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Dogs have evolved alongside us for over 30,000 years and earned the title of 'best friends.' They've learned to read our moods and know how to calm us down, says Kerri Rodriguez, a graduate researcher at Purdue University's Centre for the Human-Animal Bond.
As research on the human-animal bond exploded in recent decades, we've been uncovering the science behind that attachment. Within just 10 minutes, interacting with dogs lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones (cortisol), and boosts our cuddle chemical, oxytocin—creating a sense of trust and wellbeing.
Our dogs' knack for consolation makes them invaluable in hard times. 'If (you've) gone through a traumatic event, affection without judgment is incredibly important,' says Kerri, who studied K9s for Warriors service dogs for veterans with PTSD. Those dogs—all rescued from shelters—are trained to spot when their owner is spiraling and how to nudge them back to reality. Dogs also help in other fraught situations, like the aftermath of natural disasters or mass shootings. 'Focusing attention on dogs can be a way of (concentrating) on the present, rather than reliving the traumatic event,' says Kerri.
Working dogs' roles are expanding alongside the mounting evidence of their effectiveness. Today canines are aiding traumatized veterans, teaching empathy to young offenders, helping inmates learn responsibility and skills, comforting victims of catastrophes and mass shootings, and so much more.
Meet one canine assistance dog that's helping children following one of the most traumatic events imaginable—a school shooting.
When the teenage girl's mother pulled her into the family assistance center in 2018 for victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High mass shooting, it was obvious the girl just wanted to be left alone. She paced back and forth, silent and stone-faced, a distant look in her eyes. Her worried mom told FBI staff that her daughter hadn't left her room since witnessing the tragedy. Seventeen people—14 students and three staff members—had been killed at her Parkland, Florida high school on Valentine's Day.
The teenager clearly didn't want to be there. But then a clever, sensitive English Labrador Retriever named Giovanni—Gio for short—broke through her paralysis. The student made a beeline for the dog, pulled up a chair beside him, and started talking to the animal. As she stroked and snuggled him, her stiff posture eased, and she opened up to FBI Agent Melody Tiddle. By the end of the visit, the girl had agreed to speak with a therapist—with Gio present.
The teenager—'an incredibly brave young lady,' says Agent Tiddle—improved with every session over the next three days. She began reaching out to friends for support and processing the incident with the counsellor. 'She was almost a different person,' says the FBI Agent.
The FBI agent credits her canine partner for the girl's turnaround. Gio's presence lowered her defenses, she says. 'He grounded her enough to be able to receive assistance.'
Gio is one of just two FBI Crisis Response Canines deployed to console victims and their families after mass shootings. The dogs shadow FBI staff during hospital visits, death notifications, family briefings, and other agonizing situations.
The canine counsellors come from the non-profit Assistance Dogs of the West, which breeds and trains dogs to support the disabled, court witnesses, FBI employees, and others. Their breeding selects for resilience in unpredictable environments, says the organization's President and CEO, Linda Milanesi. Emotional intelligence is another key quality. 'Our dogs are full to over-brimming with love,' she says.
The organization's training leans heavily on positive reinforcement and is designed to build strong interspecies bonds. After graduating, the dogs get to choose their future handlers. A happy dog will work harder for its human partner, says lead trainer Jodie Densmore. The 'dog sticks with that person and really tries to troubleshoot.'
The dogs have a massive effect on victims of violence. Not only do they relieve stress in the moment, their presence can even reduce the odds of developing long-term post-traumatic stress disorder, says the trainer.
The canines take equally good care of the FBI staff at the Victims Services Division, where they live between missions. 'Our work is pretty heavy,' says FBI Agent Tiddle. On a tough day, she takes Gio outdoors, lobs him toys, and watches him go wild. Just seeing his carefree exuberance flips a bad mood. 'He gives me a way to reboot. I am super grateful that I'm his handler.'
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