'This Able Veteran' Service Dog Visits Eureka

Man's best friend is sometimes also a soldier's best friend.

"There's no way I'd be here without her," said David McCarthur, a wounded, former U.S. Marine from Imperial, MO, as he perused the Patriot Arms gun shop in Eureka Saturday at the store's grand opening event, with a four-legged companion.

McCarther said he was recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which includes challenges with getting out in public crowds. His service dog, Dilylah, gives him the courage to do so, he said.

Dilylah was McCarther's black labrador pup, and she received exclusive training from a nonprofit group called This Able Veteran. The entity was founded by Behesha Doan, who is chief trainer and TAV president. She also owns Extreme K-9, a Carbondale, IL-based professional dog training business focused on training both working dogs and pets, and rehabilitating problem behaviors.

Everyday activities, such as going shopping, or to a ballgame, to class, to meals with family, or getting on a plane, are things veterans with post-trauma often cannot do. Just the simple act of driving can trigger flashbacks, indicate medical professionals.

McCarther and Dilylah just had graduated from a special, certified training program in Illinois the night before the gun store's special event Saturday. He said Dilylah received six months of training, and they did three weeks of training together.

According to the TAV website, training service dogs for veterans living with PTSD or traumatic brain injury (TBI) requires very specialized knowledge and skills, in both the trainer and the dog. These service dogs must possess a perceptive nature, a courteous, compliant temperament and an intuitive spirit to perform their work independently when the veteran is in crisis. Trainers must learn to identify and evaluate these unique dogs, train them to recognize and interrupt the behaviors associated with anxiety responses, panic attacks and nightmares.

McCarther said this unique training is valued at $30,000, but that it does not cost veterans. He said the cost is greater for those who need to locate a dog in addition to the training.