Service Dogs UK: Helping Veterans to train their own PTSD Service Dogs

About this episode

The episode discusses the origin of Service Dogs UK and its mission to help veterans train PTSD assistance dogs.

This is the origin story of the charity, Service Dogs UK, which supports veterans of the military and blue light services in training their own PTSD assistance dogs.  Hear its founder and operations director, Garry Botterill, on the various training models, and how his own lived experience in the military and police has informed the training model and contributed to the approach taken by Service Dogs UK. Find out more about assistance dogs supporting veterans Garry mentions all these organisations in this episode. As we say in the episode, there are many other organisations and charities - these are just some of them! Service Dogs UK and the Dogs Making a Difference Awards 2026 Paws for Purple Hearts (U.S.) Paws and Stripes (New Mexico, U.S.) Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services (PAALS) (South Carolina, U.S.) Warrior Canine Connection (Maryland, U.S.) Connected Dogs with Jobs episodes on assistance dogs Duke, the PTSD service dog , (also trained by Service Dogs UK)  Mika, the  well being and trauma support dog  in the Metropolitan Police  By your side:  navigating life with a guide dog over time Ralph, the owner-trained, multi-tasking…

People in this episode

Guest: Garry Botterill

Topics covered

• PTSD assistance dogs
• veteran support
• dog training
• military experience
• charity origin stories
• assistance dog organizations

Keywords

• Service Dogs UK
• PTSD
• veterans
• dog training
• assistance dogs
• charity
• military
• support dogs

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Service Dogs UK, Paws for Purple Hearts, Paws and Stripes, Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services (PAALS), Warrior Canine Connection

Books & works: Duke, the PTSD service dog, Mika, the well being and trauma support dog in the Metropolitan Police, By your side: navigating life with a guide dog over time, Ralph, the owner-trained, multi-tasking assistance dog, Darcey, the Canine Partner, Benjy, the trainee guide dog, Daisy, the autism assistance dog

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