It was years before retired Army Sgt. Ramon Jaramillo acknowledged that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. But his wife, Maria, knew he needed help almost from the moment he was medically discharged in 2007.

"He was withdrawn," Maria said. "And he was angry and unsociable. It was like he was a prisoner in his room."

Ramon, through his wife's urging, agreed to several programs to help him resolve issues, but he could never stick them out. The programs focused more on the illness and not on the healing.

But one counselor encouraged him to try Paws and Stripes, a Rio Rancho-based nonprofit that links veterans who suffer from PTSD and traumatic brain injuries with service dogs. He and his dog Taji, named after the Iraqi city in which Ramon suffered injuries during his final tour of duty, soon bonded in ways he had never thought possible.

The positive training worked its magic for both the veteran and the black Labrador retriever.

"I didn't think she could help," Ramon said. "I didn't even consider it. They kept drilling into my mind, 'Your dog will help you do this.' As it turned out, she did."

Ramon was one of the group's first graduates when he finished the course in February. It wasn't always easy, Ramon said, and it took an emotional toll. But the trainers — and Taji — forced Ramon to confront his fears, such as going into crowded stores.

"They took me to places I wouldn't go to before," he said. "I would never go to Walmart, or go down an aisle. But I didn't have a choice. They were training her, but I didn't realize until later that they were training me, too."

Taji has learned to anticipate Ramon's mood swings. When she senses Ramon might be anxious, the dog will put her head on his shoulder or, if he's on the couch, lie down on him. The dog also checks out buildings and offices to see if there might be problems that could send Ramon into a spiral.

"There are all kinds of different ways she alerts me to my anger," he said. "It's odd how she can detect it."

There's nothing unusual about the relationship a service dog develops with its owner, said Pam Witt, who raises funds for the group. Witt and the Jaramillos spoke with a steady stream of people Saturday at Teca Tu pet store at the Sanbusco Market Center about the benefits of service dogs for veterans with PTSD and TBI.

"Almost 50 percent of soldiers who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan have been diagnosed with those two disorders," Witt said. "They've got some real physical, mental, emotional and psychological issues. The dog, as they start working with them, and the bond, that tightness and trust that they develop, is immediate and it grows even stronger over the training."

Paws and Stripes was formed last year by Jim Stanek and his wife, Lindsay. He teamed with A Fresh Perspective Dog Training to help as many veterans as possible. Stanek, who suffers from PTSD and TBI, said he found that the most comfort and relief he found while recuperating was in the company of therapy dogs.

The program uses approved rescue or current companion animals as service dogs and charges $2,000 for the training. Veterans don't pay anything, Witt said. All funds are raised by contributors or through events.

There are about 250 veterans on the waiting list, with about 95 from New Mexico. Five dogs graduated in the group's first year, not bad given the group's first effort.

The training program usually runs about six months, with individual and private sessions. Aside from basic obedience training, the graduates meet all public-access standards through the American Disability Act.

"When our dogs go into a restaurant, or on a plane and has its vest on, they have got to be able to meet those standards," she said. "Some programs train the dogs to provide emotional support, which is important, but that doesn't mean they are going to be able to take them anywhere. With our dogs, it goes beyond the emotional support to the individually trained work and performance tasks."

The service dogs can emotionally bring veterans out of the house, Witt said, noting that many veterans suffer from flashbacks. Ramon and his wife remember those days before the training.

"I lived in my room," Ramon said. "She served me breakfast, lunch and dinner in my room. Now we go out every day for walks. I have a four-wheeler, and she'll jump on the seat and we'll go out for rides."

Maria said her husband's activities — even the fact that he can attend talks in a shopping center — are a testament to the program.

"He wouldn't have been able to do this before," she said. "When I come home from work, it's nice to see him out there doing yard work, or just sitting there enjoying the fresh air."

Ramon has also become a mentor for other veterans suffering from the disorders. There are so many people who feel trapped, he said, just like he did.

"I didn't see what was in me; it had to be forced out of me," he said. "Now I can go to a veteran and force it out; it's very rewarding."

Ramon admits that the injuries he suffered, both physically and mentally, are tough for him. Military life was everything to him, he said, and it took him awhile to shake off that reality.

During the first part of Taji's training, Ramon decorated the dog's vest with his medals and patches. He said he was proud of his accomplishments, but every time he looked at the dog, all he could see was his military life.

One day his trainer encouraged him to take off the medals. His outlook changed.

"I was not treating her like a soldier," he said. "And I wasn't thinking like a soldier. Once we got past that point, the training was a breeze."

Ramon's disabilities are discouraging, he said, and forced him to retire earlier than he wanted. But with Taji at his side, Ramon said his life is easier.

"With her, there's nothing frustrating anymore," he said. "She's got that doll face. For me, if the day is tough, I look at her and she looks at me and it's 'Dad, don't worry about it. There's nothing to worry about.' "

For more information about Paws and Stripes, visit the group's website at www.pawandstripes.org.