Impact of Dog Adoption and Training in Veterans With Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms and/or Other Mental Health Conditions

Purpose

The goal of this single-arm study is to learn if a dog adoption and training program can treat, prevent in [describe participant population/primary condition; could include any of the following: sex/gender, age groups, healthy volunteers]. The main questions it aims to answer are: - Does the dog adoption and training program decrease posttraumatic stress symptoms in veterans with self-reported posttraumatic stress symptoms? - Does the dog adoption and training program decrease stress and improve psychosocial health in veterans with self-reported posttraumatic stress symptoms? - Does the dog adoption and training program decrease inflammation, increase oxytocin, and change the structure and resting-state function of specific brain regions in veterans with self-reported posttraumatic stress symptoms? Participants will: - Attend eight one-hour professional dog training sessions within a 10-week period. - Visit the clinical research unit four times during the study for data collection.