Service Dogs: More Than A Best Friend

Ride the wave of hope with Ricochet--the only dog in the world who surfs with wounded warriors, people with disabilities, and children with special needs as an assistive aid and SURFice dog. This tears-to-triumph story takes readers behind the TV and video sensation and shares the true journey that went from promise to disappointment before ultimately finding life's purpose.

After a particularly grisly canine search-and-rescue mission led to a struggle with PTSD, Susannah Charleson credits her healing to her partnership with search dog Puzzle. Inspired by that experience and having met dogs formally trained to assist in such crises, Charleson learns to identify abandoned dogs with service potential, and to train them for work beside hurting partners, to whom these second-chance dogs bring intelligence, comfort, and hope.

Still mourning the death of her previous dog, Sharron Kahn Luttrell decides to volunteer as a weekend puppy raiser in a program for prison-trained service dogs. Daisy captures Sharron's heart the moment she's handed the leash. Keith, the convict who cares for Daisy during the week, seems intimidating at first, but he is soft-spoken and polite. Then Sharron discovers the horrifying crime that led to Keith's incarceration and her faith in him is shattered. Learn how Daisy restores their relationship.

Captain Luis Montalvan returned home from his second tour of duty in Iraq, having survived stab wounds, a traumatic brain injury, and three broken vertebrae. But the pressures of civilian life and his injuries proved too much to bear. Physical disabilities, agoraphobia, and crippling PTSD drove him to the edge of suicide. That's when he met Tuesday - his best friend forever.

Jane Miller, LISW, CDBC, is a clinical psychotherapist and licensed independent social worker. She has worked with NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dog Services) and the Canines for Combat Veterans program for soldiers returning from combat with post-traumatic stress. Miller has appeared in the PBS program "Health Visions: Animals as Healers." Find her at www.healing-companions.com.

Award-winning author Bob Drury describes the work of Paws4People, an organization that trains service dogs to work with wounded war veterans and children with emotional, physical and intellectual challenges.

Coach is a specially trained medic-alert dog who miraculously aids Elle, a young diabetic girl, to live with the daily unpredictability of her disease. Elle's mother, Stefany Shaheen, tells the story of how she her daughter learned to rely on this special dog to save Elle's life.

Elise Lufkin and Diana Walker present moving accounts of "throw away" dogs who are rescued and trained to be service dogs. Some of the dogs are disabled themselves but they can become therapy dogs, reading partners for children, companions to wounded war veterans and perform many other services.

Captain Luis Montalvan never backed down from a challenge during his two tours of duty in Iraq. After returning home from combat, however, the pressures of his physical wounds, traumatic brain injury, and crippling post-traumatic stress disorder began to take their toll. Then Luis met Tuesday, a beautiful and sensitive golden retriever trained to assist the disabled. A unique story about the love between a man and a dog, and how they healed each other's souls.

For over twenty years, Jennifer Arnold has trained service dogs to assist people with physical disabilities and other special needs. Her unique training method is based on teaching dogs to make choices, rewarding them with kindness and encouragement. This is a collection of stories about many of these dogs she trained and the people they helped.

Captain Luis Montalvan never backed down from a challenge during his two tours of duty in Iraq. After returning home from combat, however, the pressures of his physical wounds, traumatic brain injury, and crippling post-traumatic stress disorder began to take their toll. Then Luis met Tuesday, a beautiful and sensitive golden retriever trained to assist the disabled. A unique story about the love between a man and a dog, and how they healed each other's souls.

After a particularly grisly canine search-and-rescue mission led to a struggle with PTSD, Susannah Charleson credits her healing to her partnership with search dog Puzzle. Inspired by that experience and having met dogs formally trained to assist in such crises, Charleson learns to identify abandoned dogs with service potential, and to train them for work beside hurting partners, to whom these second-chance dogs bring intelligence, comfort, and hope.