April is Autism Acceptance Month! As we have many autistic clients, staff, and family members, the topic of autism service dogs is near and dear to our hearts! To give this big topic the space it deserves, we’ll be dividing it up into two articles.
We have seen great results for children and adults alike who have trained an autism service dog with us. Training an autism service dog can be an empowering, life-changing option for autistic adults and bring joy and relief to parents of children on the autism spectrum. But it’s not the right option for every situation. If you’re looking into training an autism service dog, here is some food for thought as you get started.
Terminology Note
People use different language to refer to autism. Some people call themselves “Autistic,” while others prefer to say they or their child “has autism” or “is on the autism spectrum.” In this series, when we write about a particular person, we’ll use the same language they use to refer to themselves or their family member. When writing about this topic in general, we’ll use different terms to represent the diversity of the autism community.
Here, in part 1, we’ll focus on whether an autism service dog is a good fit for you or your loved one. We’ll delve into considerations that may be true for anyone, regardless of age or neurotype, but point out some pros and cons that may be particularly relevant to people on the autism spectrum. We’ll also cover the benefits of pet dogs and ESAs.
In part 2, we will cover more specifics of how to obtain or train your service dog or emotional support animal. (Make sure to subscribe to our bimonthly newsletter to be notified of that article and other new content.)
Pet Dogs
Caring for a dog — whether a pet, emotional support animal (ESA), or service animal — has many potential advantages and disadvantages for everyone, regardless of disability or neurotype. For neurodivergent individuals, some of these pros and cons might have particular significance. Start by considering the impact of a dog on your household.
Benefits to Dog Ownership
There are many potential benefits to pet dogs for people on the autism spectrum. Service dog training is not required for these positive impacts.
Non-judgment – Dogs don’t carry societal expectations. They don’t care how we dress; if we move gracefully or clumsily; if we are on disability or working a high-powered job. They provide an oasis of unconditional love and acceptance.
Communication ease – Dogs don’t use sarcasm or euphemism. They are direct communicators, once you learn dog body language. While it takes some time and education to learn dog body language, it is much simpler than human communication. All dog guardians should learn dog body language to get the most out of their relationship with their dog. For those who struggle to cope with the vast, varied, and unpredictable nuances of human communication, canine communication may bring the additional joy and relief of direct, clear communication without any “hidden agendas.” Some people on the autism spectrum become masters of learning animal body language.
Social and emotional connection – Dog owners talk to and share our lives with our dogs. Living with a dog brings joy, love, and laughter, and reduces loneliness. Since social isolation, loneliness, and anxiety are common components of living with autism in a neurotypical world, this can be an especial boon for autistic individuals.
Relational skills – Living with a dog means practicing how to live with and empathize with someone else. It requires you to take another’s emotions and needs into account. For some, this is great practice for living with a partner or having reciprocal friendships. While our relationships with dogs and people are very different, there are components of negotiation and compromise when living with dogs, and deploying emotional regulation skills certainly becomes necessary when our dogs annoy us.
Nova has helped me tremendously with my social skills. I was never shy, but I tend to be quite intense. I would meet a stranger and immediately ask very philosophical questions, which tends to turn people off. With Nova, who is so friendly and loving to everyone, I realized that I don’t have to jump all in. I can have a meaningful yet light conversation with someone. I am more likely to go with the flow now because Nova goes with the flow. It’s as if I can take my social cues from Nova.
My Mom has been flabbergasted. Everyone in my circle mentions how Nova has changed me for the better because she makes me more flexible and willing to connect in a way that is good for other people. Since Nova never judges me I don’t feel pressured to be a certain way, which frees up some emotional energy to be more chill. I feel very well disposed towards people who are kind to my dog, which makes me kinder to them in turn.
Touch – Dogs need daily cuddling and petting, and frequent grooming. The sensory component of dog care can be very regulating, enjoyable, and therapeutic for some. NOTE: The texture or type of fur may be important for you or your family member. Also note that some sensory components of dogs can be a challenge, depending on an individual’s sensitivities and preferences. See the “cons” section for more on the topic of less-desirable sensory components of dog guardianship.
