Supportive / adjunct
Task-trained dogs (wake from nightmare, create space in public, interrupt panic). Different from an emotional-support animal.
Help with functioning, sleep, and public access is better supported than “cures PTSD.” Not a manualized trauma protocol.
K9s for Warriors, Warrior Canine Connection, Canine Companions veteran tracks, and peers. Long waits. ADI accreditation is a quality signal.
Standards vary. A companion animal is not a service dog. Housing and airline rules are not the same as training quality.
Evidence reviewed September 2026. Named sources are being added room by room; start with VA/DoD PTSD guideline (2023) for first-line care.
