Dogs support police officers with PTSD
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Thousands of police officers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of traumatic incidents in the course of their work. Dogs (both assistance dogs and companion dogs) can offer relief to police officers with PTSD. That is the finding of doctoral research by neurobiologist Charlotte Witjes-Roelofs, who will defend her thesis at Radboud University on Oct. 1, 2026. "Police officers feel safer with their dog nearby; they are better able to perform memory tasks and concentrate more effectively." The study is published in the journal Anthrozoös.
After experiencing one or more traumatic incidents, many police officers develop PTSD. This can lead to flashbacks, avoidance, a negative mood, and problems with attention and working memory. Many officers continue to experience symptoms long after treatment (EMDR or cognitive behavioral therapy). The police force had been using assistance dogs for some time with staff suffering from severe PTSD symptoms. While it appeared to be working, this had not yet been proven. Witjes-Roelofs therefore carried out the study, commissioned by the Police Academy, into the effect of dogs on the well-being and cognitive functioning of police officers with PTSD.
Calm and confidence
The study has quantitative and qualitative parts. In the quantitative part, brain activity was measured using an EEG while participants carried out tests. For example, they had to look at a screen on which one letter appeared at a time. If the letter was the same as the previous one, they had to press a button as quickly as possible. People with PTSD scored better on this working memory task when their dog was present than when their dog was not present. Conversely, people without PTSD scored worse on the test in the presence of their dog.
In the qualitative part of the study, Witjes-Roelofs interviewed police officers with PTSD about their bond with their dogs. The interviews revealed that the dogs provide emotional support. The presence of a dog often gives officers a sense of calm, even when it is their own pet dog. Officers who have a specially trained assistance dog also experience a sense of trust and security.
Training your own dog
A family dog can also provide some relief if a trained dog is not an option or is unavailable. "Research shows that dogs can improve the well-being and functioning of people with PTSD, for example by mirroring behavior or preventing people from reliving traumatic experiences when tension rises," Witjes-Roelofs said. "Assistance dogs do this in a targeted and consistent manner, but an ordinary family dog can sometimes play a part in this too and thus offer support."
An assistance dog is trained (for example, by the KNGF) specifically for people with PTSD. Assistance dogs can wake their owners from nightmares, remove them from crowded spaces if those spaces cause tension to rise, or mirror behavior. Certified dogs are allowed access everywhere, so people with PTSD can take them wherever they go.
Because an assistance dog is sometimes not feasible or available, the research also offers starting points for alternatives, according to Witjes-Roelofs. "A training program has been developed for police officers with PTSD and their companion dogs. In it, the dog and its owner learn how the dog can provide emotional support to the owner. This training has now been added to the support package for people with PTSD within the police force."
Witjes-Roelofs hopes that other organizations working with so-called "first responders" will also benefit from the research. "There are currently 166 assistance dogs in service with the police. The Ministry of Defence and fire departments are also working on deploying assistance dogs as a support tool, but perhaps ambulance personnel could benefit from them too. And the training program for people who already have their own dog could also be useful within those organizations."
More information
Charlotte L. Witjes-Roelofs et al, Exploring the Effects of Service Dogs: Enhanced Working Memory in Police Officers With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anthrozoös (2025). DOI: 10.1080/08927936.2025.2557661
Key medical concepts
Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderMemory, Short-Term
Clinical categories
PsychiatryPsychology & Mental health Provided by Radboud University Who's behind this story?
Gaby Clark
MA in English, copy editor since 2021 with experience in higher education and health content. Dedicated to trustworthy science news. Full profile →
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