Service dogs are trained to help people with a wide range of developmental or behavioral atmospheric condition, including children with autism. While not every child benefits from having a dog, either equally a pet or as a service beast, several studies advise that many children with autism benefit from social and physical interactions with well-trained therapy or service animals.

A service canis familiaris is specifically trained to go along your kid prophylactic, calm in stressful situations, and out of harm'south fashion from wandering off. These dogs tin can also aid y'all in managing other aspects of caring for your child.

Different dog breeds are better suited to working with children with autism. Ask your child's behavior therapist if they remember your kid would benefit from a service dog. You may as well be able to visit with a therapy or service dog first before deciding if information technology is right for your family.

Across the Family Pet: Finding the Correct Dog for Your Kid With Autism

Most all children want a pet at some point. Whether a fish, hamster, true cat, or dog, children dear interacting with animals, learning to accept care of them, learning their habits, and treating them similar members of the family unit.

Several psychological studies show that children learn empathy and caring when they interact with pets. The unconditional love that pets evidence their owners, including children, can assist children feel reciprocal kindness. Pets and their owners interact in a diverseness of fun, playful ways, which tin can encourage children to get more exercise and effort different modes of playing that include sharing toys or figuring out games.

Specific types of pets — service animals or therapy animals — can exist very beneficial for children with special needs, including children with autism. While each child'southward preferences for type of pet may exist different, many young children honey dogs, and dogs make wonderful service animals.

If your kid is interested in dogs, you can work with some organizations to find a therapy domestic dog that is trained to support children with autism. Y'all can find a therapy canis familiaris with a personality that your child will fall in love with.

How to Know if a Service Dog Is a Expert Choice

A study on families with back up dogs for their children with autism found that the bulk benefitted from their relationship with the dog. Of the families surveyed, 67% had a domestic dog, and 94% of those reported that the child with autism bonded with the dog, playing and sharing personal infinite in a way that many children with autism otherwise struggle to do.

Parents reported that there were sometimes sensory issues that were triggered by the canis familiaris, and time and cost were burdens of pet ownership. However, learning companionship and responsibility were swell benefits for having a dog who interacted with the child.

Other studies prove that children who have pets, like dogs, from a younger age tend to have improve social skills compared to their peers. This tin be a benefit for children on the autism spectrum who might struggle with socializing otherwise. Studies involving therapy animals in a clinical setting prove that children take brusk-term improvements in social behaviors after spending even a little fourth dimension interacting with the beast.

While clinical studies are of import indicators of how your child might benefit from a back up dog, there are other considerations for you individually, such equally:

  • Does your child similar animals generally and dogs specifically?

  • Is anyone in your household allergic to animals?

  • Can you spend the time and money needed to treat the canis familiaris for many years?

Service Dogs Are Trained for Specific Tasks for Children With Autism

Since many breeds of dogs are easy to train and bred to exist social and gentle, there are several options for a possible service domestic dog to support your child. Several agencies railroad train service dogs, so yous are not likely to become a dog as a puppy and railroad train information technology yourself. Yous may still be interested in understanding or participating in this preparation, so you can easily work with your new pet and help your child understand how to care for the creature.

Service dogs have specific grooming that other types of therapy animals practise not. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that many businesses and public spaces allow people with service animals to bring their creature into the location with them. The animal will perform helpful functions, similar calming anxiety, guiding for walking purposes, indicating potential seizures, and other tasks. A service canis familiaris will vesture a specific "greatcoat," which is a blazon of vest or harness that identifies that the animal is specially trained.

Dogs that are trained to work with children on the autism spectrum, to keep them rubber by post-obit specific commands from caregivers, alarm the child or caregivers to potentially dangerous situations. They too piece of work to support the child'due south emotions and help them stay calm.

A service dog working with a child with autism may provide support at places or events like:

  • Dental offices.

  • Medical appointments.

  • Stores or big retail locations.

  • Schoolhouse activities or sporting events.

Breeds That Make the Best Autism Service Dogs

Over thousands of years, humans accept bred dogs for a wide range of purposes, from hunting to companionship. Some dog breeds are much more than social and intelligent than others, making them simple to train, gentle around children, and friendly.

Hither are some of the best breeds to serve equally autism service dogs for your kid:

  • Gilded retrievers: Notorious for their friendly natures, intelligence, and soft fur, retrievers are very popular pets for children of all ages. Since this breed is intelligent and kind, they make wonderful service animals. Many agencies that specialize in autism service dogs volition train aureate retrievers.

  • Labrador retrievers: Another intelligent and gentle breed of canis familiaris, these curt-haired pups are one of the almost popular breeds in the Usa. They are loyal to their owners and committed to their duties in one case they are trained. Their calm natures make them great pets for children with autism.

  • Corking Pyrenees: This big breed is most famous for its fluffy glaze since the canis familiaris was bred in common cold northern climates. They are also known for beingness smart and very protective of their owners, as well equally calm around their families.

  • Labradoodle: A combination of Labrador retrievers and standard poodles, this trendy breed of dog combines the intelligence, calmness, and protectiveness inherent in both breeds. They are larger dogs, and they accept beautiful, soft coats. They are loyal, smart, and attractive pets.

  • Quondam English sheepdogs: This breed was designed to herd sheep, and this shepherding trait tin can exist beneficial if your child has trouble paying attending to their surroundings and is at risk of wandering off. These dogs are intelligent, then they are easy to train. They have soft, curly coats, making them attractive pets. They are likewise famous for being calm under pressure, just they are playful and gear up to be active.

How to Know if Your Kid Would Do good From a Service Dog

In some cases, your child may go overstimulated by a dog'due south energy, have trouble with the feel of their fur or the volume of their bawl, or otherwise dislike or become afraid of dogs. Service dogs are trained to manage emotional struggles in children with autism, but if your child only does not enjoy being effectually even at-home animals, they will non benefit from having a dog as a pet or service animate being.

While having a pet or service brute may do good your child, this is not a substitute for other types of treatment to help your child manage their emotions and larn new social skills. Working with a behavior therapist is the first and virtually important stride in helping your child manage their symptoms.

Once you have a skilful behavior therapist, you can ask them almost service animals, if they recollect a pet would aid your child, and if they take access to therapy animals to come across how well your child interacts with dogs. Your child'south therapist will have valuable insight into whether a service dog is a good choice for your kid and which breed they might feel will work all-time to fit your child's needs.

References

Pet Dog Ownership Decisions for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. (April 2014). Journal of Pediatric Nursing.

Autism and Pets: More than Evidence of Social Benefits. Autism Speaks.

How to Decide Between Autism Service Dogs & Autism Therapy Dogs. Autism Speaks.

Is In that location Science Behind That? Autism Service Dogs. Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT).

All-time Domestic dog Breeds for Autistic Children. (November 2019). K9 of Mine.

The Life-Changing Bear upon of Autism Service Dogs. The Canis familiaris People.

Life With an Autism Service Dog. (February 2015). The Bark.