Service Dog for Lux
Donation protected
Lux is my 5 year old daughter and she is on the spectrum. I started looking into how service dogs can benefit children with autism and was absolutely amazed. Any parent with an autistic child knows that each child has their own personal set of difficulties. Lux is about half way verbal, suffers from nervous ticks and is known to be a wanderer. While we have taken all necessary precautions to keep Lux safe and happy, there is always constant fear of her somehow escaping the house. She knows no danger, and a service dog would keep her safe and guide her through life. It would also give her a new degree of independence as she moves into an integrated classroom and starts to make friends. This will be a process. First is getting the puppy, then it spends a year with the trainer, then another year working with Lux and our family. So, if we get this process started soon, we can have her and the dog ready to go when she's 7! I'm so excited about this, and I thank you all for helping.
BENEFITS OF HAVING AN AUTISM SERVICE DOGThere are countless benefits of owning an autism service dog for children and families affected by autism. These dogs are faithful companions that assist these children and families with activities of daily living as well as increasing the safety of the child and reducing the stress level of their family. Other advantages of having an Autism Service Dog include:• Increased social interaction – assistance dogs have been proven to improve social skills and social interaction for many children affected by autism. These dogs are naturally interesting which often draws the attention of a child with Autism as well as others.• Redirection of repetitive behaviors – dogs can be taught to nudge a child that is performing repetitive behaviors; this touch is often all that is required to redirect the child from these behaviors.• Improved independence – autism service dogs can provide independence by allowing the child to walk with the dog as opposed to constantly holding the hand of a parent or adult. These highly skilled dogs can assist the child while under the direction of the adult.• Increased vocabulary – children with autism are often noticed to have an increase in vocabulary after being paired with an assistance dog. The children seem to be more comfortable in speaking with the dog which transfers to more verbal interaction with people.• Improved quality of sleep – assistance dogs provide a certain level of comfort that can often improve a child’s ability to sleep more throughout the night.• An overall calmer environment – when performing everyday tasks, children feel less pressure working with a dog as opposed to their peers. The tactile experience of having a dog as a companion has also been proven to provide calming effects. Children with Autism who work with dogs have been documented to feel less anger and experience fewer acts of aggression compared to the time before receiving an autism service dog.• Recovery of lost children quickly – these autism service dogs are taught to track the child in the event that they bolt or become missing. These dogs are capable of locating the child in a variety of environments and terrain. This ability to locate the child quickly can greatly reduce the risk of serious harm. Some dogs can also be trained to rescue a child from water.
BENEFITS OF HAVING AN AUTISM SERVICE DOGThere are countless benefits of owning an autism service dog for children and families affected by autism. These dogs are faithful companions that assist these children and families with activities of daily living as well as increasing the safety of the child and reducing the stress level of their family. Other advantages of having an Autism Service Dog include:• Increased social interaction – assistance dogs have been proven to improve social skills and social interaction for many children affected by autism. These dogs are naturally interesting which often draws the attention of a child with Autism as well as others.• Redirection of repetitive behaviors – dogs can be taught to nudge a child that is performing repetitive behaviors; this touch is often all that is required to redirect the child from these behaviors.• Improved independence – autism service dogs can provide independence by allowing the child to walk with the dog as opposed to constantly holding the hand of a parent or adult. These highly skilled dogs can assist the child while under the direction of the adult.• Increased vocabulary – children with autism are often noticed to have an increase in vocabulary after being paired with an assistance dog. The children seem to be more comfortable in speaking with the dog which transfers to more verbal interaction with people.• Improved quality of sleep – assistance dogs provide a certain level of comfort that can often improve a child’s ability to sleep more throughout the night.• An overall calmer environment – when performing everyday tasks, children feel less pressure working with a dog as opposed to their peers. The tactile experience of having a dog as a companion has also been proven to provide calming effects. Children with Autism who work with dogs have been documented to feel less anger and experience fewer acts of aggression compared to the time before receiving an autism service dog.• Recovery of lost children quickly – these autism service dogs are taught to track the child in the event that they bolt or become missing. These dogs are capable of locating the child in a variety of environments and terrain. This ability to locate the child quickly can greatly reduce the risk of serious harm. Some dogs can also be trained to rescue a child from water.
Organizer
Leslie Davis
Organizer
Frisco, TX
