10/09/2026
These dogs undergo years of rigorous, specialised training to function as a direct extension of your nervous system.
They help give back independence.
This includes proven research to utilise deep pressure therapy, leaning their body weight firmly against you to force your heart rate and nervous system back down.
They actively interrupt pacing or hyperventilating. If a crowd gets too heavy, they know how to navigate the quickest route to an exit, taking the mental load off your shoulders when overstimulation kicks in.
Actively standing behind you in queues to create a physical buffer so you don't constantly have to scan the room.
Understanding a dark or enclosed space enough to move ahead to establish the space and let you know it's safe to step inside.
By your side at night, they detect the sudden shift in your breathing, sweat, and movement, stepping in to wake you with physical contact before the nightmare takes hold.
They are a working partner built to share the burden of hypervigilance so you don't have to carry the watch alone.
These dogs require 6 to 18 months of training, costing $30,000 - $50,000 with certification.
An estimated 15,000+ veterans could clinically benefit from a psychiatric assistance dog, yet the DVA program has placed only a few hundred dogs nationwide since its official rollout.
We want to make this more accessible, and can ease the process and give you a far better understanding of what you are entitled to.
Veteran owned & operated, AVAC is a specialist DVA claims advocate service, providing expert and compassionate guidance through claims, reviews and appeals.
