Martina & Socrates, A DogWish Success Story
DogWish Service Dogs Transforming Lives!

One out of two people in our society today is suffering from an acute attack of anxiety that is so severe they need professional intervention from a Licensed Doctor, who can get them Prescribed Pharmaceutical Drugs, or a Licensed Psychological Therapist, who can get them Licensed Pharmaceutical Drugs, to cover the affect of this anxiety.  At the present time our Federal Government is locked as they debate and dispute about legalizing Marijuana, which is becoming more and more a household, regularly taken, placebo.

I have some clients who have done a lot of work with me, and own 3 trained Service Dogs, trained with me at DOGWISH.  I didn’t know that for a couple of years they jokingly referred to me as “crazy Bob” behind my back.  They also had some other habits that they “hid” from me, so as to conveniently have a relationship with me that could be “contoured” to their liking.  To their credit, I must say that they did prove themselves to be ardent, committed supporters of DOGWISH, and did help ME personally with their consistent support.  The fact is, they felt I was a little “eccentric” in the way I taught my dog training, that I went, “overboard”, with my methods for training, and the emphasis I placed on the correct usage of those methods.  Both the husband and wife had attended parts of my School for Trainers, and as parents of a child with Autism, I was proud that they took the time to learn to work their dogs so well, and to show and interest in becoming DOGWISH trainers.

About 15 months ago I received a call from the husband, stating that his wife had experienced a mental collapse.  She had been taken to the Hospital and was very delicate.  Her emotional framework was apparently shattered, and they had spent a couple days now, working with Psychologists and Psychiatrists, as well as medical Doctors, trying to get her to the point where she could come home and resume life with the family.  Her behavior was critical, and her emotional state of being was very imbalanced. The husband asked if he could bring her out to our Facility for some therapy, to which I readily agreed, and they came instantly.
Of course, when we met, she fell apart, and could only stand and hold me, crying, reaching in pain horrible emotional trauma.  Little did I know, it was partly because she was embarrassed for her inappropriate attitude and comments.  Little did they know that the comments were a reaction to the fact that my therapy was actually reaching to her, touching her, and causing her to respond, which, as they experienced this “break down”, they realized more than ever.  They also realized that coming to me might be the only thing that would work to help her, in this particular state of mind. 

I took them over to my puppy yard, a 150 foot wide house round pen, where I raise my pups, teaching them to bite, chase balls, and play, until they are old enough to start “formal” training.  This puppy training is crucial to the proper development of any dog, is a necessary part of the process of training for every dog use as a Service Dog.  I like a dog who is a real “animal”, developed in every way possible, with a depth of temperament that only comes from proper training and superior conditioning.  They all get it. 

I had a litter of 4 month old German Shepherd pups in the pen, and took the wife inside.  She walked into the middle of the pen, sat down, and started laughing.  After about 15 minutes, I went into the pen and asked her how she liked the pups.  She told about them, and the one particular dog she “loved”.  I asked her what I should name him, and she told me “Socrates”, because he had a tendency to be the ”thinker” in the litter, more thoughtful, kind, and loving than the other pups, who were “commandos”, wolves in Shepherd fur, so to speak. 

I told her to pick him up and bring him out to our patio, where we washed him, put a collar on him, gave him a set of shots, brushed him out, and cut his toe nails.  I then picked him up, kissed him, and placed him in her arms.  The crying started up again.  We sat down and I gave both of them specific instructions on how to take the pup home, and how to work with him hourly, to insure the mental health for her, to keep her from bottoming out emotionally, or going into overload emotionally.  I let them know that they needed to heed my instruction literally, for her sake. 

I called them as they pulled into their drive way, I can do that.  I can see and feel what is going on, and the reason I called was because they had mentally decided to ignore my instructions, and I knew it.  I then called them the next hour and told the husband to get her out in the back yard, and work the pup for a couple of minutes.  About two hours later the husband called because the wife was going bonkers on him, and he needed help.  I simply explained to him that if he got his wife out in the yard, with the pup, and got her to work the pup, everything would become better.

This became the “by-word” at their home, and every time she had a problem, the answer was to work her puppy.  At the end of two weeks they came back to see me with “Socrates”.  First I got a big kiss for being so thoughtful and good and kind and a big “sap” for them.  Then they opened up and came “clean”, telling me the truth about what they had said and how they had felt before this problem.  It was not fun for me to sit there with my big “ego” and listen to the truth, but it was good for me, and for them. 

What was important is that through this period of time they learned how exactly relevant and crucially important my dog conditioning exercises and instruction were and are, and how intimately they needed to be followed were.  I learned the same thing.  In fact, if anything I needed to emphasize my technique even more, and I have.

The wife has been going to therapy weekly with her therapist, seeing a counselor to resolve psycho-emotional issues from her past and present she hadn’t faced before, and is being consistent, because she has to be.  The horrific panic-attacks, states of depression and psychotic frustration, and the reaction of her family, have driven her to train with “Socrates” often, and thoroughly.  He has become her “shadow”.
Last week I received a phone call, out of “the blue”, whatever that is, from the husband.  He called to tell me thanks for the dog, and my invaluable help.  Whenever this type of call comes I become somewhat leery, because human “nature” predicates that there is a reason for all flattery.  In this case there was, he was genuinely thankful.  He humbled himself on the phone, easier than in person, but honestly told me that in his opinion I had saved his wife’s life, their marriage, and their home, and he felt love and gratitude towards me for caring enough to make the difference for them.  Their Medical Doctors, Psychiatrist, Psychology, and Therapist together did not have the impact I had on his wife.  He was very grateful. 

She called too!  She told me she couldn’t wait to come out and see me, just to hug and hold on for a couple of minutes, and feel my love for her, which is great, and be healed.  She told me that the most important element in her life is her puppy, now dog, “Socrates”, and that it was my help that made the difference…not so, it was “Socrates” that made the difference.  All I did was to fill in the gaps, the holes that needed love and support, so that HE could do the work he needed to do. 

My techniques and conditioning exercises are the best in the world, and I have learned how to teach and apply with life and death certainty.  However they come second place to the incredible and incomparable connectedness that you will share with one of our DOGWISH K9S.

For those of you with severe anxiety I have a message:
DOGWISH Service Dogs are angels.  They possess a spirit of love and understanding you won’t find anywhere else.  They have compassion and a passion for their work that is impeccable, emphatic, and irresistible.  There’s nothing like them.  They can reach into your heart, pull out the pain and trauma you feel, sooth your body and mind, and bless your life.
For someone with Anxiety and Depression, I can help you, I can resolve your problems to an extent you have never experienced in your life.  I can help you to go so far beyond what you even know; you won’t even believe it in your present condition.  I have done it, consistently, hundreds of times, just like in this particular example.
You need to come here, to meet with me and see, and feel, and touch, and connect with our dogs.  I need to experience what it feels like to become one with yourself, with your dog, and through your dog with the earth and God.  That’s something that we experience as a result of being with a DOGWISH dog, and you can too.