[nagdu] Missing Washington Co. Boy Found After 5-Mile BarefootWalk

[Linda Gwizdak]

Hi Katrin,
I think CCI gives dogs to disabled kids as young as 6 - or they did. In 
those cases, the parents took complete responsibility for the dog's care 
with the child doing the tasks he or she was able to do.

Those were interesting points about the realities of service dogs for 
autistic kids.  Wow!  It seemed like the dogs couldn't deal with the kids! 
I agree with you about kids being too young for the responsibilities of dog 
ownership and assistance dog usage.

What exactly does a service dog for autistic people do on its own or is 
trained to do?  I've known some autistic people but none had dogs.  I am 
always curious about what training dogs get to do all kinds of things and to 
help people with all kinds of disabilities.  It is so amazing as to what 
dogs are capable of doing!Thanks.

Cheers,

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Katrin Andberg" <katrin at maplewooddog.com>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 12:53 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Missing Washington Co. Boy Found After 5-Mile BarefootWalk


> Autism is currently classified in the DSM-IV.  The proposed DSM-V will 
> have
> autism simply as "Autism Spectrum Disorders" currently in the DSM-IV there
> is Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, PDD-NOS and I believe one other non verbal
> learning disability I am forgetting at this moment.
>
>
>
> I personally have an issue with many of the "service dogs" for young
> autistic children as in the vast majority of the cases the dogs are 
> expected
> to be Lassie (which we all know was a fictitional character) and baby sit
> the child.  There was a study done on 10 service dogs placed with autistic
> children from a Canadian program (the 1st program to place dogs with
> autistic children as service dogs) and after evaluating and documenting 
> the
> teams for a period of months after placement it was shown that 8 out of 10
> dogs were bonded to the adult care giver and could have cared less about 
> the
> kid.  Most dogs would also get up and leave the situation out of stress 
> when
> the child had a meltdown.  And a number also began exhibiting stress 
> signals
> and even to the point of growling at the child.  Not exactly the safest
> situation if you ask me.
>
>
>
> As an adult with autism who utilizes a service dog and knows 1st hand how
> much assistance my dog provides me I am 100% on board for task trained 
> (not
> simply emotional support, but truly task trained same as any other service
> or guide dog is) service dogs for ADULTS (or some teenagers) on the 
> spectrum
> who can make appropriate safety decisions regarding the dog.  But what 
> small
> child is routinely capable of doing that regardless of whether they have
> autism or not?  No other disability related program is trying to place
> working dogs with children as young as they are doing with autism service
> dogs.  And I have yet to see a case where any of these kids can
> independently handle their dog the way one needs to to be a good handler 
> in
> high stress public situations.  They are not mentally mature enough to do
> so.  No 6 year old kid is, in my opinion.  I am fully on board with in 
> home
> only or emotional support dogs which do not have public access for kids as 
> I
> believe they can help a child prepare for having a service dog later in 
> life
> when they are capable of making the proper decisions and take on the huge
> responsibility that having a working dog in public is.
>
>
>
> I know there is a large camp of people that does not and will not agree 
> with
> me on this.  I am just giving my point of view as an autistic adult who is
> partnered with a service dog and who most likely will chose to be for the
> remainder of my life due to the assistance my dog provides me.
>
>
>
> Katrin
>
>
>
> Katrin Andberg
>
> Katrin at maplewooddog.com
>
>
>
> --------
>
> Interesting article.  The use of dogs for autism is fascinating, and I 
> guess
>
> they make a really big difference in helping the person stay grounded and
>
> relate more easily in social situations.  Very cool.
>
>
>
> Althought I'm confused.  The report kept referring to the dog as a guide
>
> dog.  Is it just me, or would the dog in question be more properly 
> referred
>
> to as a service dog?  I think autism is one of those disabilities for 
> which
>
> the line between guide, other types of service and emotional support 
> animal
>
> are a little blurred, although I'm not sure currently how autism is
>
> classified in terms of disability...
>
>
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
>
>
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