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Autism service dogs
December 31, 5:58 PM
by Megan Drake, Philadelphia Dog Advocate Examiner
Dogs have assisted humans as companions throughout history. The blind were the first to benefit from the special training of canines. In the November 5, 1927 issue of The Saturday Evening Post Dorothy Harrison Eustis authored an article, ‘The Seeing Eye’. She wrote it after visiting a formal dog guide program for the blind in Potsdam, Germany. Eustis was impressed with the concept of guide dogs and because of her efforts formal guide dog training began in America.
Now the deaf population benefits from four footed furry creatures as well as people with physical disabilities like spinal cord injuries/pathologies and neurological disabilities. This now includes autism and individuals who suffer from all aspects of the autism spectrum.
First identified by Dr. Leo Kanner in 1943, autism is a neurological brain disorder that begins in early childhood, typically within the first three years of life, and persists throughout adulthood. Autism exhibits deficiencies in verbal and non-verbal communications and social interactions because the parts of the brain
affected are language, social interaction, and creative and abstract thinking. Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) is an umbrella term and includes Autistic Disorder, Asperser’s Disorder, Retts Disorder and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
As with all human beings, autistic individuals have their own distinct personalities but children with autism can learn and function productively with appropriate education and treatment. People with autism process and respond to information in unique ways. For instance, they might monologue on a favorite subject in spite of efforts by others to interject comments.
Service dogs for autism assist children in different ways. Often the presence of a trained autism service dog has a calming effect allowing for better social skills and communication to develop. They provide a sense of security so abstract and concrete thinking can improve. Emotional outbursts occur less often and attention span increases. The main role of an autism service dog is increasing independence and autonomy for the individual.
Renee Premaza (a.k.a. The Jersey Dog Trainer) is a Certified Canine Behavioral Theorist. She has volunteered her time as the trainer for the Animal Adoption Center in Lindenwold, NJ and has spoken to the volunteers at the Camden County Animal Shelter and the Cumberland County SPCA animal shelter about how to clicker train their dogs in order to successfully adopt them out to their forever homes. She also provides dog training classes. To find out more information on the classes take a look at her web site.
In 2004, Premaza was invited by Patty Dobbs Gross to train puppies in the New Jersey area for the NorthStar Foundation. NorthStar breeds Golden Retrievers as service dogs primarily for children who are autistic. Premaza wrote chapter 16, "Puppies 101" in a book titled "The Golden Bridge."
There are numerous organizations which provide training for service dogs. The Autism Service Dogs of America (ASDA) located in Oregon is a non-profit, community based organization that provides uniquely trained service dogs to children living with autism and their families.
NorthStar is based in Connecticut and has been training dogs to work with autistic individuals for the past ten years. Many shelter dogs are rescued to become autism service dogs.
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