SERVICE DOGS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

ELLIOT AND LEWIS’S STORY

“Elliot willingly goes to bed now with LEWIS, who models for Elliot how to relax. LEWIS sleeps in bed right next to Elliot and now he pets LEWIS and soothes himself back to sleep when he wakes in the middle of the night. Because of LEWIS, we are sleeping with a peace that’s eluded us for years.”
– Daniel, Parent of PAWS Service Dogs for Children with Autism Client

Daniel and Dorene Taylor have two young boys – Elliot, who’s seven, and Owen, who’s nearly six. Parents, especially those with little ones, know that a sleepless night now and then is “normal.” But the Taylors’ son Elliot has autism and that makes for a very different “normal.”

Daniel explained, “Bedtime in our house was a constant struggle. We would often have to hold Elliot to help his body shut down at night. He’d wake up at the slightest noise and then Dorene or I would have to go lay down with him so he’d go back to sleep.”

The frequent restless nights easily fed into difficult mornings getting Elliot up and regular tantrums from him during the day.

Both Daniel and Dorene have worked in the Special Education field, so they were more prepared than many to accommodate Elliot’s needs. Even then, stress was inevitable. It was a chance encounter with a stranger a few months after Elliot’s diagnosis that spurred Daniel to investigate Service Dogs for Children with Autism (SDA).

His search quickly led him to PAWS. The family applied and was accepted into our SDA pilot program and they recently welcomed home LEWIS, a mixed Yellow Lab/Golden Retriever.

Almost immediately, Daniel shared, life was different. “It seems ironic to say a two-year-old Lab is bringing calm to a home, but he truly is. The relationship that’s forming between Elliot and LEWIS is remarkable to see. Elliot willingly goes to bed now with LEWIS, who models for Elliot how to relax. LEWIS knows that at the end of the day when it is dark outside and playtime and work time is done, we should be laying down to rest. LEWIS sleeps in bed right next to Elliot and now he pets LEWIS and soothes himself back to sleep when he wakes in the middle of the night. Because of LEWIS, Dorene and I are sleeping with a peace that’s eluded us for years.”

In the morning, Daniel typically takes LEWIS outside, plays with him, and practices commands. The tasks may be simple, but their effect has been profound: “I’m finding that when LEWIS and I get that time together in the morning, I am a better person to my wife and sons,” Daniel said.

“In my work,” he continued, “I’ve often seen families split up from the unimaginable stress of raising kids with special needs. I know Elliot is benefiting from having LEWIS in a whole host of ways. Believe me when I say that if a dog can strengthen a family, help a husband love his wife, and both of them to love their children well, then that dog has done the most important work there is. To everyone at PAWS who never gets thanked enough, here is another believer in the work you do.”

QUALIFICATION INFORMATION

To be eligible for a PAWS Service Dog, an individual must:

• Be 4-12 years old: application received by 7th birthday; needs assessment completed by 9th birthday; placement prior to 12th birthday
• Be in an ongoing education program
• Be in a speech, physical, occupational, or recreational therapy program
• Can be a “runner”
• Have excellent family support
• Have a parent or guardian trained as a facilitator; sibling facilitators need to be 18 years or older. Please note that in a two-parent household, both parents are required to attend two, three-hour training classes prior to the placement of the dog, in most cases these trainings will be within your home.
• Have the ability to train with their dog a minimum of one hour a day during team training
• Have no other dog in the home (can have other animals)
• Live in an area serviced by a PAWS Field Rep (determined upon application)

If the applicant is younger than PAWS’ minimum age, visit www.assistancedogsinternational.org for a list of other ADI programs that may train for younger children.

While Paws With A Cause has established eligibility criterion for the types of Assistance Dogs we provide, we do not discriminate against any applicant based on race, color, creed, gender, religion, marital status, age, nationality, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, citizenship status, military service status or any other consideration as indicated by federal, state or local laws.

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