A thoughtful family man, Josh wanted a service dog so he could enjoy taking walks with his family again.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect before getting Bain. I’d heard from friends with service dogs that it was a big deal, a huge change in their lives, and I hoped it would work like that for me too, and bring me some mental relief, but it ended up being so much more than I could have imagined." Josh said
"When I first met Bain, it was just amazing — he ran up to me and jumped right in my lack, licking me. We hit it off right off the bat, and we’ve been inseparable ever since." Bain provided the safety and companionship that Josh needed to begin living his life again.
"When I brought Bain home, he instantly ran up and wanted to meet my family and play with my kids. He became part of the family within minutes of him showing up. He interacts with them amazingly, he’s so gentle, and he pays careful attention to them the whole time." Josh's wife and kids have noticed a big change in him too — "they say I seem happier, calmer, and I get outside more, I’m more active and independent. That feels really good."
Having to take good care of him encourages Josh to get out more. "I need to maintain his training and keep him happy and healthy, so we go for walks, and I take him to stores with me. It used to be that I wouldn’t go out by myself. Now, I look for reasons to get out with him," Josh told Northwest Battle Buddies.
Before, he had intense anxiety going out, especially by himself — "I would avoid doing errands or traveling alone, so I had to depend on other people for everyday things. It was tough even to take walks with my family. But with Bain, he’s always there watching over me and watching out for me. It feels like such a relief. If I have a rough moment or my anxiety gets bad, I know he’s right there with me." Bain is trained to lick Josh's face and interrupt the distressing thoughts he senses. "I might play with him a little, and I instantly feel better. With Bain, I feel the benefits are both in going out and in being at home. When I leave the house, when I’m with my family or alone, he feels like security to me. He helps me focus on and even enjoy what I’m doing instead of having to worry so much about our surroundings. And when I’m home, whether solo or with my wife and kids, I’m never alone with myself — which is actually a good thing. He’s a huge help in all aspects of life — it feels like he’s helped me get my life back.”
Northwest Battle Buddies is truly grateful for the service to our country that our Veterans have provided and seek to continue supporting Veterans by gifting them life-changing service dogs for many years to come. Help us continue our mission of support by pledging a donation to our organization.