This sensory component can be powerful. SS found that having a dog lick her son’s ears or lie on him made a huge impact on his dysregulation:
We actually would have never even seriously considered training a service dog until our son worked with a therapy dog at his school and it helped his anxiety and dysregulation tremendously.
Community – Dog lovers often meet each other at training classes, parks, or on walks. If dogs are a special interest, you can easily build an entire social network of breed enthusiasts, agility competitors, conformation handlers, etc.
AT is training their Chihuahua, Zephyr, as their future service dog. While AT works full-time as a healthcare professional, dog training is one of their life’s passions. In addition to training Zephyr as a service animal, they have two other dogs they are training in a variety of classes. AT is part of vibrant regional and online dog training communities.
Exercise – Exercise can be very helpful for self-regulation and overall health and self-care. Studies show that dog ownership increases lifespan because dogs require daily exercise, e.g., walks, hikes, games of fetch, etc.
Feeling safe – Living with someone else can provide a sense of security in a world that often feels hostile and confusing. The presence of a dog is also an effective crime deterrent.
Sleep – Sleep issues are extremely common for those on the autism spectrum. People who suffer from insomnia may sleep better with a dog, particularly when insomnia is due to anxiety, loneliness, or fear. However, light sleepers or those who need more sleep than average may be a poor match for a dog (especially a puppy); dogs may move around at night or need to potty earlier than their owner wants to wake up. Give careful consideration to sleep needs before getting a dog. The age and energy level of the dog may also be an important consideration.
Daily structure – Following a dog’s schedule provides a predictable pattern to the day. It may help some owners get out of bed, leave the house, or take their medication. Especially for those whose executive function challenges make it hard to follow a schedule, a dog can be supremely helpful for adding structure to the day.
Having Minnie really helps because of the daily structure. Taking her out, feeding her at the same time every day. I really like the predictability and consistency of her daily schedule. Another big benefit to Minnie is having someone I can engage in physical touch with. I also have less anxiety surrounding what she thinks of me and don’t feel like I need to worry about whether she loves me or is annoyed by me since she communicates clearly. — AF, a college student who is completing training her black Lab, Minnie (below), as her service animal
Drawbacks to Dog Ownership
Owning a dog comes with many challenges — regardless of age or neurotype. Some negatives may be particularly challenging for dog owners who are on the autism spectrum. As with the benefits of dog ownership, the downsides listed below apply to any dog — whether pet, ESA, or service dog.
Expense: Costs vary greatly over time and with geography, but dogs are expensive. Dog adoption fees average $400-600 for a rescue and $1,500-4,000 for a purebred. After that, costs for food, health care, grooming, training, boarding, toys, and gear mean a pet dog typically costs $3K the first year and $2K per year after – or $22K to $60K over its lifetime.
Time: Caring for a dog takes a lot of time – much more than novice owners anticipate. Dogs require daily walks, grooming, training, and play. People with ample free time are a good fit for a new dog; those whose schedules are already tight with work or family care may suffer increased stress. If you need a lot of free time for self-care, rest, hobbies or other interests, you may find the additional time demands of a dog difficult to manage.
Lack of spontaneity and freedom: Leaving a dog at home for a trip or even six hours requires arranging for someone to feed, potty, and walk the dog. Taking a dog with you requires advanced planning and bringing numerous supplies. A dog ties you down and makes travel and spontaneity more difficult.
Change and unpredictability: A new dog, especially a puppy, brings chaos and unpredictability. In the first few months (and up to two years if starting with a puppy), dog and owner must both learn to adapt to each other. This adjustment period can include reduced sleep, destruction or soiling in the home, increased noise, and disruption of routines and self-care. Those who rely on fixed routines, predictability, or a great deal of quiet time may find these changes extremely difficult, or in some cases, intolerable.
