A groundbreaking study by researchers at Florida Atlantic University has found that working with service dogs can increase the lifespan of female veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Female veterans between the ages of 32 and 72 were randomly assigned to either a service dog training program or a control group that watched dog training videos. Both groups participated in one-hour sessions each week for eight weeks. Researchers measured outcomes before, during, and after the program.

To track biological stress, researchers analyzed telomere length, a marker of cellular aging, through saliva samples, and monitored heart rate variability (HRV), an indicator of nervous system balance, using wearable devices. Psychological stress was assessed with questionnaires measuring PTSD symptoms, perceived stress, and anxiety at multiple points during the study.

One of the most striking results involved telomere length. Veterans in the service dog training program showed an increase in telomere length, suggesting a slowing of cellular aging. In contrast, participants in the control group experienced a decrease, indicating accelerated aging.

Those with combat exposure who trained service dogs saw the greatest improvements in telomere length, while veterans with combat exposure in the control group had the most pronounced declines.

On the psychological side, both groups reported significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and perceived stress over the eight-week period. Researchers noted that these improvements may have been linked to participating in the structured program itself. Unlike the biological outcomes, the psychological benefits were not affected by combat exposure.

The findings, published in the journal Behavioral Sciences, highlight promising biological benefits associated with service dog training, particularly for veterans with combat experience. Psychological improvements were seen across all participants, regardless of whether they worked directly with dogs.

For this study, Florida Atlantic University collaborated with the University of Maryland School of Nursing, the Medical College of Georgia, and Warrior Canine Connection, Inc.

“This research underscores the power of service dog training as a meaningful, non-pharmacological intervention to support the health and healing of female veterans with PTSD,” said study author Cheryl Krause-Parello, Ph.D. “It opens the door to more personalized approaches that nurture both the mind and body.”

The results offer early evidence that non-drug interventions like service dog training may help reduce the physical toll of stress and slow cellular aging in female veterans.