Pets offer a bevy of social benefits: they provide friendship, reduce loneliness and alleviate anxiety. It’s no surprise that animals, especially dogs bring positivity into our lives; humans began to domesticate dogs for hunting and companionship thousands of years ago, indicating our strong bond. Socialization is often one of the biggest challenges for those with autism, especially children. However, significant research finds that spending time with dogs offers benefits for autistic persons, whether young or old. A study published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing reports that of the two-thirds of the families surveyed who had dogs, 94 percent said their child bonded strongly with the pet. For families who didn’t have a dog as pets, 7 out of 10 parents indicated their child had a positive experience with the animal.

1. The Power of Dogs in the Autism
Community
By: Adam Croman

2. Pets offer a bevy of social benefits: they provide
friendship, reduce loneliness and alleviate anxiety. It’s
no surprise that animals, especially dogs bring
positivity into our lives; humans began to domesticate
dogs for hunting and companionship thousands of
years ago, indicating our strong bond.
Socialization is often one of the biggest challenges for
those with autism, especially children. However,
significant research finds that spending time with
dogs offers benefits for autistic persons, whether
young or old. A study published in the Journal of
Pediatric Nursing reports that of the two-thirds of the
families surveyed who had dogs, 94 percent said their
child bonded strongly with the pet. For families who
didn’t have a dog as pets, 7 out of 10 parents indicated
their child had a positive experience with the animal.

3. The study was led by research fellow Gretchen Carslile at The Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction (ReCHAI)
in the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Carslile says, “Dogs can help children with autism by acting as a social lubricant.” She continues, “For example, children
with autism may find it difficult to interact with other neighborhood children. If the children with autism invite their
peers to play with their dogs, then the dogs can serve as bridges that help the children with autism communicate with
their peers.”
Earlier research discovered that children with autism found that those with a family pet have better social skills. Other
studies show how social issues in children with autism temporarily improve after a short interaction or play period with
an animal versus a toy.
Of course, we’ve also seen how animals can help older people diagnosed with autism, too. A few years ago, news story
went viral about an Arizona woman named Danielle Jacobs who suffered from Asperger syndrome which is on the autism
spectrum. During a severe anxiety attack, Jacbos’ service dogs Samson helped calm her down. The video became popular
due to mainstream awareness of how service dogs can truly help relieve anxiety attacks — and of course the strong bond
between the two.

4. While pets do help increase socialization skills in
those diagnosed with autism most of the time, it’s also
important to consider each child’s specific
sensitivities and family dynamics. If you do decide to
introduce a dog into your family, there are a number of
ways to do so safely and responsibly so as not to
trigger more anxiety:
● Keep the new pet out of their room so their
sleep. Nighttime visits can provoke anxiety
● Don’t involve them in caring for the animal until
they feel comfortable
● Add jobs to care for the cat slowly and gradually
● Don’t ask them to pick up the animal. If they
want to hold the pet, support them as they do
so.
● Develop routines with the new animal. For
instance, during bath time, the pet might sit on a
towel on top of the toilet to keep them company.
● Supervise interactions with the new pet
● Involve the child with vet appointments only
after the child has been acquainted with the pet
for some time.

5. Service Dog or Therapy Dog?
Some parents may wonder whether a service or a therapy dog is the best option for their loved
ones with autism.
A service dog undergoes extensive training and official certification to help with tasks for those
that are challenging for a person with a disability. Every service dog is trained according to the
needs of the person they assist. They can help people with a mobility hindrance, visual/hearing
impairments, anxiety disorders or developmental disorders like autism. Autism dogs are great
for assisting children in public to decrease their anxiety during medical visits, school activities,
shopping or traveling. Many autism service dogs are trained to recognize and interrupt
self-harming behaviors and help de-escalating emotional breakdowns. They may gently calm
the child down by laying across his or her lap, for instance.

6. A therapy dog is trained to provide affection and
comfort in therapeutic situations. They generally work
in hospitals and other healthcare and mental health
facilities, but they’ve also become very popular in the
autism community because they have a calm,
supportive ability to promote social interaction. They
are extremely compassion and tolerant companions. If
you choose a therapy dog, try selecting one from an
accredited agency like any of the organizations listed
on the Assistance Dogs International website and ask
about the dog’s training and work with children or
adults with autism.
With my charity, The Eddie Croman Foundation and my
volunteer work at The Friendship Circle, I take an
active interest in animal welfare and the happiness of
children with autism. Interacting with both parties
throughout my life, it makes complete sense that both
animals and those with autism can support each other
and grow loving, lasting bonds.

7. Thanks for Reading!
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