Who trains dogs for kids with autism?

tishia05

DBB wrote: »

I'm not familiar with Lab Farm... what's that?
Whereabouts in the country are you? Hopefully one of us can recommend a good trainer/behaviourist who's not too far from you, and who'd take on a case like yours
When I mentioned Newfies in my post, I was about to also mention Bernese, so it's gas that mondeo brought them up! Sounds like you've had a great experience with them Mondeo! But as I've met a few really dodgy Bernese lately due to them becoming popular with puppy farmers, I hesitated on this breed, although if you can find a good breeder the Bernese is traditionally a super dog. A bit short-lived though, unfortunately.:(

It's Aharas Labrador farm. It's close to Cork. They specialize in breeding Labradors only. I though it may be my best chance to get a good breed. Although( please correct me if I shouldn't) I would be wiling to take a service dog that somebody else didn't want/ left in sanctuary. Do you think?

I'm in Limerick

tishia05

Mondeo10 wrote: »

Yes I done all the training with her, she is extremely good motivated so will do anything for food!

I spent a lot of time looking for a breeder and eventually picked one up the North, health is a big thing in her breed and we couldn't find a suitable one where we lived so travelled to get her.

We needed a bombproof dog, that could cope with his tantrums, screaming, shouting and any rough play. She is our gentle giant.

We have her now 4 years and they are still the best of friends, she walks calmly beside him on her lead, lies beside him on the sofa or in his bed watching him play Minecraft, he lives in a Minecraft world.

I never wanted a big dog and it took a huge adjustment, I had a small non shedding terrier! Now we wouldn't be without her!

Other things to consider are, she sheds a LOT, eats a lot and She is also insured in case of any health problems, so we don't have to worry about huge health bills.

Yes DBB mention they might have health problems.
My son is really in his own world. Never looks, never hugs, he doesn't like having people around and this is the hard part as people are simply everywhere... I noticed dogs calm him down and make him smile- something I cannot do as a mother. He throws objects at people( those who don't know not to come close ) he never attacks dogs/ cats though. He has a German Shepard as a best friend( our friends' dog) - people are just being ignored.
Good to know about insurance!

-Toppy-

exaisle wrote: »

A friend of mine whose son is on the autism spectrum got a dog from Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind in Cork.

She had to pay for the dog....I think 1000-1500 but cant be quite sure of that (and I'd rather not ask) but I know it's been a fantastic experience for her son who has made enormous progress since his companion dog arrived.

I would like to quash this statement straight away
We have an assistance dog for my autistic son and we did not pay anything like that for her. All we pay is a rental for 1 euro for the year (this is to ensure that the igb still retain ownership and can intervene) and we paid for accommodation during the training (which was about 150 euro for the week)
I know we were one of the lucky ones getting a dog and I am grateful every day (we have now nearly 3 years) but at least check the facts first

Now when our dog retires from service we have an option of making an donation to keep the dog (which we will be doing) or you can return the dog - many of these dogs are then rehomed as companion dogs for the elderly

(I know this is OT from the the OP but when I saw this post I had to correct it)
Toppy

DBB

tishia05 wrote: »

It's Aharas Labrador farm. It's close to Cork. They specialize in breeding Labradors only. I though it may be my best chance to get a good breed. Although( please correct me if I shouldn't) I would be wiling to take a service dog that somebody else didn't want/ left in sanctuary. Do you think?

I'm in Limerick

Okay. That's who I was afraid you meant. I hope you can read between the lines here when I urge you not to pursue that route.
[On a side note and not unrelated, it always makes me shudder when a breeder can't even get the name of their breed right. They're Yellow Labs, not Golden Labs.]
I would not take a service dog that was left in a sanctuary either. For starters, these dogs were not trained by the experts/charities. If they were, they would never end up in a sanctuary. They will have been trained by a privateer, and at this point of the thread, I hope you can recognise why this is not a good thing.
For seconders, why on earth would an assistance dog end up in a sanctuary if it was any good at all? You know? Whoever put that dog in there paid min €6000 for it... there must have been a royal cock-up for them to resort to giving that dog into a sanctuary.
I'd be willing to bet that because the privateer who trained that dog (or any dog in similar circumstances) does not purpose-breed the dogs, and does not have an established breeding line, and is sourcing dogs based solely on the fact that they happen to be retrievers, labs, or poodles, there must be a large number of dogs that go through whatever training they do with them, that are just not suitable, and this is not found out until the dog is in situ with a yelling child hanging out of him!
As I've already noted above, just because it's a lab or a retriever does not in any way mean it's going to be (a) gentle, or (b) remotely suitable as an assistance dog.

