A veteran’s best friend

By Abigail Singrey November 2024

Brush Creek Service and Therapy Dog Center in Stillwater helps veterans by training service dogs to meet their specific needs

Therin Miller’s life changed the day Sydney padded into his world — a German shepherd with soft eyes and a steady presence. For the veteran who had spent years battling the invisible wounds of PTSD, Sydney is more than just a dog; she is a lifeline. With her by his side, the nightmares that had plagued him after two tours in Iraq finally have a counterbalance.

Miller never imagined a dog could have such an impact, but during a hospital stay he found comfort in the calming presence of therapy dogs that visited his floor a few times a week. It sparked an idea: Could a service dog help him too? His research led him to Sydney’s trainers, Brush Creek Service and Therapy Dog Center in Stillwater, served by Central Rural Electric Cooperative.

He reached out to Tracy Berg, the operator of Brush Creek and breeder of German shepherds. Thanks to her nonprofit, she donated a dog and fully sponsored its training. Miller was then matched with Sydney, who is now just under a year old.

“When I start to get intrusive thoughts, I love on Sydney, and she loves back on me,” Miller says. “She makes me feel much more comfortable.”

Berg and her fellow trainers, Randy Smalley and Judy White, tailor each dog’s training to meet the specific needs of the person. For Miller, this means Sydney is trained to position herself between him and anyone who gets too close, helping him relax. She also recognizes early signs of Miller’s tension, such as fidgeting or bouncing his leg, and helps distract him.

“It helps with my anxiety and hyper-vigilance — all those nuances that come with PTSD,” Miller says.

For Tracy Berg, it all started with her love for a breed: German shepherds. Her Vom Haus Berg — German for “from the house of Berg” — shepherds have European bloodlines and carefully researched pedigrees. After 23 years of breeding, starting a dog training business felt like a natural next step. When she began receiving requests for service dogs for veterans, she realized the depth of the need. Alongside her for-profit training services, she established a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to help veterans and others with the cost of their service dogs and training.

“Brush Creek is amazing with their training and care,” Miller says. “They sponsored Sydney with an open heart, and their willingness to give back really shows where their hearts are.”

Some veterans come to Brush Creek with a service dog already chosen, while others — like Miller — need to be matched with a puppy. The process begins with an interview with the Brush Creek team. This allows those seeking a service dog to get to know Tracy and her kennels, while the team learns more about the person’s specific needs. For veteran Ryan Higdon, his dog Remi is trained to watch his back — literally.

“She watches my six. When I used to go places like the mall, my daughter’s ball games or grocery shopping, my anxiety would skyrocket,” Higdon says. “Remi has made me feel much more comfortable and confident in those situations.”

Caring for a dog can be deeply therapeutic for individuals facing mental health challenges, according to White, one of the trainers. Dogs require regular feeding, water and outdoor time, which forces their owners to focus on another living being. This routine helps people stay engaged with life. For many veterans, choosing to bring a service dog into their life is a significant step.

“When veterans take the leash, you can see they believe things are going to get better,” White says.

Each future service dog undergoes training for six months to two years, depending on the skills they need to learn, according to Smalley, another trainer. The dogs complete three stages of training: Good Canine Citizenship, which covers basic obedience; Urban, which involves mastering stairs, noise and other challenges; and Public Access, where the dog trains in busy environments like elevators and malls. After completing these stages, the dog can be certified as a service dog.

For many veterans, service dogs are an indispensable source of support. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 29% of veterans from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have experienced PTSD symptoms at some point, with 15% reporting struggles in the past year. Veterans are at a higher risk of suicide due to PTSD. In fact, their suicide rate is 57% higher than the general population. In 2021 alone, 131 veterans in Oklahoma died by suicide, according to the latest VA data.

“We are literally saving lives,” Berg says.

But it’s not only veterans who benefit from Berg’s dogs. Through both her nonprofit and for-profit dog training programs, her team trains dogs to meet a variety of needs. Service dogs can fetch medication, provide mobility assistance and much more. One father of a special-needs son, James Arkell, reached out because he was impressed with Berg’s program.

“I didn’t want a dog raised in a pen,” James Arkell says. “We were looking for a dog that would truly be part of the family.”

The Arkell family privately funded the training for their service dog, Anna, a German shepherd. Anna offers essential support to their 10-year-old son, Michael, who is nonverbal, partially blind and uses a wheelchair. Trained specifically to assist individuals in wheelchairs, Anna monitors Michael for signs of anxiety and helps him navigate daily challenges.

“Michael startles easily since he can’t see everything going on around him — as anyone would if someone suddenly touched their arm,” James Arkell says. “Anna reassures and comforts him.”

James Arkell emphasizes that anyone considering a service dog, especially a German shepherd, must be prepared to invest time and effort. German shepherds are high-energy working dogs that need plenty of exercise to stay healthy and happy. But for the Arkells, it’s worth it.

The team at Brush Creek is committed to helping those in need of service dogs, especially those who lack the resources to afford one. None of the trainers — Berg, Smalley or White — take a salary for their work with the 501(c)(3); they all volunteer their time. Brush Creek relies on donations and volunteer support to sponsor more service dogs and expand their impact to those who need it most. For more information, visit www.brushcreekservicedogs.org.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can reach out to the Suicide Hotline at 988 or the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255.

How to Support Brush Creek

Donate: Contributions help sponsor more service dogs.

Volunteer: Ask for the opportunities available for those looking to get involved.

Spread the word: Help raise awareness about the need for service dogs.