Expert Advice on Choosing a Dog for Your Child with Autism
My first thought would be to be certain the child on the spectrum wants a dog in the first place, and that he or she has the capability to be consistently gentle with a dog; if not, a dog's presence is bound to cause stress and danger, not relieve it...Thanks so much, Patty!Next, observe the child with a variety of dogs to see what kind he or she prefers, but be very careful to first determine that the dog will be safe to interact with the child, that the dog's owner is standing there behind the child, ready to read the signs of stress in the dog so you can interrupt the interactions if these signs of stress are noted. The same features of autism that can interfere with social interaction with people can exist with dogs (such as not granting the proper body space), and a tolerant and well socialized dog is key to a safe interaction with any child.
Please avoid adopting a rescue pup or dog for a child on the autism spectrum; it is impossible to know a rescue dog's history and as dogs are associative creatures, a child in the dog's past may have set him up to have a mistrust of children. We need to make this partnership safe, and it is best to err on the side of caution here and select a pup that is bred for a calm, non reactive temperament. Breeds I like for a child on the spectrum are goldens, labs and standard poodles, but the breeder you select to work with will matter greatly in terms of the quality of the pup's health and temperament.
When you select your puppy from the litter, avoid the shy pup as well as the overly bold; in general, a middle of the road pup who shows an usual amount of interest and calm patient attention to a child is the way to go...
The first year of this dog's life is very important in terms of establishing leadership with your pup, gently socializing him or her to your child as well as the rest of your household, and educating the child on how to properly care for and treat the pup. Supervision is key to establishing a healthy relationship with the pup, and in fact, this supervision can be thought of as special education. Allowing the child in on the ground floor of training gives them power in understanding how to best communicate with their pup.
Comments
Yes, I agree with not adopting a Rescue Dog. We did make that mistake; we adopted a rescue puppy that was not properly socialized. My son who is 9 has Autism. And the dog and my son have had their moments. No biting but growling and nipping at times. Supervision is key! Giving the dog his personel space when sleeping and eating is very imporotant as well as teaching your child how to treat the dog. Get everyone involved in the training of the dog so each member will be able to establish the pack leader role. Good Luck.