'Great' Expectations Service dog offers support, stability for local veteran

'Great' Expectations
Service dog offers support, stability for local veteran
Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer
 

News staff photo by ERYN DION
Templeton Veterans Service Officer John Caplis stands with Lars, his service dog.

TEMPLETON Between John Caplis and his service dog, Lars, it was love at first slip.

Mr. Caplis, who works as the town’s veterans service officer, was visiting the Service Dog Project’s campus in Ipswich last January, hoping to meet his new partner.

After visiting the campus several times, alone or with his family for more than a year, the retired Army sergeant was told last December they had finally found a match in the bouncing black-and-white bundle named Lars.

The Service Dog Project deals exclusively with Great Danes, Mr. Caplis said, with one of their main mottos being “get rid of the cane, use a Great Dane.”

Large enough to provide stability for those with even the most severe mobility issues, the breed is also known for its gentle, laid-back temperament, which makes them ideal for helping their handlers cope with issues related to post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.

When Mr. Caplis arrived at the facility for the start of his six-day training process, he noticed several dogs bounding around and playing in the early winter snow.

Heading into the barn, he lost his footing on the slick walkway and nearly fell, attracting the attention of one of the nearby dogs.

“I went down almost to one knee and he came running over to me and just stood there,” he said.

“Just watched me.”

After regaining his footing, the dog took off and Mr. Caplis moved on to meet the group’s head trainer.

The trainer took them out to introduce Lars, and Mr. Caplis was surprised to see the dog who had so dutifully stood by when he nearly fell in the snow.

“They were like, wow, you connected right away because he was right by my side,” Mr. Caplis recalled.

Three months later, Lars lies sprawled out on the floor of Mr. Caplis’ Town Hall office, alternating between snoring lightly and snapping to attention when someone happens to walk by.

He’s sporting green marks on his nose, a souvenir from Mr. Caplis’ 2-year old son who decided to draw on him with permanent marker.

“When the vest comes off he’s just a normal dog,” Mr. Caplis said fondly.

“He just takes it like a champ.”

The process to go from service animal to fully integrated family member is a tricky one, and one that requires an in-depth training program.

The Service Dog Project’s facility in many ways doubles as a retreat, with clients staying for up to six days in a room fully equipped with couches, television, Internet, a bed, and even a woodstove to provide all of the comforts of home.

The first step, Mr. Caplis said, is typically being locked in the room for 24 hours with the dog, to facilitate the deep bond needed between a handler and their service animal.

With Lars, though, that course was slightly expedited. “I think we were in the room four hours,” he joked.

“The head trainer came in, saw us, and said we’re done.”

What followed was six days of exposing dog and handler to various situations, teaching them how to maneuver in a grocery store, how to negotiate elevators and stairs, even how to steer a shopping cart.

“That’s the main part of the training is taking the service dog itself out,” Mr. Caplis explained.

That training doesn’t stop after the six days, Mr. Caplis said, and is part of the continuous exposure Lars needs to keep him in peak form.

“He has to get out once or twice a day,” he said.

“Which means I have to go out.”

Getting out and about, the veterans service officer said, coupled with his new position serving veterans in town, has brought about a radically positive shift in Mr. Caplis’ life.

“(Lars is) a godsend to me, that’s for sure,” he said.

“I didn’t realize how powerful having an animal like this would be for me.

I didn’t realize what the impact would be and it’s incredible.”

Lars has been instrumental in keeping him focused, Mr. Caplis said, empowering him and allowing the veteran to feel as if he can go anywhere and overcome almost any obstacle.

“I didn’t have that without him,” he said.

As a multipurpose dog, Lars is able to provide any physical and mental support his handler may need.

When running “fall-down drills” with Mr. Caplis, he’s trained to go down with the veteran, staying until Mr. Caplis can get back on his feet.

At night, he sleeps at the foot of the bed and can recognize a bad dream, nudging or slapping his owner with a paw to bring him back to reality.

“Back when I had a license to carry, it brought out a sense of freedom and a sense of protection,” Mr. Caplis said.

“I don’t carry anymore, but now I have him and it’s a better feeling ... he’s like a protector for me.”

Mr. Caplis has been working with the Home Base Program, which provides services for veterans suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury, for several years.

The group, he said, really pushes for animal socialization, and he’s seen other veterans work through serious issues and make real progress after receiving a service dog.

“More veterans should get animals,” Mr. Caplis said.

"People don’t realize the impact they have.”