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Child's Best Friend Part 1: Considering a Service Animal?
by Adelle Jameson Tilton, About.com Autism, March 2003
Many people are interested in the possibility of having a
service animal, usually a dog, for their child with an Autism
Spectrum Disorder. It is a relatively new concept, one developed
in the past decade, and dogs are an amazing aid for these
children. Jonathan had a service dog for three and a half years
and the assistance that dog provided to him was truly beyond
measure. A well-trained service dog that a child will bond with
aids in socialization, prevents elopement and allows for normal
interaction in society. Although the service dog working with
autistics is still rare, it is something every parent should
consider.
Several things must be taken into consideration when considering
a service animal, particularly a service dog. This is not a
venture entered into lightly, particularly if parents decide to
train the dog themselves. Various factors are imperative to
bring a dog into a working environment, and it truly is work.
This dog will be at work when he/she is with your child.
However, a dog is still a dog and considering canine needs is
important. A dog needs to run, play, chase cats and bury bones
regardless of what he does during his "work hours." Balancing
the needs of the child and the dog is a major key to success and
a few tips can help in the process.
The Family
It is vitally important that a child not be frightened of large
dogs. If your child is very young and you are considering this
option for the future, expose your child to larger dogs that you
know are comfortable with children. It can be alarming for a
child who has never been around a large dog to suddenly have an
animal at eye level. A hesitant or scared child will not bond to
the dog and no training in the world will allow them to perform
as a good team.
Children have a different body language than adults. When a
child approaches a dog, they usually have open arms, totally
unrestrained behavior and tend to grab or pull on the dog. A
child needs to be raised in an environment where they understand
how to approach dogs. This is also a factor in the dog choice.
Time is an important element. Regardless of whether the dog is
trained by a service dog facility or is trained at home, this is
an extraordinary time commitment. Selecting a dog from one of
the facilities that specialize in training dogs to work with
children with ASD will require one to two weeks at the facility
with the dog and the child. Expect a year to two years of
training if the dog will be self-trained at home. Regardless of
the source of the dog, continued training and reinforcement will
be a necessity.
One parent needs to be involved in the dog/child team. If there
are many caretakers involved this will be confusing for both the
child and the dog. One adult who can supervise the team and
provide the direction to the dog as to what is expected at a
given moment will help the dog perform to the best of his/her
ability.
Children best adapt to a service dog after they become a toddler
and before they enter school for the first time. A rule of thumb
is ages two or three to six. There are exceptions of course, but
a child this age will be more receptive to the concept of
dog/child teamwork.
The Dog
Dogs are still dogs, regardless of their occupation. It is
important that a fenced yard be available to the dog so he/she
can go outside for play and relaxation. Think of this dog as an
employee as well as a family member and service animal. Everyone
needs off-hours and a service dog is no exception to this. Even
the best-trained service dog is not above treeing a cat, burying
a bone or rolling in the mud. These activities also provide
exercise that is essential to the physical and mental health of
the dog.
Like any other animal, dogs will become ill or will need
preventative medical attention. Veterinary bills can be
expensive. It is wise to have a bank account set up that funds
are put into on a monthly basis should an expensive procedure be
needed. Emergencies happen as well and having that back-up fund
is akin to medical insurance for a dog.
Different breeds of dog require different grooming. A dog with a
fuller coat will need frequent brushing to stay neat. Some
children are interested in this whereas others are not able or
willing to perform this task. A parent can brush a dog regularly
if they are willing to give the time required. Nail clipping,
dental care and any other grooming needs specific to a
particular breed should be taken into account when a dog is
being selected.
Different dogs have different dietary needs. Some dogs cannot
tolerate certain foods and high-grade dog foods are the best for
a dog that is working fulltime with a child. A working dog
should not be allowed to become obese and a child should be
taught to not feed the dog table scraps. This dog will
eventually be working with a child in a restaurant and it is
unacceptable to have a service dog begging for food.
Intrigued? So how do you bring a service dog into your child's
life?
A Child's Best Friend Part 2: Self-Training a
Service Dog
by Adelle Jameson Tilton, About.com Autism, March 2003
Can a parent
find a dog and train it to be a well performing service animal
for their child with ASD? Absolutely! Although organizations
that provide service dogs make the whole process easier, some
parents choose for a variety of reasons to train a dog at home.
Sometimes a family cannot meet the qualifications of agencies;
they may not have a fenced yard or may have another dog at home.
The practicality of travel to the agency can sometimes be an
issue as well. For those families, self-training, with a VERY
STRONG commitment to creating a child/dog team is possible.
 If
the decision is made to self-train a service dog, it is
important to learn as much as possible about service animal
training and be well informed about the laws. Service animals
are legal and cannot be prohibited from entering any public
place that a person is allowed to enter. Research and understand
the laws covering the use of service animals and do not be
intimidated by people who are unaware or unwilling to follow the
laws. A good Website for legal information regarding service
animals is the International Association of Assistance Dog
Partners.
The next step is to compile information and begin learning how
to acquire the best dog for your child. It is important to
understand what breed of dog is the best suited for your child.
Many experts feel that a working dog's career will cover about a
seven-year span so consider the size of the adult dog as well as
the size of the child. A very large dog may be inappropriate for
a child; however, one that is too small will not be able to stop
wandering or elopement of a child. Breeds often chosen for
people on the ASD spectrum are labs, golden retrievers and dogs
of that size. Jonathan's dog was a collie, and although his coat
created grooming responsibilities, he had natural herding
instincts and was easily trained. A dog around 65 to 85 pounds
is a size that easily worked with and is comfortable for most
children.
Support as far as talking with other parents who have embarked
on this journey is very helpful. The voice of experience is
invaluable. Joining a group, either online or in person, is very
helpful for learning how to train a dog for working purposes.
Many simple mistakes can be avoided by talking to people who
have done this themselves and the interaction will help keep a
sense of humor that is imperative in the training process. There
are days when someone who is working with training a dog and a
child to work as a team that it will seem like the most foolish
endeavor in the world. Hearing the stories of others, whether
positive or negative, helps keep perspective on the situation.
It is a great stress-buster to learn that you are not the only
parent in the world who has been in public training the new team
and had the child run off in one direction and the dog run in
the other. There are groups at Yahoo Groups and other email
lists. Research the best groups for your purposes and join in.
The sources for information on service dogs and other service
animals are far too extensive to list within the context of this
article. There are literally hundreds of sites and sources for
information. Utilizing your favorite search engine and hunting
out the sites that apply to your needs is the best way to
progress. Simply do a search on "service dog" or "service
animal" and work up a list of sites that meet the needs of your
child.
A working team of a child with autism and a dog is a wonderful
site. They seem like just any child with a pet but upon closer
examination, it is clear that the dog is on duty. The
socialization that a service animal brings to a child's life
becomes part of therapy along with the freedom to simply be able
to play outside or go shopping. The one goal every parent has
for his or her child with ASD is to discover independence with
safety. A service dog may just be the way to meet that goal. |
