# Training Our Own Autism Service Dog



## curedba

We just got a puppy who is 8 weeks we have a daughter with an Autism Spectrum Disorder called Aspergers Syndrome and we are wondering where we start in regards to training this puppy to be a service dog for her we have all the time in the world this puppy comes from great working lines and he is very confident and very smart it will take 8 years and $30 000 where I live to get a dog for our daughter we didn't want to wait so want to train ourself but not sure where to start


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## Lauri & The Gang

You need to determine what tasks you want the dog to perform for your daughter.

Start raising the puppy as any normal puppy - positive training, lots of social experiences (going out and about in public) and basic obedience.

Once the puppy is mature enough you can start the service training.


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## BahCan

I don't really know anything about the service dogs, but perhaps you could contact these to ask advice and who works in the area in Alberta.
Welcome to Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides

Assistance Dogs International : ADINA – North America

Don't know if that helps at all, but they may be able to put you in the right direction and let you know if there are trainers in this area that work in that field.

Was your breeder aware of what your plans for the pup are and did they choose this particular pup for you as the best prospect for this kind of work


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## curedba

Thanks guys the breeder has a few families dogs that are in the service field she let me pick our dog but what happened was we had originally picked the more layed back pup but he didn't seem to have much intrest in us and this little guy came right up to my daughter and layed on her lap it was almost like he instantly connected with her he follows her every move. The breeder said he would be better suited as he is a fearless pup and very brave she assured me that the other pup if I wanted would just be just as good of a dog for us either way as all her dogs are o an even temperament however she said it is my h better when you let the dog pick you instead o you picking the dog so I really think we made a great choice this pup comes from great lines from the German and Czech line and most all of the dogs in his pedigree are titled however I am complete aware that any dog given the right amount of time as training can be a service dog but it helps knowing past family members of his are in the same line o f work


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## curedba

We need him to keep her calm and collective in public places and to be ok with people being around and also not to have meltdowns in the middle of the store she does not feel pain and is extreamly strong so when she gets upset she can and has hurt herself wether it be biting herself, banging her head or pulling her hair out our hopes are that he will keep her mind on her dog instead of what else is going on


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## LoveEcho

I have Asperger's; I believe there are a few members here who do. I don't consider my dog a service dog by any stretch, but I have trained him a bit to help me out. I respond well to touch and pressure, so when I'm having a meltdown (or on the verge of one), the dog will come lay on me. The combination of the sensory stimulation of his fur, and the pressure (many Aspies respond to a firm 'hug' that sort of re-sets the nervous system that's freaking out... weighted blankets are also helpful) helps tremendously to bring me 'back' to the moment and calm down. I think helping calm during meltdowns is probably the most important thing for an Autism service dog. He's actually become pretty good at picking up on anxiety stims (wringing my hands, etc) and will come sit with his weight against me, which is also really helpful when I do bring him in public. Definitely come up with a list-- what sort of things does your daughter respond best too? Is she a touch person, like me? A sound person? Good luck!


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## curedba

Unfortunately when she is in the middle of a meltdown she wants the complete opposite not to be touched or talked to the only thin that calms her down is giving her something high in sugar or being with an animal she gets overstimulated if she has been to more than one place in a day we usually just try to avoid bringing her out altogether because when she does have a meltdown it is nearly impossible to keep her safe and calm while trying to make sure all our other 3 children are safe
As well she is extreamly strong and can fight off 3 full
Grown adults when in the middle of a meltdown


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## vomlittlehaus

You should have a plan in place for the other children to follow when her meltdowns occur. But not knowing their ages, not sure what to recommend for that. They key here would be to recognize the first sign of stress and avoid the meltdown altogether. They dog may be able to be trained to recognize this and then do something (ie lean on her, get an adult). Full moons always seemed to bring on a meltdown in the one student I had in my classroom. Try to track that with your daughter. Do you have noise cancelling headset for her to wear? That might help in public places to reduce that stimuli. I guess you need to find out what is going to work to bring her down from her escalation and go from there in training the dog. Definitely a long down stay is priority.


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## Cheyanna

I am training Fiona as my service dog with the help of a trainer. Is there anyone local who could help you? The first thing is to socialize and get the puppy obedience trained. Can your daughter be responsible for the pup? Feeding, walking, grooming? It was necessary for Fiona and I to bond that way, because part of her job to help me with chronic pain. See if your local library has books or videos on training.


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## Castlemaid

Hi, I also have Asperger's - I hope you find some experienced help for training your dog. the advice from others to socialize and do basic obedience for now is great. Teach your pup with positive, reward based techniques, and make him feel like he is the best, brightest smartest pup in the whole wide world to build his confidence. 

I'm one who has much difficulty with pressure and human touch. Though my dog's presence and non-invasive energy has been very healing. I also have been challenged to overcome autistic tendencies by staying more present, even when stressed and over-stimulated, in order to be a constant and grounding source of energy for my dogs to rely on. Keeta used to get distressed when I drifted off into my autistic mental retreats - my energy going somewhere else she could feel it, and it scared her. Not wanting to scare my dog and wanting to make her feel safe and secure, I made the effort to stay more present at all times, and not drift. Over time the need to drift away just went away. 

As for the sugar calming your daughter - she is probably very sensitive to low blood sugar, and a drop in blood sugar may be causing panic attacks in her and precipitating the melt-downs. Low Carb, high-protein (a la Atkins) diet has done wonders to help me stabilize.


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## Muneraven

My step-son has autism/Asp. and is bipolar. He lives in a group home now, but when he was with us our Golden doodle, Gus, was terrific with him. He would walk around our backyard with our son and hang out with him. When our son got anxious, Gus would put his big, shaggy head in our son's lap and lean into him and it helped calm our son down. We didn't teach Gus any of this . . .he is just a sensitive dog who instinctively knew this boy needed him.

Unfortunately, our son can't own a dog himself as an adult because of the bipolar component. He gets really violent when it gets bad. A dog wouldn't be safe with him . . .neither are people.  He has to go to the hospital a few times a year when things go wrong. It's very sad because he is a genuinely sweet young man when not in the grips of his illness. 

People are giving you good advice here. Teach your dog obedience and socialize the pup a LOT. And of course expose the pup to your daughter a lot. Some dogs are scared of the odd movements of people with autism because they don't understand how to read the body language, which is often a bit different. But a pup raised with your daughter will understand it fine!


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## LoveEcho

I think Castlemaid summed it up better than I could in terms of the touch/pressure... I don't like it from humans, but find it soothing from the dog. It's enough to keep me present, and has helped me to learn how to deal with them on my own before I sort of "fall off the edge". Before I had him, because I couldn't stand the contact from my husband or a friend, I would withdraw but I would continue to spiral out of control. Echo sort of short-circuits that, so in addition to making me more aware of when it's coming, I can also actively seek him out. (As a side note, the high protein-low carb has also worked extremely well for me).

