National Museum of the Pacific War's War Dog Program Sheds Light on Four Legged Heores

On Saturday July 13th the National Museum of the Pacific War hosted a local group of Wounded Warriors and their therapy dogs from the TADSAW (Train a Dog Save a Warrior) program.

Program Director of TADSAW Bart Sherwood and his dog Colonel who was recently inducted into the Texas Animal Hall of Fame for his work as a therapy dog; discussed the program and the training that the dogs go through, and the important roles that the dogs play in the warriors daily lives.

The museum was honored to have three combat veterans and their dogs present to discuss their personal experiences dealing with handicaps and PTSD with the help of their dogs. Each veteran gave a brief talk about their time in service, their injuries, and how having the TADSAW dog had saved their life.

Lacky, a war veteran who served as a bomb dog and his handler Dennis Blocker gave an emotional presentation about their time at war and the PTSD the Lacky now deals with. "Roughly 10% of war dogs return home with PTSD", Dennis said. When talking about the lack of knowledge and understanding about what the dogs deal with.

While the topic was heavy on the heart, the feeling in the room was warm. When Lacky returned home he had a litter of 13 puppies and all but one had found a home. A couple sitting in the audience, a retired Army Security and his wife who had trained German Shepherds talked with Lacky's handler and have since adopted the young female German Shepard which they named Nimitz.

The Train a Dog Save a Warrior program unites wounded warriors, suffering with PTSD, with homeless, rescue shelter dogs, who are evaluated and deemed viable, to nurture a healing and rejuvenating bond between the two. The result is a positive, non-judgmental, unconditional relationship desperately needed by both.