Mondeo10

If you are going to look for a puppy please take your time, research the breed, visit breeders, look for health testing - good hip scores are a must in the Bernese and labrador and be willing to travel for the right puppy.

We finally chose our breeder due to the health tests, parents temperaments etc. she cost more than the standard Bernese you see on the online selling site, but she was worth every penny and had no health problems to date (fingers crossed) it will take time but will be worth it in the end!

Look up Bernese Breeders Northern Ireland, we got her from the breeders on there ( don't know if I can mention it) try the Labrador Retriever Club of Ireland and the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Ireland. You will get loads of advise and help. You need a healthy well socialised dog, it will make it so much easier to work with and will adapt pretty quickly.

tishia05

DBB wrote: »

Okay. That's who I was afraid you meant. I hope you can read between the lines here when I urge you not to pursue that route.
[On a side note and not unrelated, it always makes me shudder when a breeder can't even get the name of their breed right. They're Yellow Labs, not Golden Labs.]
I would not take a service dog that was left in a sanctuary either. For starters, these dogs were not trained by the experts/charities. If they were, they would never end up in a sanctuary. They will have been trained by a privateer, and at this point of the thread, I hope you can recognise why this is not a good thing.
For seconders, why on earth would an assistance dog end up in a sanctuary if it was any good at all? You know? Whoever put that dog in there paid min €6000 for it... there must have been a royal cock-up for them to resort to giving that dog into a sanctuary.
I'd be willing to bet that because the privateer who trained that dog (or any dog in similar circumstances) does not purpose-breed the dogs, and does not have an established breeding line, and is sourcing dogs based solely on the fact that they happen to be retrievers, labs, or poodles, there must be a large number of dogs that go through whatever training they do with them, that are just not suitable, and this is not found out until the dog is in situ with a yelling child hanging out of him!
As I've already noted above, just because it's a lab or a retriever does not in any way mean it's going to be (a) gentle, or (b) remotely suitable as an assistance dog.

I understand what you mean.

Mondeo10

Im really sorry if I sound condescending but I've been there, done it all, we are at the stage when the dog goes to the groomer, she has to be home before him, i leave her at 9:30 and she has to be back before 3 ( learned this the hard way, he had a meltdown when she wasn't here)

We were really worried about health problems, if she needs an operation etc vets stay overnight, he will lose his life, he works by routine, if something upsets his routine he has a meltdown and can't cope, he gets frustrated and upset and can't be calmed down. I'm really worried about her getting older, she will be 4 this year and doesn't have a huge lifespan, I guess I'm trying to block it out for now.

Our dog isn't just a pet, she is his lifeline

DBB

Mondeo10 wrote: »

Im really sorry if I sound condescending but I've been there, done it all, we are at the stage when the dog goes to the groomer, she has to be home before him, i leave her at 9:30 and she has to be back before 3 ( learned this the hard way, he had a meltdown when she wasn't here)

I for one didn't read your posts as condescening at all... they're excellent posts in my opinion , the advice is spot-on and it's good to get the perspective of someone who's experiencing it all in real life.
What a dilemma you face too, the crappy side of owning a pet is even more emotionally fraught for you

tishia05

Mondeo10 wrote: »

Im really sorry if I sound condescending but I've been there, done it all, we are at the stage when the dog goes to the groomer, she has to be home before him, i leave her at 9:30 and she has to be back before 3 ( learned this the hard way, he had a meltdown when she wasn't here)

We were really worried about health problems, if she needs an operation etc vets stay overnight, he will lose his life, he works by routine, if something upsets his routine he has a meltdown and can't cope, he gets frustrated and upset and can't be calmed down. I'm really worried about her getting older, she will be 4 this year and doesn't have a huge lifespan, I guess I'm trying to block it out for now.

Our dog isn't just a pet, she is his lifeline

I know how you feel when routine breaks. I know it is going to be hard at start and it won 't get much easier for me but your posts made me realize i want to do this even more now for my boy.
Thank you kindly

Inexile

Going to stretch this out a bit. OP do you need a trained assistance dog? The reason I ask is that sometime last year a lady approach the group I volunteer with for a dog (greyhound). We didn't have one that suited their family unit, their son had autism and they also have a cat. However the family did find a grey from another rescue group. I have never met anyone in the family or the dog but I have been reading the lady's posts re the dog and she reports that it has had a huge positive influence on the boy. So I'm wondering would a steady family pet work for you.

tk123

tishia05 wrote: »

May I ask tk 123... was one of your dogs a service dog and came back to you or are you simply making a point that some dogs are not suitable for that type of thing(just like some families)

No his temperament is all wrong - he has some of the classic behavioural problems of golden retrievers unfortunatly. My other girl is pretty bombproof and if and when I was to get another retriever I'll be contacting the kennels that bred her dad to see if they have any litters/if one of their dog has sired one.

tishia05

Inexile wrote: »

Going to stretch this out a bit. OP do you need a trained assistance dog? The reason I ask is that sometime last year a lady approach the group I volunteer with for a dog (greyhound). We didn't have one that suited their family unit, their son had autism and they also have a cat. However the family did find a grey from another rescue group. I have never met anyone in the family or the dog but I have been reading the lady's posts re the dog and she reports that it has had a huge positive influence on the boy. So I'm wondering would a steady family pet work for you.

