Three photos of men with their service dogs in outdoor settings. The first photo is in black and white, showing a man in a police uniform kneeling next to a German Shepherd. The second photo shows a man in casual clothing holding an orange leash attached to a black dog with a yellow harness. The third photo features a man in sunglasses and a gray T-shirt standing next to a black dog wearing a red and white harness, near a parked vehicle.

A Victory Cry from the Heart of Texas

A service dog wearing reflective goggles and protective boots stands on a street next to a person holding its leash. The dog is equipped with a vest and other gear, likely for assistance or protection. In the background, other dogs and people are visible, some wearing patriotic accessories.

PTFD: Pet The Fucking Dog

PTFD—Pet The Fucking Dog—isn’t just a phrase. It’s a movement. A mindset. A battle cry.

Born from the raw resilience of individuals living with PTSD, PTFD transforms pain into power, flashbacks into focus, and hypervigilance into hope. It’s about the small acts of grounding that bring us back to the here and now—like the warmth of a muzzle, the thump of a tail, or the quiet wisdom in a dog’s eyes.

This isn’t therapy speak. This is real life. And in real life, you pet the fucking dog.

Chris’s Story: The Heart Behind PTFD

Chris served his community as a decorated Colorado law enforcement officer, receiving a distinguished Service Cross during his service. After years of facing trauma on the job and carrying the invisible weight of service, Chris—like many first responders and veterans—turned to alcohol to numb the noise. It worked, until it didn’t.

Chris reached a turning point. He wanted more from life than the cycle of survival and substance. He made the decision to seek help and entered a treatment center built specifically for military personnel and first responders—people who get it.

There, he met Hood, a floppy-eared K9 from the facility’s service dog program. What began as a bonding exercise became a lifeline. Chris adopted Hood, and the two formed a partnership built on sobriety, trust, and healing.

Every time his heart started racing and his chest began to tighten—feeling the effects of PTSD—Chris reached for Hood.
In those moments, Hood was his anchor. She grounded Chris, calmed his nervous system, and gave him the dopamine hit of connection instead of the pull of addiction.

Chris found recovery. He found purpose. And he found it through the simple, sacred act of petting the fucking dog.

Why It Matters

PTFD honors what trauma survivors already know: healing isn’t linear, and sometimes the most effective tool isn’t a prescription—it’s a paw. Backed by neuroscience, petting a dog releases dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin—those feel-good neurotransmitters trauma often strips away. It quiets the nervous system, lowers cortisol, and slows the heartbeat. This isn’t fluff—it’s biology. It’s victory.

For some, it’s a beloved pet. For others, a service dog—like Hood, trained to sense an anxiety spike before it rises, or to nudge someone out of a nightmare. For all of us, PTFD is a call to come back to your body, your breath, and your life; to the moment, to let connection ground us, and to move forward—one paw at a time.

Built with Grit. Based in Texas.

Homebased in the heart of Texas, PTFD is rooted in honesty, healing, and the unwavering love of a dog. We don’t do fluff. We do what works. Whether you’re wearing the logo, telling your story, or gifting it to someone in the trenches—PTFD speaks volumes:

I made it through the storm—and I’m still here. Still grounded. Still fighting. And yeah, I pet the fucking dog.