As part of her socialization, expose the pup to loud shouting, etc...anything that will help her not be fearful during meltdowns (this took a long time for me to overcome with my dog, as he's a bit nervy)-- a big part of that is to reward, reward, reward and train with a lot of positivity.


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## ILGHAUS

> however I am complete aware that any dog given the right amount of time as training can be a service dog


This is so not true. Even the largest and best known Assistance Dog organizations with thought out breeding programs, professionals who pick out the candidates, monitored puppy raisers, and excellent trainers do not have a 100% record.


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## curedba

Thanks everyone for all the information we have a very good trainer here who is know as Canada's ceaser millan his name is Larry Nielson from Konfident kanines he however cannot help in the training of he service aspect but is a very good obedience trainer.

I have looks several places here in Alberta I live in Calgary and no one is willing
To help because service dogs and not trained they are born which I think is not very fair but whatever I continue my search for an ADI accredited school for us to take him to.

My other children are 11, 5, & 2 my little girl with Aspergers is 3 and my 2 year old is also special needs and my husband is also so when we get this pup certified he will have a lot of people in our family that could benefit


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## Xeph

A service dog is meant to have only one handler, not multiple


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## Castlemaid

The trainers you have talked to are right - not every dog is service dog material, even if the pup 'chose' your daughter. Most trainers will wait until a dog is older, about a year old, to assess the dog's suitability and temperament before making the investment into training. 

Even many of the Seeing Eye Dogs, that have been bred for generation for service work, wash out of the program for many reasons. When raising a pup for service work, you have to always keep an objective view as to their suitability to do the work they were selected for, and not be swayed by your emotional tie to the pup.


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## SFGSSD

Lauri & The Gang said:


> Start raising the puppy as any normal puppy - positive training, lots of social experiences (going out and about in public) and basic obedience.


Taking a dog in public in no pet areas should be done after the dog is well socialized in pet friendly areas and at least obtains a CGC. If you have not trained a service dog before, contact a professional when you want to start training the dog in public in no pet areas. A lot of dogs cannot handle the stress of no pet areas and may react in a way that could make the handler liable. Having a professional with you to recognize the instant trouble may escalate before it happens is something you cannot learn in a book or website. It is in your best interest to seek professional help.


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## curedba

Thanks everyone for all toe help
I will keep researching everything for the next few months before starting training if it will even be possible as I live in Alberta and all service dogs here need to be certified by an ADI accredited school however all waiting lists are closed so in reality our hopes for training our own service dog for our daughter is slim to no chance even though j have all the time on my hands and don't mind paying for a professional trainer it seems like its nearly impossible to train your own service dog which is a so upsetting for us it shouldn't be this way I don't think it's very fair but I guess that's life and just for info this pup would only be used for my daughters assistance no one else hopefully one day it will be easier to get your own dog certified until then I guess we have a new best friend for our kids and family to grow up with and we love him unconditionally either way


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## Lin

How old is your daughter? Handling even a fully trained service dog in public is a lot of responsibility. Service dogs are for independence, and as such as generally not used by children. Autism dogs for children is a rather new thing. Children do not need independence, and therefor there is no need for a service dog in public. A parent of an autistic child is already required to work much harder than a parent of a child who is not disabled, and adding in a dog to control as well makes things more difficult. 

Now, companion dogs in the home can do WONDERFUL things for children, especially those with development disabilities. 

I highly recommend against tethering which is very popular these days. 

I also have Aspergers. I have a mobility assistance service dog, and am a member of the Assistance Dog Advocacy Project working mostly in education. 

ADI accredited schools are not necessarily better than anywhere else, the ADI accreditation program is based on money and the schools paying the fees, not any type of independent testing to verify the standards of the organization. I'll also reiterate that very few dogs actually have what it takes to be a service dog. Even the most well bred dogs of the best service dog breeding programs have frequent wash outs. Unfortunately with puppies its a complete toss up as well, no guarantees on what the adult temperament is going to be like. A dog may wash out at any point in the process as well, I had quite a lot of training in with my girl Emma before I had to wash her out.


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## curedba

Thanks Lin for all the info I will take it all into consideration my daughter is 3 and not the only child I have with special needs my husband and I are both stay at home work from home parents so have all the time in the world to train the dog properly the reason I want to train my own service dog is because I am not fond of the lab or golden breed and think that the GSD is much smarter and all around better dog I would have to go through an ADI accredited school because I live in Calgary AB and your dog cannot be certified unless it goes through one of these schools. 

Although I will try my best to get him certified as her service dog I and I would only tether if I was walking with my child and I had complete control over the dog. I am aware that it may be nearly impossible to get him to be a service dog but that doesn't mean I am not going to try as it would really be helpful to my daughter as she only has issues when in public so much so we cannot even take her into public anymore.

Again I appreciate everyone's help and will take it all into consideration for future reference thanks again for everything if all else fails I am sure he will be a truly amazing companion and we may end up just have him start agility so he can channel his energy elsewhere.


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## Lin

curedba said:


> Unfortunately when she is in the middle of a meltdown she wants the complete opposite not to be touched or talked to the only thin that calms her down is giving her something high in sugar or being with an animal she gets overstimulated if she has been to more than one place in a day we usually just try to avoid bringing her out altogether because *when she does have a meltdown it is nearly impossible to keep her safe and calm while trying to make sure all our other 3 children are safe
> As well she is extreamly strong and can fight off 3 full
> Grown adults when in the middle of a meltdown*





curedba said:


> Thanks everyone for all the information we have a very good trainer here who is know as Canada's ceaser millan his name is Larry Nielson from Konfident kanines he however cannot help in the training of he service aspect but is a very good obedience trainer.
> 
> I have looks several places here in Alberta I live in Calgary and no one is willing
> To help because service dogs and not trained they are born which I think is not very fair but whatever I continue my search for an ADI accredited school for us to take him to.
> 
> My other children are 11, 5, & 2 *my little girl with Aspergers is 3 and my 2 year old is also special needs and my husband is also so when we get this pup certified he will have a lot of people in our family that could benefit*


Ok I missed the age my first pass. 3 years old is extremely young, much too young to already be considering a service dog. 

You mention that she's difficult to control, and that you have other children. Dogs are like toddler's themselves, even highly trained dogs still basically have the mind of a toddler not an adult. Service dogs are never working on their own, but working under the control of their handler. So basically what you're considering right now is adding an additional toddler to your family outings, please consider this fully. For children, the parent must be the handler as a child doesn't have the capability to be responsible for the training and the control of the dog. You have quite a lot on your plate already when out in public. 

