Autism Dogs, Service dogs

Here is a letter I posted to someone looking for a dog for a child with autism. I have not added the original letter, and just wanted to give people a sense for what assistance dogs are or can be.

Very glad to meet you and hope we can help. There is actually a book out for training dogs for autism, and the training has been very successful. I have one daughter with autism and one with Down Syndrome. Your story can be my own! My dd with DS wonders, we have an ankle bracelet with alarm on it; but find that Chewy is much better because I can locate my daughter instantly by looking for the dog! We also have a small ranch, and she can wonder safely for about 1/2 mile in any direction, but it is a real comfort for me to know that 130 lb Chewy is with her (she has gained alot of weight since the litter). Chewy never gets upset with anyone, but I think it would have been so much nicer if I knew HOW to train a dog for the meltdowns! There is a pretty active site on the web about training special needs dogs. I even got the book; The Golden Bridge about training a dog for a child with autism and highly recommend it. While they are pushing their own kennel, and that might be the best choice for you; it still has great information. The only difference you could get with one of our dogs, is the protection aspect. These dogs are bred to bond. The bond is pretty much unbreakable. What ever breed you decide on, unfortuneately because of the unique disruptions for our children; you must start with a very young puppy, and one that will not tramatize easily. A golden retriever could be a good choice, I think more the dogs temperment would be what you need to look for. If you can, come and meet Chewy and Ariel, our dogs. My sister has a letter of puppies she might have one. She has the next male I will breed to, Keno. You should plan on driving out to take the puppy back yourself, with your child. I know road trips are hard, but by the time you get home you will have created a good working relationship with the puppy. On our breed, for what you need you need a pup about 6 weeks old, and they can not be flown. This is when you will get the best bond, and many breeders will not even consider selling a dog that young. Our pups are weaned at 5 weeks, so I have no problem with it. But let's be honest, the pup will chew, tear things up and get in trouble. YOU need to be the one that teaches him WHAT he can chew and tear up and how to stay out of trouble. In other words, you need to commit TWO years, and then you will have another 13-19 years of a faithful companion for your child. these dogs are pretty mellow, you can teach them to crate, but where is your child when you are gone? Can the babysitter work with the dog? These dogs are a tool, and while you must have the dog groomed and potty trained, once they are; the schools must accept them. Will the teacher read the book? Can you buy a wire crate for the pup to be in during school, and large enough your child can sit in with him? A Safe Place. The dog is also a tool so that other children will interact with your child, and comfy enough for your child to hide his head in the fur when he needs to. But the dog MUST have basic obedience, discipline and housebroken before you can attempt to introduce the concept to others. The dog MUST have rock solid temperment so as to not react aggressively to another child in the school that may not have good body control and slam dunks him! You need to hire a handler for the dog's first few months out in public if you can not do it. the handler will teach the child how to work with the dog, not train the dog in the general sence of how most seeing-eye or hearing-ear dogs are trained. I have even heard of dogs being trained to "sence" a melt down coming on and will jump up and lick the child in the face; disrupting the nervous impluse. Or even purposley tripping the child and hold him down until help arrives. The dogs wear packs, carrying information and cell phones, first aid kits etc. The dogs know when the pack goes on, it is time to work and his charge is his life. You MUST have SERVICE DOG on the pack, with information telling anyone who may see the dog holding your child down that the dog is working; to get the phone out of the pack and call you. Otherwise some unknowing person may shoot your dog!
Hope this helps. Ariel will be bred in two years, otherwise we do not plan another litter out of chewy unless my sister decides she is going to sell Keno!
Dusty