I would love a trained companion dog( so as far as i know companion dog does not make the assistance/service dog for some reason) That I believe would be best for my boy. He is still very young and If I work really hard his autistic features might go into regress. Companion dog would help with that- opening up to people.
I would consider it of course and we have talked about it with hubby. I'm worried that untrained dog might be really unhappy with us. My boy, although great with dogs , is unusual.
I i fail in getting a trained dog or won't be able to find trainer I will get a dog from a good breed... Some kind people have helped here already!!

Knine

I have a child with a very severe genetic disorder. It is life limiting. My child is so unusual that there are no more like her in Ireland. I have lots of dogs & none are service/assistance dogs. They are show/pets. Each & everyone of them have had a very posititve impact on her life. Puppies leaving my house are bombproof due to her personality. My dogs don't mind her unusual behaviours & she can also be very loud. They are very happy family dogs. She goes to an awful of of appointments, stays in hospital etc. These dogs bring normality to her life. Sometimes the good oul family pet can do the job perfectly.

DBB

I think ultimately, that's what the op is looking for knine, and I think a good, steady, gentle dog will fulfill her son's needs too, without needing a high level of training at all.
But getting the right dog is vital, and getting the socialisation, habituation, handling and general training right will be important too, and I think it'd be very useful for the op to get someone on board to help, because it's not that easy to find the right dog.... Unless you're planning a litter soon?! I will be looking for a finder's fee

ShaShaBear

Knine wrote: »

I have a child with a very severe genetic disorder. It is life limiting. My child is so unusual that there are no more like her in Ireland. I have lots of dogs & none are service/assistance dogs. They are show/pets. Each & everyone of them have had a very posititve impact on her life. Puppies leaving my house are bombproof due to her personality. My dogs don't mind her unusual behaviours & she can also be very loud. They are very happy family dogs. She goes to an awful of of appointments, stays in hospital etc. These dogs bring normality to her life. Sometimes the good oul family pet can do the job perfectly.

I thought the same. I don't really understand why the dog itself needs to be a trained assistance dog to help with autistic features. There are plenty of adult dogs who have been in foster care for weeks, months and even years that could be a perfect match for a child with autism.
Also, the OP needs to consider that the dog is going to need a lot of care, can she afford to feed proper quality food, regular vet checks, grooming and walks 2-3 times a day of reasonable length.

A gentle adult dog who is good with kids and non-responsive to noise or rough playing would probably be just as good for your child as a trained assistance dog, OP. They are still dogs at the end of the day, you will need to give both the exact same standard of care and attention. From what I have read, companion dogs would not have much more extensive training than could be got for any other dog. A dog that is gentle, patient, obedient, who walks well on the lead for everyone and who loves human attention would probably equal them. And remember, they do not have the same access rights as assistance dogs, so if you are going away, you might not be able to take the dog with you!

tk123

DBB wrote: »

Unless you're planning a litter soon?! I will be looking for a finder's fee

Eh have you not seen the pics thread lately? .

I have to say I put a lot of Lucy's calmness down to her raw diet - she doesn't have that dry food craziness that any of the other dogs we know around her age had as puppies and some still have it!

exaisle

muddypaws wrote: »

I wonder if that was a dog that didn't make the grade as a Guide Dog? Just thinking that a dog that lives and works with an autistic person may not have to have the same 'abilities' as a working guide dog. They would be more of a support dog. OP, it could be worth contacting Guide Dogs for the Blind, to see if that is the case, and whether they would be able to help you and your son in that way.

Yes...it was a dog that didn't make the grade as a Guide Dog for a blind person...but the dog is ideal as a "companion dog".....has already become part of the family...and has helped hugely with the child's development.

Millem

exaisle wrote: »

Yes...it was a dog that didn't make the grade as a Guide Dog for a blind person...but the dog is ideal as a "companion dog".....has already become part of the family...and has helped hugely with the child's development.

My parents have a dog that didn't make the grade as an assistance dog and were asked of a donation of around €500. The dog is bomb proof.