by Melody Hatke

Created on: May 18, 2009

I had always thought of Post- traumatic stress disorder,as a disorder that only service men got after serving in a war. I never in my wildest dreams would have believed, that I, a thirty-year old, mother of three, could have PTSD.

My experience with PTSD started on August 18, 1993. The day started out, as a normal hot sunny day for me. I saw my kids off to school, then I left for my job at the Veterinary clinic. I worked in the kennel room, caring for the dogs and cats, the boarding animals and also cared for the sick and injured animals. I loved my job, I had only been working there for about three months, and I felt I had found the perfect job for me. I was also a volunteer 4-H leader, instructing dog obedience classes. I also taught adult dog obedience classes through the local animal shelter. I was living my dream, everything was wonderful. Until four o'clock that afternoon, that is when all my dreams fell apart.

Because of my work with the local animal shelter, this young couple was referred to me. They had adopted a Dalmatian from the animal shelter and was having some minor problems with the new dog. So the animal shelter advised them to call me, the dog obedience expert, in my community anyway, I was no dog whisperer, by any means. But I did have confidence, and I knew dog body language, and I knew I could change any dog and turn them into an obedient pet. I called it being dog cocky. If a dog ever attacked me, I would just throw it off, no problem. I had no fear of dogs, none at all. Working at the vet clinic and even at dog obedience class, I had had many dogs growl and snarl in my face, no problem, I just growled back. I was a tough, mean, dog training machine. Yes, I was until august 18,1993 at four o'clock that afternoon, I became shattered.

I had asked this couple with the Dalmatian, to meet me after work at the veterinary clinic, at four o'clock. They arrived promptly with their dog. They began to tell me about him, jumping on people, and jumping on the furniture, just a few behaviour problems. Nothing that I couldn't handle. I met the dog, petted the dog, no problems there, he didn't show any signs of aggression. He also did not try to jump on me, he sniffed at me, then proceeded to sniff around the grounds of the veterinary clinic. He seemed to me to be a normal curious dog.

I proceeded to instruct the couple on dog obedience training. We started with heeling, and the husband who was the one training the dog, tried to get his

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