{"id":50362,"date":"2022-03-11T07:23:01","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T13:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/?p=50362"},"modified":"2024-04-06T06:28:21","modified_gmt":"2024-04-06T06:28:21","slug":"dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"Dog Walk Home: A Documentary Film Portraying Veteran Families Battling PTSD with the Help of Service Dogs"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

By Vicki Topaz, Filmmaker, Photographer and Daughter of a WWII Veteran <\/p>\n

*This is an article from the Winter 2021-2022 issue of Combat Stress<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Perhaps more than any other art form, documentary film has the power to make the unseen seen. As filmmakers, this is what we set out to do in\u00a0Dog Walk Home<\/em>: offer a rare glimpse into the lives of three Veteran families as they share their stories from the privacy of their homes. Through their voices we learn about the causes and effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in all its myriad forms: injury, assault, survivor\u2019s guilt; anger, self-isolation, and self-medication. Yet these are not the places where we linger. The heart of this film is elsewhere: in hope, family, recovery, and the service dogs that help make it possible.<\/p>\n

Why would these Veterans and their families allow our filmmaking crew of five into their homes? Why would they bare their souls to us? It is not complicated. These people are a different breed of Americans \u2014 those few who have pledged their lives to protecting their country and their fellow Service Members. If this film saves even one Veteran\u2019s life or inspires one Veteran to seek help, the discomfort of sharing their stories will have been worth it. And thanks to the love of their families and some very good dogs, these Veterans have regained the heart to complete this vital mission.<\/p>\n

How This Film Came About \u2014 and Why It Is Important to Me<\/strong><\/p>\n

All of my work with Veterans has been deeply personal \u2014 a truth which, over time, I realized was partially rooted in the formative experiences of my own childhood. My father was a U.S. Army Veteran who flew missions as a tail gunner in Europe during WWII. Like the Veterans in\u00a0Dog Walk Home<\/em>, he arrived home with PTSD, a condition that was unrecognized and untreated at the time. Now, all these years later, I know that he was grappling with PTSD which led to his anger and alcoholism. I also know that my childhood perspective has helped me foster deeper insights into the unique struggles of children and families living with trauma.<\/p>\n

My desire to shed light on the Veteran experience began to take shape more than a decade ago, but it truly crystallized when I started interviewing and photographing Veterans living with PTSD for my multimedia project called\u00a0HEAL<\/em>!<\/em><\/a>\u00a0It was an honor and a revelation to listen to these Veterans relate their stories of military service, to learn about their subsequent battles with PTSD, and especially to witness how their service dogs helped put them on a path to restoring their independence.<\/p>\n

Somewhere along the way, my thoughts circled back to my own childhood memories as I was gathering these intimate stories\u00a0<\/em>told in\u00a0HEAL!\u00a0<\/em>I realized there was yet another facet of the Veteran experience that needed to be told: the role of the family. This insight ultimately led me to\u00a0Dog Walk Home<\/em>\u00a0to show how PTSD impacts Veterans and also to reveal how secondary trauma impacts family members.<\/p>\n

The Exceptional Families (and Dogs) in\u00a0Dog Walk Home\"\"<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The stories and perspectives of the three Military families in the film are unique, yet they all share a dual thread: their struggles with PTSD and secondary trauma and the discovery of dogs willing and able to meet them in their darkness and lead them into the light and love of family and friends.<\/p>\n

We first meet Emilio Gallegos, a Mexican American U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Purple Heart recipient, poet and single father. Speaking of his deployment in Iraq, Emilio describes how the Humvee he was driving on his base was blown apart by an improvised explosive device. Suffering with symptoms of PTSD and a traumatic brain injury, he returned home distant and angry, self-isolating from his own family and from the world. However, his isolation ends and reconciliation with his children begins when Emilio is partnered with his service dog, Samson.<\/p>\n

\"\"Next, U.S. Army Veteran Kim Voss shares the heartbreaking account of how her PTSD first developed from early childhood abuse and was then compounded by a sexual assault in the military. Demoralized by \u201cDon\u2019t Ask, Don\u2019t Tell,\u201d she left the service to manage her symptoms as best as she could. Just as her marriage to wife Tamara is hanging on by a thread, Kim is partnered with her service dog, Artemis. She helps Kim remain in the present and gives both Kim and Tamara the strength and stability to stay together.<\/p>\n

And finally, we meet Ramon Reyes, a Mexican American U.S. Army Veteran who deployed twice to Iraq. He is haunted by survivor\u2019s guilt and stricken with severe PTSD. Ramon self-medicates with alcohol to such an extreme that he temporarily loses his wife and two children. When he is treated at the VA and then partnered with his service dog Huey, Ramon can finally start mending the rift with his family. Huey helps everyone in the family lessen their symptoms of PTSD and secondary trauma.\"\"<\/p>\n

