Veterans with PTSD face complex challenges that often extend beyond the reach of traditional therapy. At Northwest Battle Buddies, we’ve long believed that psychiatric service dogs can provide the life-changing support many of these heroes need — but belief alone isn’t enough. That’s why we are proud to share compelling, peer-reviewed evidence confirming what we’ve witnessed for years in the lives of our Veterans.
This study, conducted by Dr. Ramirez and published in the Journal of Archives in Military Medicine (2025), represents one of the most rigorous evaluations to date of the effectiveness of service dogs in treating PTSD. In this longitudinal study examining the therapeutic role of psychiatric service dogs in managing PTSD, 60% of the service dog teams were NWBB pairings — making the findings a direct reflection of our program’s impact.
We first reported on the initiation of this study in 2021, and now we finally have the results.
Here’s what the data reveals — and why it matters so deeply:
- Clinically Significant Reduction in PTSD Symptoms: Veterans with service dogs saw an average 14.2-point decrease on the PCL-5 scale, well above the 10-point threshold recognized by clinicians as a benchmark for meaningful improvement. That means fewer panic attacks, less fear in public, and a newfound sense of emotional stability. These changes often began within just three months, underscoring the speed and potency of our program’s impact.
- Relief Across All PTSD Symptom Categories: This wasn’t improvement in one narrow area — it was comprehensive. Veterans showed reduced severity in intrusion, avoidance, negative mood and cognition, and hypervigilance — the four clusters that define PTSD. NWBB dogs are trained not only to provide support but to intervene in real-time, from waking a Veteran from a nightmare to forming a physical buffer in a crowded store. This depth of support helps address trauma where it lives: in the body, the brain, and the everyday moments of life.
- Significant Reduction in Co-occurring Depression: Veterans with service dogs reported a 3- point drop on the PHQ-9 scale, a critical marker of depression improvement. This is essential, as PTSD and depression often coexist — and depression significantly increases the risk of suicide. NWBB-trained dogs help shift emotional equilibrium, offering companionship, structure, and purpose to Veterans who may otherwise feel hopeless.
- Gains in Resilience, Life Satisfaction, and Emotional Wellbeing: Measures like the Connor- Davidson Resilience Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale showed statistically significant improvements. Veterans reported feeling stronger, more adaptable, and more hopeful. They described life as more manageable — and in many cases, more meaningful. Our dogs aren’t just service animals. They are trusted partners in a Veteran’s recovery and reintegration journey.
- Less Isolation, More Engagement: One of the cruelest symptoms of PTSD is isolation. Veterans often withdraw from family, community, and public life. The study found that those with service dogs showed markedly higher levels of social participation and lower levels of isolation. NWBB teams are trained for public access work, helping Veterans feel safe and confident in environments that once overwhelmed them.
- Veteran Perception of Healing Was Overwhelmingly Positive: Perhaps the most powerful evidence came directly from the Veterans themselves. Those with service dogs rated their perceived improvement at 9.72 out of 10 — compared to 3.56 for the control group. That’s more than a statistical difference — it’s a lived experience of hope, freedom, and progress.
- A Credible, Large-Scale, Peer-Reviewed Study with NWBB at the Forefront: This was not anecdotal or self-reported data alone. The study employed rigorous methodology, including difference-in-differences regression, validated psychological scales, and a diverse group of nine service dog organizations. With NWBB teams comprising the majority of the intervention group, the results are directly attributable to our dogs, our training model, and our approach to Veteran care.
The impact of Northwest Battle Buddies is not just heartfelt — it’s now clinically substantiated. Dr. Ramirez’s 2025 study, in which 60% of the intervention group were NWBB Veteran–canine teams, confirms what our organization has witnessed for over a decade: service dogs can dramatically improve the lives of Veterans with PTSD. The reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms, gains in resilience and social functioning, and overwhelmingly positive Veteran-reported outcomes all point to a transformative path forward — one NWBB is uniquely equipped to lead.
This research validates the depth of our training model, the integrity of our partnerships, and the hope we deliver, one pairing at a time. As the need for innovative, evidence-based mental health interventions grows, NWBB stands at the forefront with a model that doesn’t just support Veterans — it changes their trajectory. This isn’t just a mission. It’s a measurable movement toward healing, driven by purpose, grounded in science, and proven in the lives we serve.
For a full review of these findings and their implications, please refer to this peer-reviewed study by Dr. Ramirez, published in the 2025 edition of the Journal of Archives in Military Medicine.
Join Operation Never Quit today and help Northwest Battle Buddies provide life-changing PTSD service dogs to Veterans in need. Your monthly donation ensures we can continue pairing American Heroes with service dogs, offering hope, healing, and a path forward. Our Veterans never quit on us, and we'll never quit on them – that’s a promise.
1 Ramirez, J., Friesen, K. A., Jones, L. A., Rivera, M. A., Faver, C. A., & Johnson, R. A. (2025). Enhancing PTSD management in Veterans: A longitudinal study of the therapeutic role of psychiatric service dogs. Journal of Archives in Military Medicine, 2(1), 1–14.