Gulf War vet hopes a service dog trained in Santa Fe will help him cope with seizures and ease the burden on his family

By NATALIE STOREY | The New Mexican
August 20, 2007

Tippy lay on the floor next to 39-year-old Robin Davis, happily accepting a belly rub from the 6-foot-5 Gulf War veteran.
It was harmless fun for the 3-year-old black lab, who has been training her whole life to be a service dog. But trainers from Assistance Dogs of the West were closely watching the interaction. Davis, who came to Santa Fe from Indiana with his wife to interview dogs, suffers from seizures brought on by post-traumatic stress disorder. Trainers were looking for a dog who would make body contact with Davis, a touch that can help a person come out of a seizure.

The seizures have kept Davis from working for several years, and because he cannot be left alone, his wife, Annie, has had to stay home with him. The Davises say getting a service dog will help their family cope with Robin’s PTSD.
“A dog would give me independence,” Robin Davis said. “It would give my wife independence because she could feel comfortable leaving me alone, and it would take that burden away from my family.”
The Davises learned of Assistance Dogs of the West through another dog-training service, Patriot Paws Service Dogs, a Texas organization that places service dogs only with veterans. The director of that group, Lori Stevens, had no experience training dogs to cope with people who frequently have seizures, so she contacted Jill Felice, the founder of Assistance Dogs of the West, who has trained many dogs to help people with seizures.
Assistance Dogs of the West agreed to help Stevens’ group find a dog for the Davises. The interview process involves a future owner interacting with several dogs while a trainer assesses how they get along. The Davises met three dogs Monday — Tippy, Doc and Gabe. After a dog is selected for them, they will come back to Santa Fe in October, when Robin Davis will go through a training session with his new dog. The Davises will pitch in $1,500 for the dog, while Stevens’ group will help pick up the rest of the cost.
Robin Davis served as a civil engineer in the Air Force from 1990 to 1993. He was deployed to the Gulf region two times, where he helped build air strips. During one of his deployments, a close friend of his was killed, something he still isn’t able to discuss at length.
The incident was the likely cause of his PTSD, a condition he lived with for many years until the seizures got so bad in 2005 he could no longer work, the Davises said. They happened more frequently — as many as three times a day. He also suffered from migraines, flashbacks and nightmares, Annie Davis said.
Annie Davis was instantly taken by Gabe — a pretty yellow lab who appeared to know he was a charmer. He jumped into Robin Davis’ lap as soon as he was let loose, and his wagging tail sent several papers on a nearby coffee table to the floor. But Tippy seemed to win Robin Davis’ heart, as she lay by his side and refused to leave him.

Felice said the Davises will interview three more dogs today. She said she will look for the dog who sticks by Robin Davis’ side despite distractions and a dog who makes eye contact with him.

“It’s fascinating to me because I love all the dogs,” Robin Davis said. “I want to take them all home.”

To get Tippy to look into his eyes, Robin Davis gave the command, “Watch me.” Tippy looked up at him from where she was sitting on the floor.

“It makes me feel safe,” he said. “And it’s just a darn dog!”
Contact Natalie Storey at 986-3026 or nstorey@sfnewmexican.com.