OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. —
A 25-pound Belgian Malinois puppy named Gunner wagged his tail into the Osceola County jail Tuesday to surprise his new dad, Army veteran and corrections officer Keith Lynch.
"One moment, I thought I was coming up here to do a photo for the division I work for and then I walk in to all this, it was just amazing, it was awesome," Lynch said.
Following the footsteps of his dad and brother, Lynch served in the army for four years and has served in corrections for 16.
He's struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and has wanted an emotional support dog for quite some time.
A breeder specializing in protection dogs and a trainer offering to train Gunner for free made it happen.
"There's something a dog does. It gets you to wake up every day. You have to feed the dog. You have to give the dog water. You have to walk the dog and you establish a bond with a dog like no other so that is our goal every time we give way," Brianna Holzerland with Hozerland Protection Dogs said.
"This dog is going to go through protection training, sport training, environmentals. This puppy can go absolutely everywhere, be confident with anything that's thrown at him. Nothing is better than going through life with man's best friend," Kathryn Schreiner with Marsoc's K9 Training Facility said.
The breed is known for its eagerness to please, its loyalty and courage.
"He's going to go every with us. Everywhere. Travel, everywhere we go, he's going to go with us," Lynch said.
The American Psychological Association says dog ownership can often help combat PTSD.
Osceola County corrections officer, Army veteran surprised with puppy
The American Psychological Association says dog ownership can often help combat PTSD.
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