Research
Warrior Canine Connection Executive Director Rick Yount and Director of Research Meg Daley Olmert work to identify and pursue research opportunities that explore why training a service dog relieves symptoms of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. It is hoped that this research will provide scientific evidence that dogs are providing powerful therapeutic support that improves the lives of wounded Warriors and their loved ones.
Meg is the author of Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond (DaCapo, 2009). In her book, which was the result of 15 years of research, she explains how friendly interaction with dogs can release a powerful brain chemistry that inspires our profound sense of attachment to them. This chemical reaction can also reduce fear and anxiety, and increase a sense of trust in each other.
Together, Rick and Meg published an article in the Army Medical Journal on the need to scientifically demonstrate the benefits of Canine Connection Therapy. They have also collaborated with researchers to carry out necessary studies at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and private academic institutions. You can read their article here.
See a list of resources below for research and evidence-based insights on the powerful bond between humans and dogs.
- 2025 Krause-Parello, C. A., Friedmann, E., Taber, D., Zhu, H., Quintero, A., & Yount, R. Veterans Training Service Dogs for Other Veterans: An Animal-Assisted Intervention for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Behavioral Sciences, 15(9), 1180.
- 2023 Cooper L, Ortu Kowalski M, Plantamura C, Chiu S. Reducing Anxiety Among Nurse Leaders Through Virtual Animal-Related Engagement. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration. 2023;54(1):E5-E7. DOI:10.1097/NNA.0000000000001380.
- 2021 Preetha A. Abraham, Josh B. Kazman, Joshua A. Bonner, Meg D. Olmert, Rick A. Yount & Patricia A. Deuster: Effects of training service dogs on service members with PTSD: A pilot-feasibility randomized study with mixed methods, Military Psychology, DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2021.1984126
- 2019 Yount, R A, Koffman, R, Olmert, M. D. “The Battle for Hearts and Minds: Warrior Canine Connection’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery Program.” In Transforming Trauma: Finding Resiliency and Healing through Animals, (ed.) Philip Tedeschi, Purdue University Press.
- 2019 Tedeschi, P., Jenkins, M. A., Parish-Plass, N., Olmert, M. D., & Yount, R.A. Treating human trauma with the help of animals: Trauma-informed intervention for child maltreatment and adult post-traumatic stress. In A. H. Fine 5TH Ed., Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Foundations and guidelines for animal-assisted interventions (5th ed.). New York: Elsevier Science.
- 2106 Ritchie, E. C., Chumley, P.R.,Olmert, M.D., St. Laurent, M., Rumayor, C. “Canines as Assistive Therapy for Treatment of PTSD in the US Military.” In Chapter Complementary and Alternative Medicine for PTSD. Eds. Benedek and Wynn, Oxford University Press, Oxford England: pp 165-178.
- 2015 Tedeschi, P., Sisa, M. L., Olmert, M. D., Parish- Plass, N., & Yount, R., “Treating human trauma with the help of animals: trauma informed intervention for child maltreatment and adult post-traumatic stress. In: The Handbook on animal- assisted therapy, 4th Edition, Ed., A. Fine. Elsevier Press, San Diego, CA: pp. 305– 319.
- 2015 Olmert, M.D., Nordstrom, M., Peters, M., St Laurent, M., Yount, R.A., “Canine Connection Therapy: Finding Purpose and Healing Through the Training of Service Dogs.” In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Related Diseases in Combat Veterans. Ed., E. C. Ritchie, Springer International Publishing Switzerland: pp 197-209. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-22985-0_14
- 2013 Yount, R., Ritchie, E.C., St. Laurent, M. Chumley, P., Olmert, M.D., “The Role of Service Dog Training in the Treatment of Combat-Related PTSD,” Psychiatric Annals, June 2013, Vol. 43 (6) pp 292-295. DOI: 10.3928/00485713-20130605-11
- 2012 Yount, R.A., Lee, M. R. & Olmert M.D. (2012). Service dog training program for treatment of posttraumatic stress in Service Members,” AMEDD: Canine-Assisted Therapy in Military Medicine, April-June 2012: pp 63-37.