The Human-Animal Bond: How Does It Work, and How Does It Help?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re looking at the entire scope of the human-animal bond, dogs are the gold medal winners. The chemistry and wiring of their social brain network is most similar to ours. This is why, neurobiologically speaking, dogs are our best friends!\u201d\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/strong>Meg Daley Olmert, film advisor and author of\u00a0Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond.1<\/sup><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cSamson helps me decompress. I talk to him a lot too. When I\u2019m at the store, buying cereal, I ask him, \u2018What should we get today? What do you think? Maybe some Fruit Loops?\u2019 People in the aisle are like, \u2018Is that guy talkin\u2019 to his dog?\u2019 Having Samson gives me a chance to love someone every day. Sometimes I\u2019ll step outside of the house, to run to my car quick, or go into the garage. When I come back in, he gets so excited, \u2018Where did you go?\u2019 I\u2019m like, \u2018Man I was just outside a couple of minutes.\u2019 It\u2019s easy to get lost in alone-ness but now, I\u2019m not alone, I\u2019m never alone, you know.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2014Emilio Gallegos, U.S. Marine Corps (1999\u20132010). Deployed to Iraq. Purple Heart recipient. Service dog and training provided by Operation Freedom Paws in 2016.<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

One of my first questions about service dogs was, how can they help reduce the symptoms of PTSD? The answer lies in their extraordinary ability to merge into our hearts and homes. They quickly become family and much more. Emilio Gallegos captured it when he said: \u201cHaving Samson gives me a chance to love someone every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like all good friends, they know us well \u2014 often better than we know ourselves. Their extraordinary sense of smell can alert them to the chemical changes that signal the onset of stress, anxiety and night terrors and pull their Veteran back from these emotional pitfalls and remind them they are safe and loved.<\/p>\n

\"\"When Ramon Reyes first brought Huey home, there happened to be fireworks in the neighborhood. The explosions echoed Ramon\u2019s wartime experiences, but Huey was able to detect his rising anxiety. By jumping on Ramon\u2019s lap and licking his face, Huey created a distraction and prevented what would have surely been a triggering event.<\/p>\n

As Meg Daley Olmert goes on to explain in the film, the social brain network is also the anti-stress network.\u00a0So, when we pet, hug, snuggle and sleep with our dogs we are producing the brain chemicals that ease the symptoms of PTSD.<\/p>\n

These are just a couple of examples that show us how service dogs anchor their Veterans in the present moment.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThere are times that I push people away, especially when it gets close to anniversary dates of certain events that happened in Iraq. Huey won\u2019t let me. He senses it. He\u2019ll come up and start nudging at me like, \u2018Hey, pay attention to me. Pet me.\u2019 He won\u2019t stop until I actually pay attention to him. Every time I say, \u2018Leave me alone.\u2019 He comes back and he\u2019s at it again. He helps with fireworks too. The first night some fireworks went off, I got real bad anxiety. Right away, he jumped on top of me and started licking my face. I was so amazed. And still to this day if there are fireworks going on, he comes up to me.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2014Ramon Reyes, U.S. Army (1995\u20132012). Two deployments to Iraq. Service dog and training provided by Operation Freedom Paws in 2017.<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Impact of COVID-19<\/strong><\/p>\n

COVID-19 has put Veterans at increased risk<\/a>. Forced isolation, stress, fear of the unknown, and suicidal ideation are just a few of the factors they face. Not to mention the very real risk for Veterans whose immune systems were compromised in the military conflicts in which they served. For this group, fear of contracting the virus can trigger a vicious feedback loop and cause even higher levels of stress and anxiety. In a Zoom recording with Ramon Reyes, he shared this comment: \u201cThe past couple of days I haven\u2019t been able to sleep right. The nightmares have started. There are times that it takes me back overseas, just fighting an enemy we cannot see.\u201d We were also able to record Emilio Gallegos via Zoom, and he shared this with us: \u201cI see how it can go one or two ways: having comfort in it, because I\u2019ve been here before emotionally and mentally, or having extreme discomfort, because this reminds me of a bad place. And I don\u2019t want to be there again. You know what I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

The film revisits each family post shut-down to see how they\u2019ve managed the challenges of COVID-19 and to catch sight of what their futures hold. To no one\u2019s surprise, we learn that Samson, Artemis and Huey continued to play a profoundly stabilizing role for the whole family as the pandemic played out.\"\"<\/p>\n

Helping Veterans Succeed: Why\u00a0Dog Walk Home\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 and Why Now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the peace treaty is signed, the war isn\u2019t over for the Veterans, or the family. It\u2019s just starting.\u201d2<\/sup>\u00a0\u2014Karl Marlantes, author, Vietnam War Veteran, U.S. Marine Corps<\/p>\n