You also mention that she's very strong and difficult to control during a meltdown. This is one of the biggest problems with dogs being used for autistic children. Its not safe for the dog or fair to the dog to put them in a situation where they could be in danger. During autistic meltdowns children frequently self injure, or hit their parents. This is not a situation to throw a dog in to the middle of. You already have difficulty keeping your current children safe, why willingly throw another in to the mix to be responsible for?

Service dogs don't get much time off, as they're required to assist both at home and out in public. You currently have much too high expectations of the dog to already be considering it working as a service dog for more than one member of the family. This also makes things much more complicated and confusing for the dog, as who is to be considered their top priority? 

Now, from what I've read your situation seems like a great arrangement for a trained companion dog to assist around the home. To help multiple family members, and be there for your children with disabilities. Pets in the home can help autistic children become more interactive with their environments and have lower stress levels. The unconditional love of an animal is a wonderful thing to experience. Your children can cry into his fur, give him hugs, tell him about their days and their stresses. You and your husband can do the same  With the help of a trainer he can be taught advanced obedience, and specific tasks such as the mentioned applying pressure. When your daughter becomes a teenager and then adult, she can make the decision herself if a service dog is something that would assist her. Maybe something that would make the difference for her to be able to go away to college. 

Autism dogs are great for adults. We have a member here who is an adult with an autism dog, she's also a member of ADAP. I know some other adults with autism dogs in the service dog community. They provide great independence for their owners. But a child doesn't need independence, a child needs parenting. Your hands are awfully full already, I couldn't do what you're doing! Don't make things harder on yourself, she's only 3 so you've got 15 more years of putting too much on your plate in effort to make her life better.


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## mackjordann

What do you want the dog to assist her with?

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## Lin

The biggest problem with tethering is not control over the dog, but control over the child. Many people advocate tethering to prevent autistic children from running off. But what does that mean for the dog? Even with a young child, they still weigh a good percentage of what the dog weighs and its not fair on the dog to have to withstand that when a child tries to run. Then the child continues to get older, and very soon even outweighs the dog. Things can be made even worse if tethered to the collar and the neck of the dog taking the brunt of the weight. This is why most in the SD world are against tethering.


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## mackjordann

What do you expect out of the dog? 

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## curedba

As to your question on how I want this dog to help my child here are just a few reasons that come to mind. 


By lowering her stress levels within public places - she is easily overwhelmed having her service dog with her will hopefully aid in decreasing her meltdowns and self injuring in public and at home. 

Also to help with her social skills she does not like being around people and will start to scream, hide, pull hair, rock, throw tantrums etc.. she instantly connects with animals and loves to show them off.

The dog will also serve as a calming presence for her as she is very connected to animals and overall much happier when around them she could live at the pet store if I let her as this is the only type of live contact she likes and thrives on. 

Also the dog will be trained to touch/ nudge her when he senses her coming into a meltdown or break patterns of repetitive behavior that leads to stress and meltdowns.

As for the tethering if he cannot be tethered to her he can be trained to track her by her fear, stress, and scared feelings when she realizes she is too far from her dog. She is not much of a runner "anymore" so tethering should not be an issue.


As for what I expect out of the dog well he is from working lines and has many fellow family members in the service line of work from service dogs, SAR and K9 he has the "right stuff" we just need someone to help train and certify him. He above all being a service dog will also be a loving, caring member of the family and will Im sure be a wonderful dog service dog or pet it wont make a difference I am just trying to help my little girl without having to wait another 8 years and $10 000 for a "LAB or GOLDEN" I prefer the GSD which is why I would prefer to train my own.


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## curedba

Lin my life my be too much for you to handle but I am handling it just fine and I don't mind adding another toddler into my home as far as a puppy/dog goes as I was an owner/operator of daycare for 10 years so toddlers are not a problem and we have 3 adults to 4 kids in the house so it is not that bad you cannot judge my life until you have lived it  

Again I will take everything you have said into consideration but I will still try to do my best to get this dog certified for my daughter and just to clarify the dog would only be helping my daughter not anyone else in my family just meant that he could if I wanted to train to help with all the things they deal with but our top priority is our daughter as she is the one who needs the most help.

Thanks again


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## nitemares

My son was diagnosed ASD at 3 and now it appears he was misdiagnosed but that's not the point LOL My point is just the presence of an animal around children with difficulties in general and social difficulties in particular, seem to have an amazing effect. 
I first noticed a huge improvement in my sons speech right after i got a cat, and after we got Dumpty his social skills improved dramatically + more speech development. Our pets are blessings in disguise 
if you can't train your dog as an SD then just having him would probably help, they seem to know what you need and give it. it happens more as they mature and keeps getting better.


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## SFGSSD

Lin said:


> ADI accredited schools are not necessarily better than anywhere else, the ADI accreditation program is based on money and the schools paying the fees, not any type of independent testing to verify the standards of the organization. I'll also reiterate that very few dogs actually have what it takes to be a service dog.


 This is 100% true. 
I will add, While I support owner trainers that have the real ability to train their own Service Dog, I frown upon the delusions of this movement that is supported by ignorance. 




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## curedba

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information however both ADI accredited schools in my region are no longer accepting owner trained dogs so I guess it is in my own hands now if he doesn't make it to be a service dog maybe perhaps we will get him into flyball or schutzhund/IPO or something to keep him busy either way I am sure he will be an outstanding dog and I appreciate everyone's help in this matter.


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## Muneraven

I just wanted to add that I wish you all the best in this endeavor. And while service animals of course need to be trained, I have seen again and again in my life how an animal can bring healing to a person of their own accord. If you teach your dog the details he needs to know to behave in public, I have no doubt he will use his big doggy heart to help your daughter.


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## Lin

curedba said:


> I don't mind adding another toddler into my home as far as a puppy/dog goes as I was an owner/operator of daycare for 10 years so toddlers are not a problem and we have 3 adults to 4 kids in the house


Its not the home thats the issue, its out in public. Dogs are wonderful in the home! I personally think a home isn't a home without a dog. But being in public with a SD is a very different matter entirely. Many people think its all positives, but its not. Its very difficult and a huge responsibility. The training never ends when you're dealing with a living breathing animal, doesn't matter how well trained a SD is or how many years they've been working- every time you're in public is a training session for good or bad. Adding a SD means splitting the focus that's on your daughter or daughter and other kids. 

For all the reasons I've detailed in the various posts I've made here, reputable SD training organizations don't place service dogs with kids. And the issue becomes even more complicated for those who want the dog to accompany at school.


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## Xeph

> Many people think its all positives, but its not.


