Our bottom line is safety.
We provide autism service dogs that help to keep children safe and calm. We are unique among providers because we use giant breed dogs as autism service dogs. Giant breed dogs can weigh an average of 110-150 lbs and some, up to 180 lbs. This heavyweight class of dog is up to almost twice the weight of a young child (4-10 years of age) of approximately 40-100 lbs. We provide a special harness connecting the child to the service dog, and the service dog to the adult handler — who is in charge of the family team. If the child runs or starts to wander off, the dog braces itself and voluntarily goes down preventing the child from going further than the end of the equipment tether. This simple premise of using the dog to anchor the child within a short distance of the adult promotes safety in nearly any environment: walking outside near traffic, grocery stores, camping, children’s museums, vacation sight-seeing, sporting events, family barbecue’s in the neighborhood park, movie theaters, restaurants, etc. We can provide a secure means of walking through the world for a child with autism and their parents.
At AAD, we know how desperately parents want to keep their children safe. And we know how hard it is to be ever vigilant, looking out for an autistic child’s safety. We are here to help ease the burden.
With an autism anchoring service dog, there is another loving guardian for your child. The anchoring dog not only provides the initial physical anchor but also an emotional and social anchor as well.
For the autistic child, an anchoring dog offers a safe place to go for comfort and solace during or after becoming overwhelmed. Often the process of petting or stroking an anchoring dog can help reset the child’s equilibrium in a stressful situation. Being able to lean against the dog or have the dog lean into the child provides the pressure that soothes, redirects, or dissipates anxiety or frustration. The dog becomes a living transitional object that accompanies the child and parent in their daily activities. Doing normal activities in a safe manner helps the family function better as a unit in public. This reduces resentment and creates an atmosphere of inclusion within the family, which strengthens bonds and builds relationships through shared experiences.
This freedom evolves over time as the adult/dog/child team becomes more capable of experiencing new venues, knowing the anchoring service dog will provide more security and comfort for both the parent and the child.
The social impact alone can be immense. The difference between having a service dog with a child experiencing a public meltdown versus without is enlightening. With a service dog in harness, the public immediately identifies the child as having special needs rather than an ill-behaved child, and a wave of sympathy and understanding develops which allows the adult to comfort the child without having to ward off negative comments from passersby. This is a relief. If the adult team member is more relaxed, the child with autism will be more relaxed.
While out working as a Team, our dogs provide a second set of eyes for the parents, allowing the family to once again enjoy activities once deemed too risky. Many of the families we’ve worked with over the years have become isolated from their communities due to the fear that any lapse of attention, however small, might be dangerous. Our dogs have proven their ability to provide a physical safety net time and time again. Additionally, they promote predictability and confidence in social interactions, increasing the child’s self-assurance and reducing fear responses while in public.
To obtain a better idea of the services we provide for families living with autism, this episode from CBS’s “Hidden Heroes” (‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ Series) provides some background of the work we do here at Autism Anchoring Dogs. It features Graham and “Bruneau,” a male Newfoundland. We currently work with Newfoundlands, Saint Bernards, and Leonbergers to perform this vital and necessary task.
Thank you for visiting our website! We encourage you to explore it fully and contact us with any further questions you might have about anchoring service dogs. We look forward to hearing from you!