Behavior Modification through the Use of a Service Dog
Karen Shultz, B.S., Nursing and Sally Montrucchio, CPDT
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we're going to be getting a service dog in the coming months. We're very excited about what the dog could bring to not only my son, but the entire family. Sally and Karen are from Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs, Inc. The folks at TLC themselves are not autism experts, but they have found that the transition from training dogs for established uses to autism is almost effortless. What are those established uses? Service dogs are commonly used for conditions such as seizure disorders and cerebral palsy, as well as developmental disorders. Now, TLC finds themselves placing dogs mostly for children with ASD and injured veterans returning from combat.
Often, the service dog is introduced for a specific reason, but there is a ripple effect that ends up improving many aspects of quality of life. Some of these initial reasons can include helping the child through seizures, helping with responsibility, or assisting communication. Here is an expanded list of skills the dogs are shown to improve:
- Calming
- The dog will interrupt, redirect or calm when the child experiences sensory overload.
- Confidence
- The dog will support a child to try new things, foster sense of courage and security to tackle activities once feared.
- Friendship
- The dog will help the child learn how to share, have empathy, etc.
- Communication skills
- The dog can be a target for communication skill efforts.
- Motivator
- The child becomes energized by modeling actions of the dog, interacting with the dog, or simply having the dog present.
- Motor skills
- The dog will assist in improving motor skills and increasing physical activity through games and tasks.
- Responsibility
- The child is tasked with the activities for maintaining the health and grooming upkeep of the dog.
- Safety
- The dog can interrupt an undesired behavior, redirect a behavior, and get help when necessary.
- Social interaction
- The dog is a positive attraction, something "special" only to them. Introducing the dog to others creates a sincere interaction from which new relationships can be sparked.
Why does this work? The research is limited and is still very much anecdotal, but it is because the dog doesn't hold expectations. They are willing and happy partners. This reduces stress for the child.
I found it interesting how much simple contact with the dog could help comfort and reassure a child. For example, when going to the dentist or doctor, simply having the dog resting against the leg of the child could lead to a huge decrease in anxiety and difference in behavior. Another good example was doctor visits. The doctor would "check" the dog first, so the child would know what to expect. Then the child's checkup went much more smoothly. It's too early to tell, but it seems our son might be positively responding to application of pressure—it's just a new observation we've made recently (he seems to like pressure on his shoulders, for example). He's always been a cuddler, so it is very possible.
Service dogs have been very useful as interruptors during meltdowns. A snuggle, a kiss, application of pressure, or even performing a trick can redirect the emotions during a meltdown. Another interesting example is that the dog was taught to lick during a meltdown, and the child was taught that when the dog licks him, he wants a hug. This also could change the course of the episode.
One of the biggest areas of skill development is responsibility. The child is in charge of the basic care of the dog, like the feeding and the grooming. In one example, the child cooks the dog an egg every morning. He had previously shown no other interest in the kitchen. In another example, the child brushes the dog's teeth, then brushes his own. There's also the responsibility that goes with advocating for the dog, such having the child himself tell someone like a security guard that it is a service dog and he can come into the building. The child also can also authorize who can interact with the dog (i.e. "can I pet your dog?").
And of course, there's the communication. The child gives the dog commands, which can be verbal or even start as hand signals. My son is verbal (though his language is still significantly delayed), but gesturing has always been a problem. We could focus on having him gesture "sit" and "come here" to the dog first. The hand gestures can evolve into better verbal communication as well and generalize towards other humans.
We've done a lot of service dog research, so much of this wasn't new. But I did pick up a good number of ideas of how we can approach interaction between my son and his new dong (who's coming soon!).
