What is an Autism Assistance Dog?

Each of our Autism Assistance Dogs is trained with a very special set of skills, providing emotional and practical assistance to mitigate the challenges their handlers face. The skills that our dogs are trained in are tailored to each handler's individual challenges and needs, and depend on what the handler hopes to achieve with the help of their Assistance Dog.

Our Autism Assistance Dogs' special skills are designed to support their handler as they engage with the world around them, helping to:

- Encourage healthy sleeping patterns

- Reduce the frequency and severity of meltdowns and shutdowns

- Decrease anxiety levels

- Promote speech and communication

- Encourage participation in daily activities

- Regulate sensory input

Amongst many other benefits!

Our dogs deliver these benefits through a variety of different tasks, which can deliver either physical or emotional support! These tasks can include:

- Deep Pressure Therapy

- Anxiety responses

- Meltdown intervention

- Self-harm interruption

- Medication reminders

- Fetching items

The effect that an Autism Assistance Dog can have on their handler can truly be life changing, and can have a positive impact on the whole family too ❤

‍