How can we expect Veterans to smoothly reintegrate into civilian life when daily functioning is so difficult? Why do they wait so long before asking for help? And why do service dogs make such a positive difference?<\/p>\n

\"\"The three Veteran families featured in\u00a0Dog Walk Home<\/em>\u00a0are representative of the wider audience the film is made for. Namely, underserved Veterans and the communities that support them, including Latino, LGBTQ, and BIPOC groups as well as seniors, women, and disabled Veterans. An even wider audience of mental health workers, educators, and of course all dog lovers will draw their own meaning from the film.<\/p>\n

Further, by holding up a mirror that reflects hope back to other Service Members and families who face similar challenges, we believe\u00a0Dog Walk Home<\/em>\u00a0can offer a roadmap and urge them to seek help.\"\"<\/p>\n

It Takes a Village (to Make This Film)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Telling such stories through the medium of film is, to say the least, a collaborative process. Years before\u00a0Dog Walk Home<\/em>\u00a0began to take shape, I was introduced to Mary Cortani, herself a Veteran and Certified Army Master of Canine Education, and the founder of\u00a0Operation Freedom Paws<\/a>\u00a0(OFP), a nonprofit that partners Veterans with service dogs. It is thanks to her that I had access to the Veteran community served by OFP. Being among them and hearing their stories opened my eyes and my mind to a world I had been seeking. I am so grateful for the many trusting relationships with Veterans and their families that I developed over time.<\/p>\n

To help share these stories of trauma and healing, I joined forces with a like-minded filmmaker, Wynn Padula. Wynn collaborated with Iraq War Veteran Bobby Lane and other Veterans with disabilities when he codirected and shot\u00a0Resurface<\/em><\/a>, an award-winning Netflix original short documentary about the healing power of surfing for Veterans traumatized by PTSD.<\/p>\n

\"\"The stories of\u00a0Dog Walk Home<\/em>\u00a0are augmented with critical \u201chow and why\u201d insights from experts in the science of the human-animal bond, trauma specialists, and service dog training professionals. They help explain what we see and hear from our Veterans and their families about the healing power of their service dogs featured in our film. We will also get a better understanding of why the Veterans Administration has been reluctant to fund service dogs to those with the \u201cinvisible wounds\u201d of war and the progress that is now being made.<\/p>\n

To see the full lineup of our remarkable and dedicated crew and film advisors, please visit our website at\u00a0Dog Walk Home<\/em><\/a>. The film is currently in production with an anticipated release date in 2022. This project is made possible with support from\u00a0California Humanities<\/a>, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.<\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0\u201cArtemis has affected my entire life, both going out in public and being at work. She\u2019s also helped my marriage quite a bit\u2014I\u2019m able to be present a lot more. I don\u2019t stay locked in my head as much. Artemis helps all of us be aware of when I\u2019m feeling particularly anxious or when I\u2019m feeling angry. Having a service dog is an incredibly vulnerable thing because you can\u2019t just hide your feelings and emotions because these darn dogs, they know, they can smell it, they can feel it. Artemis helps make me more aware and more accountable for who I am and how I show up in the world.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>
\n\u2014Kim Voss, U.S. Army (1989-1993). Military Intelligence. Service dog training provided by Operation Freedom Paws in 2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

View a short 3-minute sample trailer for\u00a0Dog Walk Home<\/em>:\u00a0https:\/\/vimeo.com\/386530510<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

We are devoted to telling these stories of healing and transformation to prove to Veterans and non-Veterans alike that recovery is possible for those who\u00a0seek help. If you are reading this right now, we are thankful to have reached you.<\/p>\n

Contact: Vicki Topaz, San Francisco, CA, email:\u00a0vicki@vickitopaz.com<\/a>, text: 415-298-9465<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

References<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Olmert, M.D. (2009).\u00a0Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond<\/em>. Boston, MA: Da Capo Press.<\/li>\n
  2. Marlantes, Karl (2011).\u00a0What It Is Like To Go To War<\/em>, New York, NY, Atlantic Monthly Press.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR<\/h3>\n

    \"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Vicki Topaz<\/strong>\u00a0has worked as a photographer for the past 25 years.\u00a0Since 2010, she has focused\u00a0on a multimedia project called\u00a0HEAL!<\/em>\u00a0This endeavor documents Veterans sharing stories of their military service and their struggles with PTSD \u2014 as well as the service dogs who provided lifesaving aid. Her\u00a0short documentary\u00a0Veterans Speak About PTSD<\/em>\u00a0garnered significant public attention and was screened in 17 film festivals nationwide.\u00a0Her deep, personal commitment to telling these stories is rooted in her childhood experiences with her own father, a WWII tail gunner who returned home with PTSD, which was then unrecognized.\u00a0Prior projects include\u00a0SILVER: A State of Mind<\/em>, a photographic series about women and aging that was exhibited at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and featured in the\u00a0New York Times<\/em>, the\u00a0Times of India<\/em>, NPR\u2019s\u00a0Forum<\/em>, and other international news media. Her 2008 monograph\u00a0Silent Nests<\/em>\u00a0depicts the first photographic investigation into the medieval dovecots of Normandy.<\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n
    \n

