Stand: When the Service Dog stands in front of the Veteran, front and back legs of the dog are parallel to the Warriors shoulders, to create a barrier and space between the Veteran and other people.
Brace: When the Service Dog is in the stand cue, the Warrior places their hands over the shoulders and back legs of the dog to brace up from a sitting or kneeling position to a standing position.
Look: When the Service Dog has the Veteran’s back. Many Veterans experience hypervigilance and need eyes on everyone, but struggle when they can’t see who is behind them. The dog moves to the Warrior’s right side and sits facing behind them to watch his/her back
Lap: When the Service Dog targets their forearms over the Warrior’s thighs (lap) to provide deep-compression therapy calming the Veteran’s emotions and anxiety
Front: When the Service Dog starts in a down position. The Warrior will walk 6-10 feet from the dog. When given the ‘front’ command, the dog will return to the Warrior and sit in front of the Warrior facing them. This is used primarily when going through a metal detector.
Under: When the Service Dog will go under the Warrior’s legs, chair, and/or desk/table. This command allows for the dog to stay in a down position to avoid being a tripping hazard to anyone moving around the Warrior.