Quoted for truth. Sometimes it SUCKS


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## SFGSSD

Lin said:


> For all the reasons I've detailed in the various posts I've made here, reputable SD training organizations don't place service dogs with kids. And the issue becomes even more complicated for those who want the dog to accompany at school.


If the reputable org places Service Dogs with children it is under strict guidelines. The fact that a org places an SD with a disabled child does not make them not reputable. Putting out dogs that do not function properly makes an org not reputable.
The statement that it does not give a child independence as they do not need independence is discriminatory to children. Going out to play with friends, going to school as examples are times of independence these children with disabilities do not get to experience because of their disability. They have a right to their independence just like any other PWD.
With that said, a lot stricter guidelines for SD's with children are in place from reputable orgs before they are teamed full time.




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## Lin

I've been disabled my entire life. There is a huge difference between being disabled as a child and being disabled as an adult. Service tasks are things that can be performed by another human, or a piece of equipment. But one dog can perform the tasks of multiple pieces of equipment, and no adult wants to need to be accompanied by a service human every time they go out in public. Children however cannot be completely independent and out in public alone, they need supervision. And this supervision cannot come from a dog, it must come from a human. So toss a dog in and then the human must supervise both. 

Kids at school are supervised. Add a dog in to the mix, and now the underpaid overworked school staff must be responsible for supervising both a child with needs and their service dog. Thats not fair. A parent that can afford to accompany their child to school daily or pay for an assistant to be a handler and do so is rare. And if thats possible, then it makes more sense for that parent or assistant to focus 100% on assisting the child, not 50% on the child and 50% on the service dog. Children at play are supervised. And children at play are at play in private not public areas most often, in which case either a SD may not be allowed, or a trained companion or just pet dog would be just as welcome as a SD. 

I've both attended school with a disability and been forced to home school due to a disability. Adding a SD to attending school would not have made a difference in ability to attend school as a young child. Having a SD in the home as a young child would not have been any different than having a loving trained or untrained pet in the home. 

As an adult, my SD affords me independence and allows me to perform more activities of daily living and accomplish adult responsibilities without relying on a service human to accompany me. However there are still many drawbacks, and times where the SD detracts from my abilities. Similar to other equipment, except in the case where more responsibility is required due to a SD having its own brain and durable medical equipment not. My dog primarily performs mobility related tasks to assist my limitations. However I must also ensure my dog continues in training to be able to perform the needed tasks reliably, is in excellent condition in the form of cleanliness and state of her equipment. Weekly baths and nails, daily brushing with increased brushing prior to restaurants or grocery stores. Increased bathing prior to Drs offices and hospitals. Doing this takes up energy and increases pain. I use a wheelchair most of the time, but sometimes having to unload and load the wheelchair into the car is more effort than it saves for certain outings. 

I also have Aspergers as well as PTSD and anxiety issues. Going out into public with a service dog means being constantly approached by strangers who either want to talk with me or interact with my dog. Who may interact with my dog despite my explaining she is working and no they cannot interact with her. Sometimes when I just want to make a quick trip to the store to get a few food items so I don't starve to death before I'm physically able to complete an entire grocery run, I may have to stop and educate employees about service dog law or fend off the public. There are friends and family that are not entirely accepting of my service dog. Visiting my dad means explaining yet again to my stepmother that Tessa is not just a pet but my service dog and yes she must accompany me or I will not be coming, and then fending off my dad constantly reminding him that when Tessa is in work mode she must not be disturbed, if he wants to pet her that badly then I'll have to remove her harness and release her which is exactly what your wife requested I not do... No dear friend of 14 years, I cannot leave Tessa at home while we go to the restaurant. She's my service dog, not a luxury item. And its not that I "get" to take her everywhere with me, its that I need her to function independently.


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## SFGSSD

Lin,

This may be the case for you. But is not the case for everyone. In your case, a SD when you were a child may not of been a benefit for the reasons you described. For others it is, and it is a benefit that definitely outweighs the sacrifices. DAD are a type of SD that is more commonly used with children that fit the benefit in spite if the added responsibility. However, even with a DAD not every child/Parent is a fit for a SD in their life. That is why there is an application and screening process with every applicant. 


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## curedba

Lin, 

I am aware that having a sd in public means properly caring for my daughter and the dog at the same time but what you are not understanding is my daughter is a lot easier to take care of when she has an animal with her as all her attention is focused on taking care of her animal we used to bring her small dog in and he would sit on her lap when we went into places this made 100% of a difference as she wouldn't have breakdowns she would just sit there and pet her dog unfortunately that dog passed away so we looked into getting a real sd for her as she has been like this in public since 4 months old today we talked with the children's hospital and I am more than happy to announce that Argos is welcome to join her with open arms anytime same thing with our local Walmart he is only 9 weeks old and we have a family member who used to volunteer for BC guide dogs so can help us train him and I will jump through all the hoops to make this happen and prove to you Lin that training a sd for a child like mine is well worth every minute and doller spent and we will have fun doing it  Back in the day it may have not been a good resource to have a SD for a child but now a days it makes a world of difference and like any parent I will do anything to make my daughter happy


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## BahCan

I sent you a PM....it has a link to a meet up of Puppies in training for Service/Guide here in Alberta, didn't want to put the link in the room wasn't sure if it was allowed as you have to join the group.

Take care


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## carmspack

I don't have a whole lot of confidence in the breeder having a novice person choose , a pup at 8 weeks of age for a very demanding performance requirement -- no , not even that , allowing the pup to choose them 

" she let me pick our dog but what happened was we had originally picked the more layed back pup but he didn't seem to have much intrest in us and this little guy came right up to my daughter and layed on her lap it was almost like he instantly connected with her he follows her every move. The breeder said he would be better suited as he is a fearless pup and very brave she assured me that the other pup if I wanted would just be just as good of a dog for us either way as all her dogs are o an even temperament however she said it is my h better when you let the dog pick you instead o you picking the dog "

Totally disagree with this " I am complete aware that any dog given the right amount of time as training can be a service dog "

Washouts are pretty common in guide dog breeding programs for many reasons , lack of reliability , physical problems , aggression issues (dog) , social or environmental issues . Not every guide dog that fails the program is able to enjoy work in another field . Some of them just plain fail , but are wonderful in a family home .

Training your own service dog is a bit of a romantic notion . Not easy. Personally I would have suggested that you contact one of the organizations - Lions Foundation as an example and get on the waiting list . They would offer other services . Explore options, including questioning whether a service dog is doable for your childs needs. Not only does the dog need extensive training , and testing for certification , so does the new handler or handler family . These organizations are funded by community donations and bequests , no cost to the recipient of the dog .
I truly wish you the best .