    Combat Stress Magazine<\/h3>\n

    Combat Stress<\/em>\u00a0magazine is written with our military Service Members, Veterans, first responders, and their families in mind. We want all of our members and guests to find contentment in their lives by learning about stress management and finding what works best for each of them. Stress is unavoidable and comes in many shapes and sizes. It can even be considered a part of who we are. Being in a state of peaceful happiness may seem like a lofty goal but harnessing your stress in a positive way makes it obtainable. Serving in the military or being a police officer, firefighter or paramedic brings unique challenges and some extraordinarily bad days. The American Institute of Stress is dedicated to helping you, our Heroes and their families, cope with and heal your mind and body from the stress associated with your careers and sacrifices.<\/p>\n

    Subscribe to our FREE magazine for military members, police, firefighters,\u00a0 paramedics, and their families!<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
    SUBSCRIBE<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    By Vicki Topaz, Filmmaker, Photographer and Daughter of a WWII Veteran *This is an article from the Winter 2021-2022 issue of Combat Stress Perhaps more than any other art form, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":50363,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"pmpro_default_level":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false},"categories":[241,139],"tags":[136,137,138,236,141,143,250,120,147,175],"class_list":["post-50362","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-combat-stress-and-ptsd-blog","category-daily-life-blog","tag-ais","tag-american-institute-of-stress","tag-anxiety","tag-combat-stress","tag-health","tag-mental-health","tag-military","tag-stress","tag-stress-management","tag-stress-reduction","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDog Walk Home: A Documentary Film Portraying Veteran Families Battling PTSD with the Help of Service Dogs - The American Institute of Stress<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dog Walk Home: A Documentary Film Portraying Veteran Families Battling PTSD with the Help of Service Dogs - The American Institute of Stress\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Vicki Topaz, Filmmaker, Photographer and Daughter of a WWII Veteran *This is an article from the Winter 2021-2022 issue of Combat Stress Perhaps more than any other art form, […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The American Institute of Stress\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-04-06T06:28:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AIS-Blog-Cover-Templates-4.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"379\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/\",\"name\":\"Dog Walk Home: A Documentary Film Portraying Veteran Families Battling PTSD with the Help of Service Dogs - The American Institute of Stress\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AIS-Blog-Cover-Templates-4.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-03-11T13:23:01+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-04-06T06:28:21+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AIS-Blog-Cover-Templates-4.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AIS-Blog-Cover-Templates-4.png\",\"width\":600,\"height\":379},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Dog Walk Home: A Documentary Film Portraying Veteran Families Battling PTSD with the Help of Service Dogs\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/\",\"name\":\"The American Institute of Stress\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The American Institute of Stress\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/AIS-logo-C.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/AIS-logo-C.svg\",\"width\":1440,\"height\":432,\"caption\":\"The American Institute of Stress\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Dog Walk Home: A Documentary Film Portraying Veteran Families Battling PTSD with the Help of Service Dogs - The American Institute of Stress","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Dog Walk Home: A Documentary Film Portraying Veteran Families Battling PTSD with the Help of Service Dogs - The American Institute of Stress","og_description":"By Vicki Topaz, Filmmaker, Photographer and Daughter of a WWII Veteran *This is an article from the Winter 2021-2022 issue of Combat Stress Perhaps more than any other art form, […]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/","og_site_name":"The American Institute of Stress","article_modified_time":"2024-04-06T06:28:21+00:00","og_image":[{"width":600,"height":379,"url":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AIS-Blog-Cover-Templates-4.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"15 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/","url":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/","name":"Dog Walk Home: A Documentary Film Portraying Veteran Families Battling PTSD with the Help of Service Dogs - The American Institute of Stress","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AIS-Blog-Cover-Templates-4.png","datePublished":"2022-03-11T13:23:01+00:00","dateModified":"2024-04-06T06:28:21+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AIS-Blog-Cover-Templates-4.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/AIS-Blog-Cover-Templates-4.png","width":600,"height":379},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/dog-walk-home-a-documentary-film-portraying-veteran-families-battling-ptsd-with-the-help-of-service-dogs\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Dog Walk Home: A Documentary Film Portraying Veteran Families Battling PTSD with the Help of Service Dogs"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/","name":"The American Institute of Stress","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#organization","name":"The American Institute of Stress","url":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/AIS-logo-C.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/AIS-logo-C.svg","width":1440,"height":432,"caption":"The American Institute of Stress"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/50362","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}