As for raising a dog, in the beginning I really struggled. You have a very straightforward yet flexible way of teaching that is great for autistic people. Nova would have been way better off if I had found you earlier in the process. I like to have a plan or “roadmap” when I’m taking on a project. I like to have a clear goal so I can measure progress. Most autistic people are rigid thinkers. It is either this or that and not having that compass point to shoot for caused a lot of stress. Before you and your extremely straightforward approach, I floundered. So it was super hard for the first year. It is still hard. — Ellen Pattee (raising and training Nova as her future service dog)
Emotional intensity: The social and emotional impact of dog ownership cuts both ways. While relationships with dogs are less complicated than those with people, your dogs will “push your buttons.” While most of our clients report that their dog significantly improves their mental health, I occasionally work with someone whose dog has made their mental health worse. This is one of many reasons we have an extensive questionnaire about preferences, owner style, and lifestyle when doing pre-adoption consulting. The age, breed, and personality of your dog can make a big difference in getting a good match.
Sensory impact: Some sensory aspects of dog guardianship may be undesirable or even a complete deal-breaker. Consider whether any of the following sensory aspects would be an issue for you or a family member.
- Sounds: Dogs make a lot of sounds — licking themselves, chewing bones, etc., which can last for up to half an hour, depending on the situation. All dogs vocalize, but some dogs bark, whine, or howl more than others. The pitch of barks vary a lot with the breed and size. If barking is a concern, make sure to work with a trainer to help you find the right breed and individual dog.
- Smells: All dogs have an odors, though there is a great deal of variability. Keeping up with your dog’s grooming — bathing them and brushing their teeth — can help a lot. Dog treats, chews, toys, and food can carry strong odors, too. If you have particular smell sensitivities, with some planning ahead, you can usually find less-smelly options. Some breeds smell more strongly than others, so choose wisely when selecting your dog.
- Drool: Some breeds are likely to drool a lot, while others typically don’t. Individual variability is also a factor — some dogs drool throughout the day, whereas other dogs only drool if you are holding food in front of their nose (as is often the case during training). If drool is a hard “no” for you, make sure to select a dog that is unlikely to drool!
- Shedding and coat type: There are dogs who shed a lot, others who barely shed at all, and everything between. Generally speaking, non-shedding dogs require a lot more coat care (combing and clipping the coat), while shedding dogs require more house cleaning (vacuuming). There are also vast variations in coat textures that may be important to you — curly, smooth, soft, wiry, short, long.
- Treat textures (sticky, moist, greasy, etc.): Especially if you are training a service dog (see below), you will be handling treats on a regular basis. This usually means touching foods and getting dog saliva on your hands. As trainer who specialize in working with people with a wide variety of disabilities, we are used to providing options and workarounds for more tolerable treat options. However, when training around distraction, or depending on the dog’s food motivation, this can sometimes make high-level training more challenging. If this is a concern for you, it may be helpful to select a dog who is very food-motivated and can work for kibble even in distracting environments.
Service Dogs for Autism – Pros and Cons
In addition to the upsides and downsides that accompany all dogs, there are specifics of service dogs that should also be considered.
Benefits of Service Dogs
There are two key benefits of a service dog that differentiate it from a pet or ESA:
Tasks: A service animal is trained to perform specific tasks related to its handler’s disability. These tasks typically improve the handler’s safety, independence, freedom, functionality, or quality of life.
Public Access: A disabled handler may legally bring their service dog into “no pets” environments. While public access is not legally a “task,” for some autistic service dog handlers, the presence of their dog helps them function better in public spaces. It may give them a positive, calming focus in an otherwise anxiety-provoking environment or help with sensory processing or proprioception in a sensory-rich environment that would otherwise be overwhelming.