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## curedba

Carmen,

Where I live it is not a MUST that the dog has to e certified I am completely confident this will work out just fine and if it doesn't like you said there are washouts but in the case he will still have a great home there is no harm in trying and for your information it was the recommendation of my daughters psychologist that we look into getting her a service dog the main reason I didn't go through an agency is well simply no longer taking applications to help people train their own service dog I think it is a little ridiculous that a person must jump through so many hoops of fire to get one of these dogs which are 99% all labs and well let's just say they are not my favourite breed and I feel it's unfair to the people with disabilities to be making things so difficult in either case my dog is now welcome anywhere we go with welcome arms  and I will keep everyone updated


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## Lin

Just a note, many medical professionals recommend service dogs without having any familiarity with service dogs or service dog law. That said, it IS important to have discussions about a service dog with your medical professionals for the disability with either a program dog or an owner trained dog. 

First off its important because the SD is a part of the treatment for the disability, and as such the professional needs to know and be kept in the loop as to how the treatment is working. In addition, its important to have it documented in your medical records in the event of being sued and ending up in court. I'm not as familiar with the laws in Canada, especially since different provinces have different laws, but in the US you have to prove specific things in court. If you are sued by an individual or business you have to prove the status of disabled according to law (and not just medical opinion) as well as the dogs status as a service dog. This is where training logs come in, ILGHAUS posted an example of training log entries in the service dog in training thread. Medical records also come into play here. If an individuals treatment providers had no knowledge of a service dog being used, that would appear extremely fishy to the judge. In court the judge has the ability to deem a dog NOT a service dog and then thats that, and in certain areas criminal charges can be pressed including fraud. This is why its so important for anyone who has a SD or is considering a SD to know the law for their area in full, as well as the law for anywhere they may travel with the dog.


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## Castlemaid

Lin, I so appreciate helpful, knowledgeable posts like yours to help our members out. The SD requirements are a world of their own, starting at the breeding and selection of suitable dogs, and including awareness of all the laws and regulations the owners/trainers/users fall under. Most people just think they can get a dog and declare it a service dog, and that's it. 

Especially with all the so-called service dog providers and trainers out there, who are just scammers and have a good thing going flashing around meaningless certificates as proof of legitimacy, easily preying on the vulnerable and desperate who would do anything to help a family member. It is important that people looking into getting a service dog or training a dog they already have hook up with a non-profit, recognized organization for help and guidance.


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## SFGSSD

Lin said:


> Just a note, many medical professionals recommend service dogs without having any familiarity with service dogs or service dog law. That said, it IS important to have discussions about a service dog with your medical professionals for the disability with either a program dog or an owner trained dog.
> 
> First off its important because the SD is a part of the treatment for the disability, and as such the professional needs to know and be kept in the loop as to how the treatment is working. In addition, its important to have it documented in your medical records in the event of being sued and ending up in court. I'm not as familiar with the laws in Canada, especially since different provinces have different laws, but in the US you have to prove specific things in court. If you are sued by an individual or business you have to prove the status of disabled according to law (and not just medical opinion) as well as the dogs status as a service dog. This is where training logs come in, ILGHAUS posted an example of training log entries in the service dog in training thread. Medical records also come into play here. If an individuals treatment providers had no knowledge of a service dog being used, that would appear extremely fishy to the judge. In court the judge has the ability to deem a dog NOT a service dog and then thats that, and in certain areas criminal charges can be pressed including fraud. This is why its so important for anyone who has a SD or is considering a SD to know the law for their area in full, as well as the law for anywhere they may travel with the dog.


Good post Lin,
I believe it is not any Judge though, (going by memory here) I Bellevue only a Federal Judge can ask and make those determinations.


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## Lin

Castlemaid said:


> Lin, I so appreciate helpful, knowledgeable posts like yours to help our members out. The SD requirements are a world of their own, starting at the breeding and selection of suitable dogs, and including awareness of all the laws and regulations the owners/trainers/users fall under. Most people just think they can get a dog and declare it a service dog, and that's it.
> 
> Especially with all the so-called service dog providers and trainers out there, who are just scammers and have a good thing going flashing around meaningless certificates as proof of legitimacy, easily preying on the vulnerable and desperate who would do anything to help a family member. It is important that people looking into getting a service dog or training a dog they already have hook up with a non-profit, recognized organization for help and guidance.


Thanks! I was shocked at much of the advice that is given to people, before I became involved and currently. When I first started speaking to friends and such about making Tessa my SD, there were quite a few who made comments such as "I know x who has a service dog, and since certification isn't required you can just start taking her everywhere now" or similar. 

I've come across recommendations to me when discussing moves or transportation (I was considering moving cross country) just call your dog a service animal for the trip/housing! To which I usually reply that I already have one service dog, and so its not as if I can have two at the same time, and then launch into the amount of training it took to make Tessa a SD and the dangers of calling a non SD a SD. I've run into fakers on the street, in businesses, and when I was running a boarding house. Its really infuriating, because actually I haven't run into a single legitimate working SD in my area! Only fakers (including what I call unintentional fakers, who honestly think their dog is trained enough/meets SD requirements/etc.) I had looked into acquiring a SD before considering training Tessa, as well as after while looking for her replacement, and seen so many bogus places. In fact I had an online friend when I was training Tessa that was looking into acquiring a SD. She did, through an organization I won't name here. At the time she made comments that she didn't feel an owner trained dog would be well trained enough or should be allowed. Down the line she made a facebook post talking about her SD getting loose, having to chase it down the street, and then a neighbor who realized she shouldn't be running came out and helped catch the dog for her. My jaw dropped... A SD shouldn't have escaped from the house, shouldn't have run away from her, and should have a rock solid recall! I also didn't understand how she could have run after the dog if she truly was as disabled as she claimed to be. Tessa had a reliable recall as a PET, before ever beginning SD training! I can't imagine a reputable organization placing a dog that would escape and have no recall.


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## SFGSSD

Castlemaid said:


> . It is important that people looking into getting a service dog or training a dog they already have hook up with a non-profit, recognized organization for help and guidance.


Why do you feel being a "Non-Profit" is important? When you look at the big picture, your actually better off with a For profit than most non profits. Why? It it called real accountability and integrity. That is something that seems to be lacking a heck of a lot more in the non profit sector than the for profit sector.
When everything is said and done, $38,000.00 a dog form a "non profit" sure seems like it is more for profit than the $30,000.00 or less from a for profit.



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## carmspack

still not convinced , OP, from the moment you chose the dog at 8 weeks - as Castlemaid said "The SD requirements are a world of their own, starting at the breeding and selection of suitable dogs" For your breeder to let you select and recommend the dog because the dog was social with your child is just plain wrong.

