Service dogs are commonly used to aid in the treatment of war veterans suffering from PTSD. In addition to providing veterans with feelings of love and companionship, these dogs are specially trained to detect signs of anxiety, detect when their owner is having a nightmare and wake them up, help their owners feel safe in public, and other things specific to PTSD. Studies have shown that veterans with PTSD service dogs often demonstrate a lower number of PTSD symptoms and a higher quality of life.