Kevin Riordan: Marlton dog school trains companions for veterans with PTSD

Chief Warrant Officer Kevin Ellicott's nightmares can be tough to explain.

But Sierra understands.

"She's actually woken me up when I was having one," says the 43-year-old Marine, whose peppy black Lab puppy is "helping me find my new normal."

Sierra is enrolled in the new Semper Fido program at K-9 Basics Dog Training & Clif Wyck Kennels in Marlton, where I checked out an open house Saturday.

K-9 co-owner Lisa Berg says a Good Morning America story inspired her to establish Semper Fido in November 2010 with Ellicott's help.

The goal is to annually prepare a half-dozen dogs to be companions for veterans isolated by combat-related psychological conditions such as anxiety. The animals will not be Seeing Eye or "service" dogs, but will provide a loving, calming presence in the lives of traumatized vets.

"Basically, the dogs are like very well-trained pets," says Ellicott, a Medford Lakes father of two who was repeatedly injured ("blown up 14 times") during his service in Iraq between 2003 and 2005.

"I have my good days and bad days," adds Ellicott, who is being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Berg says: "I don't think enough is done for veterans. It's great to send them care packages while they're over there, but they need the support when they come home, too."

Like her husband and business partner, Brian, Berg is a retired Medford Township police officer. Cops, firefighters, and military personnel are a community, like dog lovers, and when you put them all together, you get the abundance of flags, fatigues, and fur that converged at the open house.

Amid vendors offering everything from beef jerky to canine massage, well-behaved dogs of every description were very eager to meet me.

"We're all animal freaks, obviously," Lisa Berg says with a laugh, noting that Semper Fido uses shelter or rescue animals whenever possible. A new trainee named Gunner was saved from the streets of Philadelphia's Kensington section in April.

Dog lovers of all sorts have been helping to get Semper Fido off the ground since November.

Take Pennsauken resident Shaun McCafferty, who took his rottweiler, Fritz, in for obedience classes at K-9. He ended up persuading his company, QTC Management Inc. in Philadelphia, to underwrite part of Gunner's training, which includes veterinary care and is expected to cost more than $2,500.