--- "Where I live it is not a MUST that the dog has to e certified I am completely confident this will work out just fine ". and I have no confidence that it will work out fine because training for a SD's requirements goes so far over and above normal training - not for the inexperienced and there have to be constant checks , reality for one , quality of performance for another that an owner can not be unbiased or dispassionate about. You can not make something to be so because you desire it to be so. There are legal liability issues for yourself .
Can you apply to the Lions Foundation in Oakville to get a professionally trained dog selected specifically for your child? There are two locations in Ontario but the organization serves and is available to all Canadians. One of my graduate guide dogs went to a gentleman out west . I would have to check the news paper clipping to find out the exact province . Welcome to Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides --- this is your best bet . 

When I had my dogs there in the training program I got to see the process of dogs being paired with different applicants . Because a dog can do the work , does not mean the dog will work best with a particular person . Saw several dogs being switched - there is a trial period while the applicant lives on site while "finding" the right match and for training , showing them how to handle the dog .

Agree with everything that Castlemaid and Lin said on this page.

Make your life easier -- please at least give the Foundation a thought and a phone call.


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## SFGSSD

carmspack said:


> still not convinced , OP, from the moment you chose the dog at 8 weeks - as Castlemaid said "The SD requirements are a world of their own, starting at the breeding and selection of suitable dogs" For your breeder to let you select and recommend the dog because the dog was social with your child is just plain wrong.
> 
> --- "Where I live it is not a MUST that the dog has to e certified I am completely confident this will work out just fine ". and I have no confidence that it will work out fine because training for a SD's requirements goes so far over and above normal training - not for the inexperienced and there have to be constant checks , reality for one , quality of performance for another that an owner can not be unbiased or dispassionate about. You can not make something to be so because you desire it to be so. There are legal liability issues for yourself .


This is so true Carmen, 
This is what I mean by the law used as an excuse here in the US. When questions of performance standards and certifications by qualified professionals are brought up, the first thing out if there mouths is "Certification is not required by law." This is a fact, but it is also another angle the questionable OT crowd uses to justify having a dog that does not conform to any realistic standard.




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## curedba

Well thanks everyone for all the info I will take all of it into consideration the organization my uncle goes through to train service dogs he fosters is BC/ Alberta guide dogs and they are a reputable service dog training foundation. Again I would like to take this time to thank everyone for all their help we will keep you updated on how Argos training is for going so far he has been great we have the books teamwork 1 & 2 plus the help of my uncle who is a puppy raiser for BC guide dogs.

Thanks again everyone I appreciate it


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## codysmom2013

when my son was 3 years old, he had a trach it got removed 2 weeks after he was 3 yrsold. he started talking, we knew he was all ready behind.. when he turned 3 1/2 he stopped talking, what little talking he did was 40 words..
then the hand flapping started, walking on toes.. talked to the school (preschool) and was told he has SPD.. that was very hard news to take.. with after school PT,OT, and speech, and what he had in school, he got better with touching.. well then meltdowns started like crazy, plus, he would come at us and hit us if something happens... ( like) he bumps into something, he'd hit me, bit us.. then the flapping turned into him hitting his chin like crazy.. after months of waiting ( 6 months) we got him in to do a eval for Autism..
so, he don't have SPD.. he has Autism.. so yes, I can 100% understand everything said in this thread.. 
as for training our own GSD for your children/self... that's awesome and hope it helps.

once you train your own dog, do you have to get papers???


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## curedba

It's a little complicated as I live in Canada and the rules are different here you would need to find out about your local service dog act and if owner trainers are even allowed as some agencies "like the ones here" only breed and train their own dogs the only way I am able to get around it is because we have family members who work for the agency and the law here says you cannot discriminate against a disabled person but you need to understand that training a service dog is not a " walk in the park" it takes a very well trained person to deal with this and even then there are still dogs that don't make the service dog cut that may or may not happen with our pup but either way he is a lovig member of our family and cherished just the same service do or not

I suggest if you want some more advise on training a service dog that you talk to Lin she always keeps things in great perspective and is very smart I admire her 



codysmom2013 said:


> when my son was 3 years old, he had a trach it got removed 2 weeks after he was 3 yrsold. he started talking, we knew he was all ready behind.. when he turned 3 1/2 he stopped talking, what little talking he did was 40 words..
> then the hand flapping started, walking on toes.. talked to the school (preschool) and was told he has SPD.. that was very hard news to take.. with after school PT,OT, and speech, and what he had in school, he got better with touching.. well then meltdowns started like crazy, plus, he would come at us and hit us if something happens... ( like) he bumps into something, he'd hit me, bit us.. then the flapping turned into him hitting his chin like crazy.. after months of waiting ( 6 months) we got him in to do a eval for Autism..
> so, he don't have SPD.. he has Autism.. so yes, I can 100% understand everything said in this thread..
> as for training our own GSD for your children/self... that's awesome and hope it helps.
> 
> once you train your own dog, do you have to get papers???


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## carmspack

bless your Uncle for being a puppy raiser for BC Guide Dogs, however being a raiser and being a trainer are light years apart. 
In the meantime I hope you stop representing the puppy as a service dog . Any negative incident from an untrained, uncertified dog will make it even more difficult for a person with a real certified dog to be accepted. In spite of laws.


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## ILGHAUS

curedba said:


> ... that training a service dog is not a " walk in the park" it takes a very well trained person to deal with this and even then there are still dogs that don't make the service dog cut ...


You are correct on this curedba, so many owners believe that their wonderful pet would also make a great SD but this sadly isn't so. 

A Candidate should be picked by someone with at least the basic knowledge and experience of working dogs and if that background includes working SDs than that is even better.

Someone with no experience training a working dog should never go out on their own and try to undertake such a project but really should look for an experienced trainer to help and guide them.


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## curedba

Thank you for your concerns I will take them to heart this pup I have is just a service dog candidate right now he needs a little more training before he becomes a SDIT and will get that recognition at about a year old I and when he surpasses all the other training he has just simply been welcome to come with us to the hospital as he serves as a therapy tool for my daughter who otherwise would not go ino public he has also been welcome at the local Walmart but we are not taking him out much right now until we are more confident we have him under control in all situations  I realize that he may never make it but if you had a child that was suffering like mine does you might understand where I am coming from a little better I appreciate your insight and will keep everyone updated weather he makes it to be a service dog or not 

Thank you 



carmspack said:


> bless your Uncle for being a puppy raiser for BC Guide Dogs, however being a raiser and being a trainer are light years apart.
> In the meantime I hope you stop representing the puppy as a service dog . Any negative incident from an untrained, uncertified dog will make it even more difficult for a person with a real certified dog to be accepted. In spite of laws.


