SERVICE DOGS FOR AUTISM  

Service dogs can have a positive impact on the lives of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

Service dogs help with social interactions, expand communication, increase motivation for new activities, and relieve stress.  Service can help distract OCD behavior which can lead to tantrums.

Some goals for Training a Service Dog include:

Impulsive Running - dog will help retrieve and get child back to parent
Self Harming Behavior - dog will interrupt behavior and alert parent
Awakening at Night - dog will bark to alert parents
Interpret Mood Swings - dog will crawl into child's lap to calm child
Interrupt Social Isolation - child tends to focus on dog companionship
Non-Verbal Child - child learns to give dog commands
PICA - dog will stop child from eating inappropriate items
Self Stimulation - dog can interrupt behavior

A Service dog can Alert a person with Autism that someone is at the door, when it’s time to eat, when it’s time to take medicine, and when it’s time to go to bed.

A Service dog can also alert as to when the disabled person is having a Seizure.

Some dog breeds are highly intelligent and easy to train.  They also are very routined just like a person with Autism.  Research into dog breeds and sizes to accommodate to your environment is helpful.

There are many organizations across the country that trains Service Dogs.  You can also train the dog yourself.  It takes a lot of time and patience but it is well worth the effort.

Dogs are known to be very loyal and give unconditional love.  A Service dog is a perfect addition to improve the quality of life of a person with Autism.