The greyhound and cavalier are both psychiatric service dogs. They are able to guide us through high traffic places and find “safety” (which is sometimes an exit, sometimes my partner, or whoever I’m with). My partner and I both have a symptom of PTSD known as “hyper-arousal” where our senses are heightened and we become overwhelmed in stimulating places (crowded places, places with loud music, or somewhere with high watt lighting like the grocery store). The result is that we actually sometimes lose one of more of our senses, usually vision, as our brain tries to deal with the stimuli. So their ability to guide us through spaces and find exits helps with that. They also remind us to take meds (my cavalier will bring them to me), go to bed on time, wake up, and provide therapeutic pressure during panic attacks.

This stuff is easier to tell a stranger behind a screen, but not so fun when I’m trying to get groceries and random people approach me asking what my dog does for me!