CLEVELAND — Retired U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Josh Lopez spent nearly a decade in the military as a canine handler.
Now the owner of Dog Training Elite in Cleveland, he’s giving back to other veterans by training them to become trainers themselves.
And training service dogs for veterans.
“It’s awesome to be able to give back, give vets peace of mind," Lopez says. "If I can do something, train a dog, help somebody get through their day-to-day lives, it’s the best thing I can do for them.”
Recent VA numbers show vets with service dogs have 66% lower odds of post traumatic stress disorder diagnosis and often experience lower levels of anxiety and depression.
Veterans helping veterans. That’s what Lopez says today is all about.
“It’s also beneficial because I can relate," Lopez says. "Been there. Been to Iraq. Been to Afghanistan. Some of the veterans that we’ve helped have been there as well, so I know some of the battles that they’re facing and I can relate to them when they have issues or they come upon those moments.”
Not only does Lopez train service dogs for people with PTSD and anxiety, he also trains dogs to alert diabetic owners that their blood glucose is high or low, help children with autism as well as just regular obedience training for your furry friends at home.