Service Dogs

Although we have always had family pets, Michael does not have a service dog.  That said, service dogs can be a beautiful thing for kids with autism. We got an opportunity to meet puppies who were potentially future service dogs.  They were being fostered by my sister’s neighbor, and we went over to meet them.

From my work with a local charity, I have a couple of ideas to share if you think you may want a service dog for your son or daughter.

1. Plan ahead.  There is consistent demand for service dogs and the training required to go from puppy to fully-trained service dog is a long, labor-intensive process. There will likely be a waitlist.
2. Because the puppies need so much technical training, the cost to get a dog ready to be a therapy dog is high.  Even charities that train the dogs sometimes need to ask families to pay some of those fees.  If you are approved to get a dog, you can apply to a charity or start a GoFundMe page to help your family offset the costs.
3. The dog will also cost money to keep (think labrador-sized food bills and vet bills). Once your child has bonded with the dog, you won’t want to have to consider giving the dog away because you can’t afford it.  Plan for this part too.
4. So as not to end on a discouraging note, your child’s dog may be able to go everywhere with them.  The dog can help with elopement, with anxiety, with making friends at school…there’s a reason these companions are in such high demand – they are furry (not-so-little) miracle workers.

If your child has a therapy dog, please add any advice you have or specific organizations providing families with terrific therapy dogs in the comments. Also, drop a photo if you’d like…we love all the doggies!