August is National Dog Month—a time to celebrate the deep, enduring bond between humans and dogs. But for many of us, that celebration doesn’t begin and end in August. It’s a year-round devotion, forged not only through wagging tails and loyal companionship, but also through service, survival, and healing.
There are times our wellbeing literally depends upon them.
Our companions and helpers
Dogs have walked beside us for thousands of years. They have been bred to be big and small, powerful and powerful-in-spirit. They evolved from animals of the wild to cautious companions entering caves of our distant relatives to being indispensable to sheep herders, hunters and others.
Emotional Service Dogs and Psychiatric Service Dogs: Let’s Compare
Emotional service dogs are probably better known for their work. They provide comfort simply through being at our side. While they don’t require advanced training, basic training is a good idea. They are legally recognized under limited housing protections (such as the Fair Housing Act), but are not allowed in public places restricted to service dogs.
Psychiatric service dogs, on the other hand have advanced training to perform tasks specific to a person’s disability – such as major depression or autism. They are protected under the Americans with Disability Act and can go with their handler in public places such as hotels, college classrooms, restaurants and airplanes.
Both help by interrupting harmful behavior. They may nudge or paw at their handler who is pacing, hand-wringing, or refusing to move. If a panic attack hits, they are trained to lie on top of the person (i.e., considered “deep pressure intervention” or nuzzle their hands or face. They can awaken someone from a nightmare, alert a person to a stranger, or get between them and someone who is upsetting their handler.
If the owner signals they are in trouble, the dog can lead them away from the situation. They can do this because many are able to detect rising cortisol levels (a stress hormone), accelerated heart rate, or shallow, rapid breathing. Over time, their steadiness, helpfulness and companionship alone can help the person cope with severe anxiety or depression.
And then there is this. People do better with structure and a reason to get up and get going. Dogs need walking, feeding, potty time and even play time.
But their Skillset is Even Bigger!
Our human-dog partnerships show up in other, extraordinary ways:
- “Cadaver” search dogs and forensic archaeology dogs are specially trained to locate historical human remains in battlefield graves and towns that have returned to dust. I happened to need one of these amazing experts on my property when I found this unusual rock deep in the woods (on the left). What Riley showed me was that it was really part of a six-foot-wide circle of rocks. (It’s true meaning is a mystery.) Riley came with excellent credentials. At one time she worked with National Geographic as one of the search dogs used to find the downed plane of Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan. They disappeared near Howland Island in the central Pacific Ocean. (The two were last seen in Lae, New Guinea, their last land stop before Howland Island, a very small location where they were intending to refuel.)
- Search and Rescue dogs brave natural disasters, man-made disasters and find the missing in the wilderness and beneath earthquake rubble. You no doubt saw them at work after 911, and in the aftermath of the 7.5 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Noto, Japan on New Years Day, 2024.
- Guide dogs offer independence and dignity to those with vision loss. They also help wheelchair bound handlers close doors, retrieve their phone and create physical barriers in crowds.
- Medical alert dogs can detect seizures, blood sugar drops, or even cancer before symptoms arise.
- Protection from our companion dogs can make the difference between life and death. They prevent abductions of small children playing in their front yard, awaken their owners to a house fire and become the alarm when an intruder is intent on breaking in under their watch.
- Wounded Warriors, returning with the trauma of war, rely upon support animals for assistance with Post Traumatic Injury. They have aided veterans with halting suicide, relapsing on drugs, giving into rage and giving up altogether.
Dogs and our Military Veterans
Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Injury and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) often face invisible battles long after combat ends. Specialized service dogs are trained to interrupt panic attacks, wake their humans from night terrors, create space in crowds, or simply be a grounding presence when the weight of the world overwhelms them. These aren’t tricks—they’re trauma-informed responses.
As someone who has spent decades supporting those affected by violent loss, I’ve witnessed firsthand the quiet heroism of dogs. They don’t ask questions. They don’t flinch from grief or recoil from rage. They just show up—with presence, with patience, with paws.
Whether it’s a Golden Retriever easing a soldier’s flashback, or a scrappy mutt nudging a child toward laughter after unthinkable loss, dogs remind us: healing doesn’t always speak in words. Sometimes, it breathes beside you.
So this month, take a moment to honor a dog—past or present—who’s made a difference in your life. Share their story. Post a photo. Support a service dog organization. Or simply pause and say thank you to the furry soul at your feet.
Want to make a difference to a working dog? Please consider donating to one of these reputable organizations. They coordinate reunifications and rehabilitation for working dogs who have served with our military. I’m honored to support organizations that bring these canine heroes home after service. There is no reason to abandon them after risking their lives. They are not disposable equipment. Knowing that a dog who served overseas can now retire in comfort and reunite with their handler—or find a carefully selected, peaceful, loving home—is deeply meaningful to me.
Please consider a one time or ongoing donation to any of these worthwhile organizations (for any amount you can spare):
Mission K9 Rescue https://missionk9rescue.org/about-mission-k9-rescue/
Paws of War, https://www.pawsofwar.org/
Warrior Dog Foundation, https://warriordogfoundation.org/
Save-A-Vet. https://www.saveavet.org/
These organizations are vital bridges between the horrors of war and coming home to peace for the dogs that serve tirelessly at the side of our veterans. Whenever feasible, these coalitions reunite deployed military personnel with animals they bonded with overseas or provide lifelong care for retired military working dogs if this is not feasible.
Dogs who once stood guard over soldiers now deserve every ounce of rest and joy.
Because in a world of noise and hurt and hurry… dogs offer something rare:
Unconditional love, wrapped in fur.
