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FAQ
What is ADS?
Autism Dog Services Inc. (ADS) is a registered Canadian Charity # 803605955RR0001 established in the Province of Ontario whose purpose is to provide relief to children with autism and related disorders.
What is an Autism Service Dog?
Autism service dogs provides safety, companionship and independence for children with autism, aspergers and related disorders. The service dog functions as an “assistive device” to aid the child in their daily life.
What breeds does ADS use?
ADS receives donations of Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and some non-shedding breeds like Standard Poodles. Reputable breeders donate the puppies to ADS to support our program. ADS is currently working towards developing a breeding program.
How does ADS help?
Autism Dog Services fosters the integration of children in between the ages of 3 and 18 years of age with autism, aspergers and related disorders by training, placing and supporting service dogs that offer safety, companionship, and independence. The service dog acts as a physical and emotional anchor, thus enhancing the life of the child.
Who is involved?
ADS is a grass-roots, volunteer based organization. ADS relies on and functions with the assistance of valuable key volunteers and a small staff.
How does an autism service dog work for a child?
ADS service dogs are handled by the child’s caregiver (parent or legal guardian). The service dogs are trained to respond and follow commands given by the child’s caregiver, while at home and in the community or by an educator, while at school. The caregiver is fully responsible for the service dog’s care and maintenance (i.e. maintaining service dog training, health care, feeding, grooming and exercise). The caregiver acts as a liaison between the child with autism and the service dog. The child is responsible for assisting the caregiver with tasks relating to the service dog to enhance the child’s communication, socialization and independence.
A service dog from ADS is identified by the red service dog jacket worn while accompanying the child in public settings at all times. The service dog jacket is equipped with a foam handle or short leash for the child to hold on to. ADS issues “public access identification cards” to all certified service dog teams. This card is carried in the service dog’s jacket and is available for identification purposes by the public upon request to identify the dog as a certified service dog. Service dogs have the right to public access in the province of Ontario. ADS is an approved and recognized member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI), a governing body that establishes and set standards for assistance dog programs world-wide. ADS meets the standards for service dog teams established by ADI. ADS conducts scheduled ADI public access tests and regular follow-up visits for all service dog placements to ensure the service dog continues to meet these standards. For more information on ADI visit www.adionline.org
Safety
One of the key roles of ADS service dogs is to provide safety outside of the home, in public settings and at school. The service dog acts as a physical anchor for the child with autism. A tether made of nylon webbing joins the service dog and child. The webbing is connected around the child’s waist, like a belt, and links up to a ring on the dog’s service dog jacket. ADS trains the service dogs to respond to commands given by the caregiver or educator. The service dog is specially trained to stop on command. As a result this prevents the child from entering into potentially dangerous situations (i.e. roadways, parking lots, bodies of water, ravines, etc.) and gives the caregiver or educator the much needed time to intervene and direct the child back onto the safer path. The service dog also prevents the child from wandering away from the family while out in public settings. This also allows for the opportunity for parents/caregivers to teach the child about walking safely and staying with their service dog.
Belt-System
When the service dog is working with a child in public settings (i.e. shopping, doctors appointments, school, walks, malls, restaurants, planes, buses, trains, therapy, etc), the dog may be connected to the child by a specially designed belt-system (if needed). The service dog jacket is equipped with a foam handle or short leash for the child to hold onto. The child’s caregiver or educator also has a leash that is connected to the service dog’s collar.
Independence and Public Outings
ADS service dogs provide independence for a child with autism by making public outings easier to cope with for both the caregiver and child. For many caregivers, this is the first opportunity they have had with their child walking independently of holding onto them. The child is also responsible for assisting with daily care routines with their service dog, such as exercise (i.e. walk with the dog, play fetch with the dog if able or with assistance), grooming and feeding; thus furthering opportunities for independence-making, learning empathy and a sense of responsibility for another.
The service dog accompanies the child and family on all public outings. Public outings with the service dog allow for safety and independence for the child, who may not have been able to participate in family activities in the past. Families may avoid family activities outside the home for fear of compromising the child’s safety, or due to the child’s difficulty in coping with new environments and managing the child’s behavioural outbursts and anxiety in public settings. With the service dog present, many families are able to pursue activities together that they may have found difficult in the past. For example, a family may be able to enjoy restaurant visits with their child, family vacations, or endure longer car trips with the presence of a service dog. In a restaurant setting the service dog is connected to the child by the belt-system and the service dog has been trained to lie quietly under the table. The child is anchored to the dog and therefore cannot wander off or leave the restaurant. The dog acts as a constant companion, always available to the child for stroking and relief from anxiety in public settings.
Behaviour Modification
ADS service dogs may help modify behaviour in children with autism. Many parents have reported that the service dog provides a calming influence on their children. Children with autism may achieve this by stroking their dog’s fur or relief in having their dog lay close by. This comfort can also allow a child to cope with transitions between places, activities, changes in routines, and may even help to improve sleep patterns. The child is able to get through anxieties that may be associated with daily activities with the help of his or her service dog.
Community and Social Benefits
ADS service dogs bridge the social gap between children with autism and others. They allow for the development of socialization skills in children with autism by assisting with the integration of children with peers and the public.
Service dogs are protected under Provincial Legislation and have the right to public access in schools. There are many opportunities for increased communication, independence along with the many social and academic benefits of having the service dogs present at school. ADS believes in building an inclusive environment that fosters the growth of communication, social interaction and independence for the student with autism and related disorders. ADS supports and encourages the partnership between the student and service dog to best reach their potential. ADS is firmly committed to furthering the education of both student and school staff in clearly defining the role of an autism service dog in the school community.
How is ADS unique in their approach to training, placing and supporting service dogs for children with autism?
• Outstanding customer service and support for all applicant and graduate families
• Prompt in-home interviews for all interested applicants
• Families on the ADS wait-list are invited and encouraged to meet and socialize with dogs in training
• Families on the ADS wait-list may meet several service dogs to determine which service dog is best suited to the child and the family as a whole.
• Regular communication and support for approved families on our wait-list
• Quality pure-bred Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers & standard Poodles
• Highly trained autism service dogs by leading autism service dog trainer/instructors
• All dogs live in and are trained in a natural home environment as puppies and as adults
• Customized in-home training and support (with the child and their parents/caregivers) for all service dog placements
• ADS supports and facilitates all placements of their service dogs in schools
How long is the ADS wait-list for a service dog?
The average waiting time is in between 12 and 18 months.
How much does it cost to get an autism service dog?
There is no application fee. ADS dogs are placed free of charge. Normal, on-going costs for a service dog include: dog food, treats, toys, routine veterinary care, grooming and sometimes emergency veterinary treatment. We estimate the annual cost of having a service dog at approximately $1000/year.
