pearl Report post Posted February 29, 2008 Caught this on The One Show tonight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bard Report post Posted February 29, 2008 I think Mumble might prefer a squirrel! The thought of an autism support dog is unlikely to thrill her. Now a support cat would be excellent, but the general consensus seems to be that All 'Cats Have Asperger's Syndrome' (One of B's favourite books) However, there must be people out there that like dogs... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted February 29, 2008 Seems to be used with littlies from what I can gather. Nice gentle lab. A cat would just aid & abet! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bard Report post Posted February 29, 2008 Seems to be used with littlies from what I can gather. Nice gentle lab. A cat would just aid & abet! A gentle Lab? I once spent an entire evening's babysitting trapped under the immense weight of the family lab who didn't like thunderstorms and consoled himself by sitting on me. Bad breath, slobber, whining and shedding hair everywhere. He also had a troubled digestive system and I was worried that the proximity of the gas fire would cause an explosion. How were the children? Not a clue. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted February 29, 2008 Awww, he was just fwightened Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamum Report post Posted March 1, 2008 The bit about 'unlocking' the child I whole heartedly agree with. We have always had dogs but the dogs have not always related to my son that well..not aggressive, just ignoring him. We have 2 dogs now. The older adored my son when she was younger but now she doesn't want the attention so much. So for his birthday I got him a young dog, a small one, so he could 'take care of her' and have responsibility. His now going to training classes with her and wants to start entering her in amateur dog shows. It has given him responsibility and something he can talk about with others..unlocked socialising in him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Caffeine Junkie Report post Posted March 1, 2008 Dogs for the disabled are also doing a pilot scheme, providing children with autism an assistance dog. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted March 1, 2008 I have heard of people using guide dogs for autism before, mostly in America. Jim Sinclair is autistic, and uses a guide dog. He says the dog helps to guide him around obstacles like puddles when he goes out. He uses a wheelchair and the dog even helps to pull him up hills! (Jim is everso lightly built.) It helps him to do things independently that he would normally need help with. I don't know if anyone has read A Friend Like Henry by Nuala Gardner. That is about an autistic child who learned a lot of responsibility and social skills through owning a dog. I would like a dog to chase off other dogs, because I always seem to get chased by dogs. So it would need to be a big dog, or maybe a tiger! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clare63 Report post Posted March 2, 2008 Would highly recommend a rescue crossbreed, our little mutt has changed all our lives, she is quiet, gentle and loving. DS says she is the only one that understands him Clare x x x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sueeltringham Report post Posted March 2, 2008 We got a lab when my son was 2. She is the most faithful, patient and tolerant dog. She's my sons best friend and he often comes home from school, lays on the dogs bed with dog and tells her his troubles, hours before he'll talk to us. She's his best playmate and probably the first thing he properly communicated with. He feeds her every day and helps take her for walks and throws her sticks and balls. I can't describe the relationship they have as it's very special. Getting the dog was the best thing we did (and before we realised he was autistic), but it's still a huge responsibility and not something I would recommend for everyone. However if you're ready for the responsibility of a dog, then I'd highly recommend a carefully selected lab. Ours is from a very good working strain, so quite unlike the labs you often see and was sooooo easy to train. Sue Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clare63 Report post Posted March 2, 2008 The lady who I work for who has SMA and is in a wheelchair has a huge, black, hairy German Sheppard, quite scary to look at, but the most wonderfully intelligent and gentle beast I have ever come across, he is a Support Dog and looks so regal in his Support Dog coat. Clare x x x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
krystaltps Report post Posted March 3, 2008 I remember looking into this a couple of years back when I posted looking for advice about getting a dog as a companion for C. The system seems to be really big in the USA. I would recommend a lab as a companion. I have a beagle and a shih-tzu (the latter is my DD's), the beagle having been bought for C as his new friend. It didn't work. Despite the fact that beagles in general are supposed to be very good with children, Buttons is petrified of C because of C's flapping and noise. He starts shivering and growling when C goes near him, and as a result C hates him. BUT... my sis's labs - well, they're a totally different story. They love him, particularly the younger one, they seek him out when my sis brings them round to visit, they simply move calmly out of his way when he's having an outburst. The older one even let us know one night when R was about to start having a seizure: she cried to get out of the room, went upstairs and sat at the foot of his bed... two minutes later, R's seizure began. They really are amazing dogs. I agree with Sue - my sis's labs are from a working strain... they are so much more placid, confident, and easier to train than labs bred for showing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corcaigh Report post Posted March 5, 2008 Guide dogs for people in the spectrum are taking off quite well here in Ireland too, where they are becoming quite common. Thanks of course to the dedicated and often voluntary job of the Irish Guidedogs association. Here is the link regarding the dogs in assistance of Autistic children for whoever is interested: http://guidedogs.ie/?p=111 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peaches Report post Posted March 19, 2008 I wonder how you get one assigned to work with your child. My daughter would love that! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clare63 Report post Posted March 19, 2008 Support Dogs (www.support-dogs.org.uk) New iniative from Support Dogs assisting disabled people is the Autism Assistance Dog Programme Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lynden Report post Posted March 20, 2008 See I would love another dog, and Logan loved our dog, but partly because of Logans needs I just didn't have the time to give the dog the attention he needed in terms of exercise and things so we had to rehome our little Lhasa apso last summer. He's in a fab new home getting spoilt rotten, but I really do miss having a dog around! I think thats one thing that they do need to make people aware of when promoting things like this, that having a dog is a lot of extra responsibility. Lynne x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted March 20, 2008 This article about a family who has a support dog for an autistic child appeared in the Times last week. Unfortunately the online version doesn't show the whole picture so you can't see the lovely dog. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_...icle3553932.ece K x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
