Dog Trainer on a “Mission” to Help Returning Vets with PTSD The Dog Trainers Connection

Dog trainer Dennis Fehling, CPDT-KA, CBATI, of Friends for Life Dog Training in Redmond, Oregon, is passionate about giving back and helping veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  He and his wife Pam Bigoni worked with a program called “Battle Buddies” in Oregon, training veterans and their service dogs.
Dennis invited two veterans whom he worked with in the program, Tom Imholt and Dax McMillan, as well as retired Navy Seal John Surmont, to talk about the effects the dogs had on their lives. Dennis also discusses what kind of training he did with the veterans and their service dogs.
As Dennis points out, “we need to have more programs like this one because the dogs actually change people’s lives as they connect vets with a non-judgmental being to help with their new “mission.””