Autism+Assistance+Dogs

I stumbled across this website and thought I really should share it with you as I haven't heard of this being used until now. 'Autism Assistance Dogs' are being used for the same concept as someone that requires a guide dog, assistance.These dogs are being trained to provide safety, to stop the child from running away or getting into dangerous situation; comfort, when the dog assists during 'meltdowns'; and also inclusion, which allows families to partake in social activities that they wouldn't feel confident attempting with the dog.

The child is connected to the dog by a belt through the dogs collar and around the child's waist and the criteria to be eligible for one of these assistance dogs is severe and challenging behaviour, age group of 3-8 years old, and have difficulty with controlling impulses.

In the classroom, this type of assistance could prove to be challenging at first as the other student may need to adjust to having a dog in the classroom but with time and communication, an assistance dog could be a welcome addition to a mainstream classroom!

[|Guide Dogs SA]