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## BahCan

Thought people might be interested to find out what became of this service dog in training

CKC Registered Black and Red German Shepherd Dog - 7 Months - Edmonton Dogs & Puppies For Sale - Kijiji Edmonton Canada.

This isn't a knock against the OP...this was simply set up to fail from the beginning. I blame the breeders, who I personally do not care for their practices, for selling this puppy to these people with the idea it could potentially be a service dog that they would be training.


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## carmspack

I am sure that the OP went into this with the very best of intentions .
I think the breeders were interested in making a sale.
The next person coming along and the dog this dog would have made the best --- fill in the blanks ---

see page 4 of the thread.

They took advantage of your vulnerability and good intentions.
puppies are cute . finding a dog for a specific calling takes knowledge of what the job entails and how a young dog presents signs of being a good candidate for the job

... then it takes great skill and understanding to train the dog.

so ... here we are not the family companion and not the agility dog 

I can well appreciate that the dog and everything else you have to contend with are a tremendous , time and energy demanding challenge . 
Hope he doesn't end up in some byb situation. Place the dog carefully. Make sure they can deal with the "hyper" .

good luck with your family --- check into the Lion's Foundation links to see if there is a dog available for you


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## Oisin's Aoire

Is this the same dog? I thought she was going to keep him even if he washed out. 

7 months is right when I would expect rambunctious rebellion. Even if he was going to make it as SD , this stage would have to be gone through. Can't go around , must go through.


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## carmspack

unfortunately yes , it does appear to be so ---

the lady had her hands more than full


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## Oisin's Aoire

Yeah , her hands were more than full. My 5 year old has autism , is about as verbal as a 2 year old , and he has debilitating hyper activity and OCD . My 2 year old is multiple disabled , he turned blue at birth and has brain damage . He is just crawling now at age 2. We don't know if he will walk . To top it all of he is now showing all the signs as having the same issues as my 5 year old. I also have a typical 6 year old daughter who gets the shaft a lot when it comes to doing normal kid stuff as a result.

And now I have 3 dogs.

I can see and feel the desperation for a mom to get help from a service dog. I am home with my kids for the most part , and I have had to stay off any kind of regular social media because it breaks my heart ..all of my daughter's friends moms and all of my friends with typical kids are talking about the beach , the zoo , the sprinkler park. The regular nice things associated with being home with your kids for the summer. I'm not throwing a pity party , I'm just wanting to convey how painful it can be .

I can't even hang in my backyard comfortably until my husband gets home from work. My son tries to sneak out , or he perseverates on rocks and tries to eat them , he tries to eat grass...we can't have anything growing in our garden. 

You can stay on top of him , sure.. but the minute you are pushing another of your children on the swing or giving a juice box to the other he is trying to make an elaborate sneaky getaway or doing something of some sort that can hurt him. 

Things like parks , zoos , are out unless I hire an aid which costs us 18 bucks an hour or unless my husband misses a day of work.

Sure we have the weekends..but dealing with it all day every day really leaves you pining after some help. And not all women have the husband home after work or on the weekends like I do. My heart goes out to them in particular.

Then when you find out the waiting list is so long ( for OP she said 8 years in Alberta) and find to buy privately costs a down payment on a home..well , I can see how an unscrupulous breeder can easily take advantage of a mom in that situation.

I would think owner training an autism dog would be incredibly near impossible , just because the owner is usually the parent of an autistic child and you already have your hands beyond full and overflowing.

When my husband and I decided to look into it we quickly realized we would go private since the waits here are for very long and they would want our other dogs rehomed..at least one better both , rehomed. Was not going to do that.

The cost of a trained dog led us to look around to maybe buy an older dog that had already done OB , perhaps CGC , and would be evaluated and given a pass/fail by the trainer before we purchased him. That search proved to be difficult too. Though we did not search that long.

At the end of the day , we found our GSD , the trainer could not have been MORE specific in telling me there is no way for her to know if he'll pass when he is older , and we accepted that chance and kept in mind that there is a 90% chance we are getting a 3rd well trained dog and maybe not an SD ..in fact the rescue we got him from wanted us to guarantee we would not just give him away or bring him back if he washed out..that we would at the very least foster him until THEY rehomed him. 

As parents of autistic children our needs/wants from a dog are not the same as someone who is an adult that can't get around in the world without assistance.

We usually want a dog to help let us know if our child is sneaking out of the house , or away from us in any way. We want him to be in his bed with him because my son sleeps if another body is in the bed..if he has to wake to go into our room to find us his sleep cycle is broken and he is subsequently up for 5 or 6 hours. he is now sleeping with the dog and not getting out of bed ( yaya!) When I am taking care of the other two at home and my autistic son is perseverating or rocking away , I want someone else in the house to care that he is shutting himself in his own world and to try and play with him which breaks that cycle. We hope he can do scent work in case my son does get away .Yes we are alarmed to the 9s..but sometimes alarm arming gets forgotten or you are taking in the groceries..you have NO idea how stealth an autistic kid can be unless you have one..add in having 2 other small children to watch . Not to mention when we visit family and friends their homes are not as secure .

Most of the stuff we listed is stuff two parents can handle , or something the teachers and aids can handle at school. A "service dog" for an autistic child is probably 90% emotional support( for the child AND the parent) and 10 % nanny/mother's helper that does not care about their weird sometimes gross actions , with a little bit of security guard thrown in. My son can get by without an SD..it would improve OUR lives as his parents , and the family's lives if it makes it easier to go out and do things even if dad is not home from work. 

I honestly do not see how a parent alone can owner train a dog for their kid. The whole idea of needing one is because you are at the end of your rope and need help with the kid(s). Unless of course an established experienced SD trainer ends up with an Autistic kid of their own 

We are not owner training an SD . We are raising him and doing basic obedience ( something I have done many times before..I did CGC with all of my dogs in life except for these last 2..because of the demands of parenthood - see what I mean?) The way we roll , my husband comes home , I go to training with the dog at night. We get weekly homework for now ..I work on things when I can during the day . Basic obedience stuff. 

Raising your own SD in general- approaching 1 year is where the rubber meets the road and you find out if that 6 to 10 month rebellion stage that all dogs go through even if your dog is destined for greatness was puppy stages or a personality issue that washes them out. 

Add to THAT even if they turn out to be the best trained best personality , they need to have certain drive and aptitude to do SD quality tasks. 

