Photo By Ben Lasky | Photo taken by NICoE Animal Assisted Therapy Instructor Cathlene Holloran of NICoE’s...... read more read more
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It’s difficult to teach puppies basic commands like “sit” and “roll over,” let alone train them to open doors or not become distracted in any environment. At the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) receive animal-assisted therapy to support their recovery. Part of their therapy includes training puppies, who are six months to two years old, as future service dogs for service members and veterans. By training the dogs, service members gain companionship and are able to practice emotional regulation and patience in social settings.
“When you are training a dog, you have to be focused on them. You have to be mindful and present in that moment. How we communicate with that dog also matters, thus service members practice positive communication,” said NICoE Animal-Assisted Therapy Instructor Cathlene Holloran.
Training the puppies allows service members to use the concepts they’re being taught at the NICoE, such as improving memory in a natural way, by making sure the patient uses the commands from past sessions, while also being present with the training. Because patients with TBI can retreat socially, animal assisted therapy helps service members connect with others as they take the dogs around the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center campus.
Interacting with service dogs makes NICoE service members happier and more relaxed, helping them to heal. Human-to-dog interaction releases oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone,” in both the human and the dog. Oxytocin modulates symptoms involved in the psychopathology of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as anxiety, and also impacts the fear response, interpersonal difficulties/social isolation, physical pain, and sleep disturbances. A 2022 study in Military Psychology titled “Effects of training service dogs on service members with PTSD: A pilot-feasibility randomized study with mixed methods,” found that while service members found animal assisted therapy challenging, it also helped with various aspects of their personal and social lives.
NICoE patients appreciate the value of animal assisted therapy, as it not only helps in their recovery, but also supports the recovery of their service member peers who will be paired with the trained dog.
About the NICoE:
The National Intrepid Center of Excellence provides world class medical, neurological, rehabilitative, behavioral health, advanced imaging and diagnostics, education and complementary services to service members to facilitate recovery and return to military service. As a Center of Excellence, the NICoE leads and innovates in the delivery of patient-centered care, conducts research to establish protocols for TBI treatment and shares staff expertise through professional training and education.
| Date Taken: | 05.12.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.12.2025 11:37 |
| Story ID: | 497627 |
| Location: | BETHESDA, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 44 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The NICoE’s animal-assisted therapy helps both service members and canines, by Ben Lasky, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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