Having her at home is incredibly helpful to remind me to eat and drink! All my episodes of panic/dysregulation/trauma flashbacks are not gone completely. They’re just far less often and far less intense and it now takes minutes to feel better and more functional. I can now go right back to doing dishes, cleaning, whatever I was doing and not be bed ridden for hours. No more urgent care, no ER, no hospitalizations! — Christine Tosti
Autism Service Dog Tasks
There are dozens of tasks a service dog can be trained to perform. Most people only need a handful of tasks from their service dog. Every person (regardless of neurotype) is unique, so the tasks they may need are also unique. We help handlers select tasks based on their individual situation. However, the tasks that often tend to be helpful for an autism service dog include…
- Guide to car or exit (sensory overwhelm)
- Deep pressure or tactile stimulation (lie on chest or legs, sit on foot, lick face)
- Wake up/get out of bed (alert to alarm clock)
- Provide space/buffer around strangers
- Reminder (to eat, go to bed, take medication)
- Interrupt/redirect self-directed (injuring) behavior
This is not an exhaustive list. If you have questions about tasks or are wondering if a service dog could help with other challenges, please contact us.
I remember the moment I knew Nova could help me with my sensory overload. When Nova was just 9 months old, I went to a Christmas Bell Concert with my Mom at her church. When they started playing the bells, it literally felt like I was being physically assaulted. Like the sound was actually attacking my person. I almost ran out of the room.
Nova was with me, sleeping on the floor. I had Nova come up on my lap and cuddle with me. Her head was near my shoulder and she licked my ear. I wrapped my arms loosely around her and stroked her soft fur. Her body was warm against my chest.
It was like magic. The music was just music again, enjoyable and beautiful. I was trying to not cry because the relief was just so absolute. I really wanted to listen to the concert and Nova somehow calmed my system down so I could. We cuddled for about 5 minutes and then I had her settle back on her mat and enjoyed the rest of the concert. Nova transformed the experience from horrid to wonderful.
Unbeknownst to me, my mom had noticed that I was flinching with every note and saw what Nova did. She immediately lost all her reservations about how a service dog could help an autistic person.
Public Access for Autism Service Dogs
The hardest part of service dog training is attaining consistent public access skills. First, you need a dog whose natural temperament is to enjoy being in public, surrounded by noise, people, constant change, etc. (In many cases, you are seeking a dog whose personality is very different from yours! If you are looking for a dog as your ESA or to train as your future service dog, it can be very helpful to have a service dog professional help you find and select the right dog.) Secondly, the dog must receive extensive training to be unobtrusive and mannerly in all environments.
Service dog partners do not need to bring their service dog everywhere. However, having a service dog may enable the handler to go more places on their own, leading to increased independence, mobility, confidence, and opportunity.
Three aspects of service dog public access that are often particularly important for autistic individuals include:
Sense of safety: Public spaces often feel hostile or overwhelming. Many people on the spectrum are hypervigilant about their surroundings or have been victims of abuse or bullying. While a service dog should never be aggressive or show any signs of aggression, simply knowing that a dog is a good deterrent to crime can be comforting. Also, knowing that the dog will alert to a change in medical status, provide proprioceptive feedback, or lead them to an exit or safe location before or during dysregulation helps some handlers feel safer.
My service dog helps me feel safer. Strangers feel far less threatening. I smile a lot more and have much more tolerance for talking to new people. — Christine Tosti, owner-training service dog, mixed-breed David Bowie
Focus for attention: Focusing on the dog can reduce cognitive or emotional overwhelm from sensory input, crowds, or specific triggers, enabling handlers to function in otherwise-inaccessible environments.
Social integration: Everywhere a service dog handler goes, people will smile and have questions about their dog. As such, a service dog can be a great social lubricant. The dog can likewise be a “good excuse” (socially acceptable reason to shift focus or move away) when social demands are too great. NOTE: Please see below for more about the downsides of social attention with service dogs.
