A Girl and Her Dog
Service dogs are fast becoming an accepted and recognized support for children and adults with autism. In addition to helping with safety concerns such as wandering, service dogs also provide social-emotional and sensory support that can help children cope with a sometimes chaotic world, give them opportunities to interact and play, and even help them sleep well. Here is one family’s story.
It was September of 2011 when my husband and I were told that our 3 year old daughter was autistic…..
Finding Scottie
After the shock wore off we began the process of accessing supports and therapies. She was having many struggles at that time with communication, sensory overload and socialization. We began several different therapies including Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy and Floortime. We were so happy when we saw that she began to flourish and was able to communicate her needs and wants. We had a new relationship with our daughter but yet there were still some things that she was struggling with. She still had difficulties with crowds and loud noises and was not socializing with her peers. She also began to wander off at school and in the community. This caused a great deal of concern for both her dad and I as well as the school regarding her safety.
When we decided to buy a service dog for Signey, we knew there would be some hurdles and hoops to jump through. The first was getting her comfortable with dogs and then it was the training. After this we needed to pay for the dog, and lastly we needed to find a way to get him into school with her.
We had friends who had acquired a service dog through MSAR (Manitoba Search and Rescue) and we began speaking to them and doing some research. When our daughter was six I contacted George Leonard to discuss the option of a dog. We were quickly brought in to meet several of his top notch K9’s who were all absolutely amazing!! Unfortunately my allergies were a huge problem but as fate would have it, he happened to have a big black Labradoodle (Scottie) who was with Janet (one of his trainers).
All of these steps took work and dedication on everybody’s part. Signey was very afraid of dogs before we decided this might be an option. He was brought to us for the first weekend visit at the beginning of July 2015 and has never left.
Scottie Joins the Family
We met him and that was the beginning of our new life. My daughter was terrified of dogs but within a few visits with Janet and Scottie she was touching him and showing him affection. She has her own leash and has never let it go when she is with him. Once she was able to touch him for the first time the real work began. We started training and learning more about how dogs can support autistic people. It felt like we were learning about autism all over again but in a different way. Now we were trying to figure out how to use this dog to help her with the issues that we had been struggling with.
Training was long and tedious at times and before he could be fully certified he needed to be tested. In the meantime I had to take him to work with me so he could continue learning how to “work.” I am an employee in a school division so I brought him to the schools I work at. At first nobody spoke a word and it seemed as though everybody was supportive. A few months later I was told there was a new division policy on service dogs and so the hoops began. I figured out the paperwork I needed and all the little pieces that had to be completed before I could continue bringing him to work with me. Fortunately, this served me well when he was going to start school with Signey.
Scottie Goes to School
I spoke to the principal of Signey’s school before this whole process started and she was wonderful. She was aware that they were not able to refuse the service dog and was willing to work with us on whatever needed to be done. We needed several forms filled out and letters from veterinarians and the agency that trained him. I had a package made up for my schools and Signey’s school. It was time consuming.
The agency that trained Scottie came to the school and did some training with the staff that would be in contact with Scottie. I also did a few assemblies and classroom visits to explain what Scottie was for and how the students were not able to touch him.
He started school in March of 2015. The teachers and staff have been great about having him in the building. I know there have been some frustrations which I expected. Not every teacher has been as accommodating as others, and there have been events that have been problematic such as a Christmas concert where Scottie was terrified of the loud noises from the speakers. I have had to spend time at the school continuing to help and problem solve. The agency has also been a huge support and continues to help us through.
Caring for Scottie
The cost of the dogs is rather overwhelming. We did fundraising and were fortunate enough to be able to finish paying for Scottie. There are ongoing costs as would be expected. He is a high needs dog in terms of grooming and it needs to be done often. His food is expensive and we have pet insurance just in case something were to happen. He needs yearly shots and is not allowed in the school unless we prove they are done. His ongoing training does not cost us anything as it is part of the price of the dog.
Scottie and Signey
Scottie has been a wonderful tool for Signey in terms of helping herself regulate. He has been her companion and protector. She finally has a friend who accepts her fully and completely for who she is. Through her ups and downs he is there for her unconditionally and we couldn’t be more grateful for the relationship they are building with each other!
She uses him more and more as time goes on. He has helped us keep her close and safe. She has begun using him as a way to regulate herself when she is feeling overwhelmed by her surroundings and will seek him out when she feels upset. His fur seems to feel really good to her and she often uses that as a calming tool.
Scottie has opened up her ability to connect and accept responsibility. Her communication has improved since she got Scottie because so many of her peers ask her questions about him as do strangers and she is eager to answer to the best of her ability. I have seen her peers speak to her on a daily basis at school and it is wonderful. She has a new found sense of responsibility and has Scottie chores to do at home. I see pride in her when she is walking with him. We used to have two leashes, one for her and one for the adult. Now she walks him alone and is learning to control him. It has been completely amazing!!!!!
The question we are asked most often is “does he ever get to just be a dog?” YES, he certainly does. When we get home the vest comes off and he is one of the family. He loves running around with our children and playing. He is such a great dog and we are so happy to have him……
So in conclusion, it is a very overwhelming process that requires a lot of time, money and dedication. It isn’t always easy and sometimes it’s downright difficult but we wouldn’t have things any other way. This is exactly what our baby needed and I am so happy to see them together…it often brings happy tears to my eyes.
For more information:
- For Manitobans: visit MSAR’s website.
- In Southwestern Ontario: visit Autism Dog Services
- Lions Foundation of Canada also offers a program to provide children with autism service dogs.
Wonderful story…and such a great outcome.