Warriors Heart K9 Program: Healing at Both Ends of the Leash
Healing at both ends of the leash
Most of our K9s are rescued from local shelters. While the K9 learns how to become a support animal, the warrior learns how to train one. Both are finding purpose. Both are building trust. Both are healing.
The Warriors Heart K9 program gives warriors the opportunity to build relationships with dogs during treatment, learn professional training techniques, and for those interested, become the handler and purchase their K9 partner to take home.
Available at our Texas and Virginia campuses.
Two Program Options
Academy Program: Train your Service or Emotional Support Dog
The Academy program is for warriors who want to add a trained K9 partner to their full-time life after treatment.
What you’ll learn:
- Professional service dog training techniques
- Advanced obedience training techniques
- How to handle, train, and work with your dog in public and at home
- How to train your dog to mitigate your specific disability or PTSD symptoms
- ADA Service Dog requirements and guidelines
- Basic canine care and nutrition
Time commitment: Up to 30 hours of weekly training together as a K9 team. Our kennel is open 7 days a week.
Outcome: You leave treatment with dog training skills and the option to purchase your trained dog.
Experience Program: Therapeutic Interaction
The Experience program is for warriors who want therapeutic interaction with dogs without the commitment of ownership. Warriors help train a dog that will be adopted by a future Warrior.
What you’ll do:
- Interact with, play with, and care for dogs
- Learn basic handling skills
- Participate in weekly classroom presentations
- Go on nature hikes with K9s
- Enjoy time with canine warriors without academic pressure
Time commitment: Up to 5 hours per day at the kennel. Open 7 days a week.
Outcome: Therapeutic benefit and stress relief through animal interaction.
How Service Dogs Help Warriors
Service dogs are trained to mitigate specific PTSD symptoms and provide therapeutic benefit.
Examples of trained behaviors:
- Nightmare interruption
- Anxiety and panic attack mitigation
- Grounding and reorientation during PTSD episodes
- Social anxiety support
Beyond specific trained behaviors, service dogs provide purpose, routine, companionship, and a K9 battle buddy who reduces loneliness and isolation. Service dog training continues for the life of the animal and strengthens as the team works together.
How It Works During Treatment
An ESA provides comfort and companionship just by being present. ESAs are not trained for specific tasks to assist with disabilities and do not have the same public access rights or protection as service dogs under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Warriors Heart clinical staff can assist warriors with obtaining the ESA Prescription letter.
Our K9 Facilities
Indoor and outdoor kennels, dog yards, miles of nature trails, obstacle course. Current capacity: 22 dogs. Daily structured training in group and individual settings.
12,500 square foot K9 facility with climate-controlled spaces and indoor training arena.
Kennel open 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Nature hikes offered 3 days per week. Weekly classroom presentations on service dog topics.
Where Our Dogs Come From
Healing at both ends of the leash means giving rescue dogs a second chance while giving warriors a purpose.
Our K9s come from local animal shelters, rescues, and private donors. Every dog is evaluated and must pass rigorous temperament testing before joining our program. All dogs receive full veterinary care, are spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, given heartworm and parasite prevention and closely monitored by our veterinary staff.
We train many breeds and sizes, pairing each dog with the best handler based on needs and lifestyle. Popular service dog breeds include Labradors, Collies, Golden Retrievers and terriers. We’ve also trained Great Danes, German Short Haired Pointers, Dachshunds, Boston Terriers and many blended breeds.
How It Works During Treatment
Every warrior can participate in the K9 program as an elective during treatment. Sign up for up to 5 hours per day, including additional time during morning and evening wellness visits.
Warriors receive both classroom instruction and hands-on training time. Together with a therapist, warriors can participate in assisted therapy sessions with their dog in training.
If a warrior completes the Academy program and connects with a dog during treatment, they have the option to purchase their K9 partner and take them home as a battle buddy.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
You’ve handled pressure, responsibility, and situations most people never face.
Asking for help doesn’t take that away. It protects it.
If drugs have started to take more than they give, you don’t have to figure this out alone. Support is available right now, and the conversation is confidential.
