmares, encourage exercise, help prevent social isolation, and more.

In an interview with Bob Hunter who is someone who has PTSD and a Service Dog named Bandit, I learned in greater detail how service dogs change people’s lives. Bandit is not like any other service dog, however. Bandit is deaf.

Bob and Bandit’s story began when Bob was looking for a Service Dog. Bob’s sister in-law was Bandit’s owner. Bandit was born deaf and Bob’s sister in-law was very worried where he might end up. Bob told her that he wanted a Service Dog and that he would like Bandit. He got Bandit and since then he’s had him since he was 12 weeks old. Bandit has been working for Bob since May of 2016. “First of all he’s a Border Collie, Border Collies are the smartest breed of dogs hands down” Bob said. “ I tease people that there are Border Collies and then there are just dogs.” Bob and Bandit have a special way of communicating since Bandit is deaf. They communicate with hand signals. Bob explained to me that Bandit was not trained professionally, because Bob was trained to train Bandit. Bobs said that it took him about 15 minutes to teach Bandit each command.

Bandit does not wear a vest. Bob explained that whenever Bandit is on a leash he is on duty, when he is off leash he can play. Since Bandit does not wear a vest people assume that he is a pet. Once Bob and Bandit were denied access into a restaurant because he was not wearing a vest, the manager assumed he was a pet. Service Dogs do not need a vest to indicate that they are a Service Dog, and Service Dogs are allowed anywhere that the public can go. However, if Bandit got overstimulated and got out of control then the restaurant has the legal right to ask them to leave, but if Bandit is acting calm and like a Service Dog should then they can not be denied in.

Since Bob has PTSD, Bandit needs to be able to help Bob when he is having an episode, nightmare, or panic/anxiety attack. When Bob had nightmares Bandit would wake him up and comfort him. When Bob is having an episode, panic/anxiety attack Bandit’s job is to distract him. When I asked Bob how does Bandit know when you need help, he answered “That’s the $64,000 question.” “People believe that it take months to train a Service Dog to respond to someone's triggers,for Bandit it took him like 15 minutes and he got it.” Bob does not plan on getting another Service Dog after Bandit, he believes that Bandit has already helped him enough and does not need another Service Dog.