Soldiers are pairing up with pets, but not just any pet. Dogs they credit with saving their lives -- and it's not just their lives being saved.

  • 160 veterans have taken part in program
  • Founder says it helps veterans return to civilian life
  • Link: K9 Partners for Patriots

What appears to be an ordinary dog training course is anything but.

The men and women in the class served our country. And, with Mary Peter's help, they're learning an important skill for them to enter back into civilian life.

"I started watching veterans coming back from combat having trouble trying to put a dog in a regular obedience class and noticed the struggles that they were having," Peter said.

So with Peter's 30 years of experience as a master dog trainer, she founded K9 Partners for Patriots a few years ago to help veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries like Stephen Milford.

"She helps with anxiety, the stress, and the flashbacks. She wakes me up from nightmares," Milford said about his dog, Sunny.

Milford barely could make it through the doors for this class about a year ago, but life has taken a turn.

"My kids are happier because Dad gets up and goes places with them again, stuff I hadn't done in years," he said.

And it's not just the veterans that are feeling saved. More than 50 patriots have been paired with a rescue dog.

"Our hope is to save two, and that is a dog and a veteran together," Peter said. "The veterans aren’t paying a thing for the life-changing experience."

Veterans get 19 weeks of training. So far, 160 veterans are in or have gone through the program. The next group will be graduating in April.