A woman from Massachusetts has gone viral on TikTok after sharing how her service dog, Jake, has completely changed her life. Haylee Graves, 31, lives with a chronic heart condition called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, which affects her body’s ability to regulate blood flow.
POTS causes a wide range of symptoms, including rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, nausea, shortness of breath, fatigue, and more. Simple tasks like standing up, doing household chores, or even sitting with her feet down for too long can make her heart rate spike to dangerous levels. For Graves, this has made day-to-day life exhausting and unpredictable.
Everything has changed since being matched with Jake in 2018, when he was just 2 years old. Jake is a Labrador retriever and a fully trained medical and mobility service dog. He is able to detect changes in her body before symptoms even begin. Jake can smell hormone shifts and chemical imbalances that humans cannot detect. When he senses something is wrong, he alerts Graves and signals her to sit or lie down.
One of the most powerful tasks Jake performs is called deep pressure therapy. He lays across Graves’ body to help restore proper blood flow and prevent her from passing out. In addition to that, he assists with mobility, retrieves medications and items, helps manage crowds in public spaces, and provides constant emotional and physical support.
In a TikTok video posted under the username @hayleeand.herdogs, Graves shared a conversation she had with clients at her workplace. The video quickly gained attention, with over 788,000 views and more than 92,000 likes. Viewers were shocked and moved by the vital role Jake plays in her life.
Many people commented on the post, expressing how incredible service dogs are and how important it is not to distract them while they are working. Some called Jake a real-life superhero, while others shared their appreciation for learning more about invisible disabilities.
Jake is not just a pet. He is a highly trained working dog who has helped Graves reclaim her freedom and independence. According to Graves, he has saved her life multiple times and continues to be a constant source of strength and safety.
Service dogs like Jake are trained for many different roles including medical alerts, mobility assistance, allergy detection, psychiatric support, and more. Common breeds include Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, German shepherds, poodles, border collies, and Australian shepherds.
Graves hopes that sharing her story helps others understand just how life-changing a service dog can be and reminds people to respect these animals when they are on the job. Thanks to Jake, she is not only managing her condition but thriving with confidence and support. The internet cannot stop cheering for this amazing team.