Service Dog Drawbacks
The drawbacks of pet ownership above also apply to service animals, plus these downsides:
Financial: While there a small number of nonprofit service dog programs that provide fully trained service dogs free of charge to children on the autism spectrum, these are the exception. Further, I don’t know of any organizations that provide free autism service dogs for adults. Whether purchasing a fully trained service dog or training your own, you likely need to spend several thousand dollars (in addition to the costs of ownership) to obtain a service animal. To purchase a fully-trained service dog typically costs between $10K to $50K. Owner-training a service dog may cost from $2K to $40K. Typical owner-trainer costs are $10K-$20K spread over the first three years of the dog’s life. Costs for both options vary with the tasks needed, the business and its finances, and how much training or support is provided. NOTE: If you are low-income and are training your service dog with us, please read about our Service Dog Scholarship Fund.
Time: Obtaining a service dog takes time. To get a fully trained dog, you will need to find an organization that trains the type of service dog you need, then research that program: Is it a legitimate organization? Does it produce quality service dogs? Are their training methods compatible with your principles? You should also make sure the program’s waiting list is open. If so, you will need to apply, be accepted, and get on a waiting list that is often two years or longer. Training your own service dog allows you to get started with a dog much sooner, but finding the right dog may take months; training takes longer. If you start with a puppy, and training goes well, you may have a fully trained service dog within two years. Starting with an older dog may result in a fully trained dog sooner. If you select a puppy or dog that is not a good fit for its intended career, that dog may need to be “career-changed” (become a pet or ESA) or rehomed, and then start again. (This is why starting with the right dog is critical.)
Public Attention: From stares and smiles to comments, questions, and access challenges, service dogs garner attention wherever they go. Handlers with a hidden disability will be “outed” as disabled by their dog’s presence. Those with visible disabilities will be even more visible. Some handlers enjoy this attention. For those who want more social interaction, this lack of anonymity and privacy is a benefit! However, most service dog partners experience constant low-level anxiety about public scrutiny and say that public intrusion is the worst part of having a service dog. Some are terrified of confrontation. If you or your loved one has significant social anxiety that will be triggered by strangers constantly approaching and speaking to you, you should seriously reconsider if a service dog is right for you.
Effort and Commitment: While a service animal’s task training should make life easier in many respects, service dogs are also a lot of work. They require ongoing extra grooming, exercise, and training to stay in working condition – even for fully trained, adult service animals. An errand or lunch date requires more planning and preparation when bringing a service dog. When a trained service dog is newly placed, or even more so when training your own service animal, a great deal of time and effort goes into the dog’s care and training. If raising a puppy, the first year requires much more attention than successive years.
SS discovered that her Labradoodle puppy, Loki, had an amazing, calming effect on her 14-year-old son when he was dysregulated. She and her husband began training Loki as their son’s service dog. But it has not been an easy process:
“It is very time consuming and it is a big financial and emotional commitment to train your own service dog. There are always dog training skills to work on in addition to normal family life. This can be overwhelming in a family with three kids, one of whom has significant special needs. Whether or not Loki actually achieves full service dog status, he already helps JS and gives our whole family tremendous joy, and we are so thankful to have him.”
Considerations & Next Steps
If you’ve made it this far, you might now be thinking, “A service dog would be great for me! How do I get one? Should I get a fully trained service dog or train my own?” Or, “I don’t think my child needs a service dog, but a companion or emotional support dog could really help her. How do I find the right dog?”
These are complex and important questions that deserve thoughtful answers! In our next post on autism service dogs, we will cover:
- The difference between training your own service dog and getting a fully trained service dog — and the pros and cons of each
- How to get started with finding a trained service dog
- How to get started with finding the right dog to train yourself (as an ESA or as a service dog)
- Tips for training your pet as your service animal
Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive a copy of Part 2 — and to receive other helpful service dog training tips and information.
For more information on finding the right dog, as a service dog or as an ESA, you can also visit our website. If you’re ready to get started training your dog as your service animal, watch the video on our website or register your dog for our service dog foundation class, PEARL DISC.
Have questions about training a service dog for yourself or a family member? Get in touch!