It is an incredible crap shoot to take home a puppy and have these aspirations for him..I mean it would be like deciding and banking on your kid being a doctor when they are 5 years old. They may be great but stink at math and wash out of med school ((shrug))

The training for an autism SD is a perpetual thing too. You need frequent sessions and brush ups for a lifetime. For all SDs I believe you do , but probably even more for autism because it is not a static disability. Take two 6 or 7 year old autistic kids...in 5 years one might be in regular school with extra help..one might only advance to having more problems and needs. Autistic kids are ever changing in their "things" . My son's thing right now is taking out light bulbs. He has temporarily forgot about his escape plans and instead is focused on finding every light bulb in the home. Then just when you let your guard down he'll go on an escape bender for a ,month again.

When we signed up for this , we signed up for understanding our dog might not cut it..but we agreed we can handle a 3rd pet dog anyway. 

A well trained SD won't make or break our lives ..it will improve it and open a few doors. If it was make or break..if I had an adolescent entering the word on their own soon and they were permanently and genuinely disabled and an SD would allow them to function independently , I would probably remortgage the house , hock something , and buy them a proven and fully trained dog specific to their needs from a reputable outfit. I would do it 2 years or so in advance , because even buying private they might not have a dog ready. I would get on that waiting list for an affordable dog in the amount of time they needed before leaving the roost. 

My long winded point is owner training a SD dog is a super full time job..if it is just you and you are training the dog for you it is still a struggle. But your time is your time.

When you are a parent of multiple kids , one or some with special needs , you are already so thin you are see through. So one should really really understand the commitment ..and the commitment does not end one day when your dog passes and becomes an SD. The training for the dog and for YOU the parent is a commitment that lasts the lifetime of the SDs career. I'm planning on knowing my trainer for 7 or 8 years if my dog passes. As long as he works as an SD and as long as we need a SD. The training and the work SHOULD HE PASS is ongoing . The parents I know who have had their genuine SD angel arrive still do weekly sessions YEARS into it. They need to be kept sharp and they need to feel valued. 

Whether it is an SD or pet , it is another body in the house that needs to be bathed , brushed , mentally stimulated , exercised , cared for in every way just like the kids and any other pet that is your family member. So while the law may consider the dog the same as a wheelchair ...it is not a wheelchair. 

If you can't handle/don't have time for a PET , you definitely can't handle raising your own SD. 

Sorry for being so long winded. We did so much research into this before we embarked..we know what we might and what we might not get , and the more I talk to other parents who are getting the SD bug , the more I realize their expectations are very unrealistic ..not their fault , but often the end result is a dog in the classified and a parent that is firther disappointed and feels even more helpless and frustrated as a result of the journey that was not what they expected 

If the OP is reading this - I am really sorry it did not work out for you . I know as a mom you would just saw off a right arm if you think it would help your children get through life a little easier. Try and make sure the pup goes to a good home and not a BYB or worse. Maybe even post here in the rehome section? There are other people from your area on this forum. If you ever need someone who is dealing with the same stuff to be an online friend , just send me a PM . I have a closed private FB group for moms with special needs kids. Sometimes connecting with others really helps.


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## Gretchen

*Oisin's Aoire* - off subject, after reading about your children, are you eligible for respite care in your state? It was offered to my daughter. We did not use it for a while because I have twins and when they were younger, one would get stressed without the other and the respite services who only care for the disabled child, not both. But when they were older, the state reimbursed me when I needed to pay for a babysitter. 

I'm reading this feeling for your daughter, as my "normal" daughter was left out a lot when she was younger. I thought respite may give you quality time with her.


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## Oisin's Aoire

Thanks for reaching out  We have respite care , but it is means tested. The rate they would charge us is 25 per hour..it is actually cheaper to go private. Not complaining , I have no problem with sliding scale stuff..but it seems it is more like a plunge than a slide sometimes lol 

We are pretty fortunate , there are two parents that are very involved . Something like 80 % of couples with special needs kids wind up divorced :/ I can't imagine doing this on my own.

How are your kids doing now Gretchen? It is such a hard thing to juggle..my daughter just wanted to go to the sprinkler park today , but it just is not doable. I have one kid in an stroller , one that is all over the place and an extreme flight risk , and then my daughter who is a little slip of a thing that I have to keep an eye on. If something happened to her or the baby because I was chasing the other..well , you know. 

Again to the OP- please don't feel like you can't contribute here , and maybe someone can help you find a great home for the dog or even have some better ideas. And feel free to reach out to me in a PM.


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## Gretchen

Oisin's Aoire said:


> Thanks for reaching out  We have respite care , but it is means tested. The rate they would charge us is 25 per hour..it is actually cheaper to go private. Not complaining , I have no problem with sliding scale stuff..but it seems it is more like a plunge than a slide sometimes lol
> 
> We are pretty fortunate , there are two parents that are very involved . Something like 80 % of couples with special needs kids wind up divorced :/ I can't imagine doing this on my own.
> 
> How are your kids doing now Gretchen? It is such a hard thing to juggle..my daughter just wanted to go to the sprinkler park today , but it just is not doable. I have one kid in an stroller , one that is all over the place and an extreme flight risk , and then my daughter who is a little slip of a thing that I have to keep an eye on. If something happened to her or the baby because I was chasing the other..well , you know.
> 
> Again to the OP- please don't feel like you can't contribute here , and maybe someone can help you find a great home for the dog or even have some better ideas. And feel free to reach out to me in a PM.


My kids are 24 yrs old now. One graduated college last May in Human Comminications, my special one did what she could in college, that is art. She could qualify for a digital media certificate of completion. She mostly has taught herself sketching, painting and watercolor. In high school she was accepted to a summer arts program in the L.A. area.

Things got better when the seizures stopped, a miracle really, no medical explanation, had 2 corrective orthopedic surgeries and one in her wrist area. We got a GSD mix when the girls were 13. Best move ever for my special girl. She had healed from the surgery and just started walking, I mean like 2-3 hours with the dog. Wore the dog out. She was delayed walking, not until 5 yrs old, and still needed some assistance. She has come a long way, there were a lot of other issues.

I guess budgets are tight as far as respite. Our income was not an issue, but we seldom used the program. We did know of a well to do family with a Down's boy, and they were not denied services.


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## Oisin's Aoire

New Jersey is a tough state for stuff like this. Our Early Intervention s means tested too. It costs us 80 dollars an hour up to a max of 860 per month. When they turn 3 it falls under school responsibility. We are fortunate , our district is great. Other districts fall so far short that parents have to pay for LOTS of private therapies and programs. 

If we moved to PA , it would all be free. The EI at least. 

I am really glad to hear your daughters are doing well. As you know even though you know there are no guarantees , it is great to hear success stories. 

I see a lot of adults in this section on this forum..I read through this thread and quite a few are dealing with spectrum and sensory issues as adults. It is good to hear from your perspective , as the parent of affected children .


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