Autism Service Dogs: Life-Altering Companions for Autistic Kids

An autism service dog exhilarates your kid’s spirits and shares his burden when he feels overwrought. Autistic kids require love ― pure and sincere ― so they can stay connected with the people around them.

Isolation stunts social skills and makes kids feel indifferent. When it comes to loving a human, no one does it better than a dog. He devotes a fair share of his energy to fill his companion’s life with utter joy. Animals are always great for kids with special needs!

An autism service dog can accompany your child to his school, pacify his senses in crowded places, and perform other deeds of kindness.

School can be a mean place. Even the slightest of triggers in its hectic hallways can shut a kid down. An autism service dog assures that your kid receives ample amount of love, whenever he feels fidgety or out-of-sorts in such settings. Dogs are highly perceptive, and immediately recognize subtle changes in behaviors. In a way, you can say that service dogs are the best empaths.

Not only do autism service dogs help a kid navigate the crowded surrounding of a school with ease, they also ensure his mental safety at a restaurant. They quietly lie next to him and make him feel at home, while you enjoy your delectable meal.

Autism service dogs undergo rigorous training to ensure the safe navigation of children. They are trained to never leave their side. They are life-altering inclusions in an autistic child’s life and promote his confidence and self-esteem.

Complete range of services Autism Service dogs offer

The effects of autism on children vary, as it is a complex set of disorders. Autism service dogs are trained differently to address the symptoms of all types of autistic children.

They improve a kid’s interactional skills, encourage him to voice his concerns, promote self-confidence, imbue positivity, and alleviate stress in challenging situations.

They achieve all of this with extraordinary success by doing the following,

• Helping your child get ready for school
• Keeping an eye out for him in troubling situations ― alerting nearby people in emergency situations
• Appeasing him with their calming presence in crowded places
• Attracting people around him, so that he can make new friends and engage in healthy conversations ― playing the role of a social lubricant.
• Reducing stress levels
• Changing his perceptions of life

Autism service dogs offer numerous therapeutic benefits. Autism destabilizes a child’s sensory system and flushes his senses.  It incites him or makes him callous. The pet can release a child from sensory overload by simply providing him with his loving company.

Tethering your kid ensures your kid doesn’t wander off into uncharted territories. In places a-buzz with loud people, your primary concern is the safety of your child. Tethering helps you shop, dine or jog in a park, with peace of mind.

Autism service dogs have a commendable skill-set. They perform complex functions, such as identifying objects, promptly responding to specific commands and keeping an eye for danger. Therefore, they can change the world-view of your child, and help him achieve his dreams and ambitions. They can propel him towards social and individual triumph.  

You can find an autism service dog through the Autism Service Dogs of America, the North Star Foundation, and Paws with a Cause.

Does your child have a service dog? How has it affected your family? What breeds work best for you?