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StarTrekker
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14 Jan 2016, 4:48 pm

Hi Sammi, thanks for posting. I've been looking into getting a service dog for when I move out of my parents' house. I don't need one right now because they do the things I would need a service dog for, like keeping me calm in crowded spaces, guiding me around so I don't get lost, and reducing my anxiety around strangers by talking to them for me. I know that's going to change once I move out though (whenever that happens), so I've been researching autism service dogs for a while. Would you mind explaining a little about what it's like living day to day with a service dog? Do you find any experiences more difficult with a dog than they would be without one? For example, store owners confronting you about your dog, other people trying to pet him while he's working, etc?


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Kuraudo777
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14 Jan 2016, 8:36 pm

^Would it work if you put a jacket on your dog when you get him/her that clearly says Service Dog Do Not Touch?


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Knofskia
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14 Jan 2016, 9:55 pm

Kuraudo777 wrote:
^Would it work if you put a jacket on your dog when you get him/her that clearly says Service Dog Do Not Touch?


Not necessarily. Even with a perfectly groomed, perfectly behaved, vested (with vest clearly saying, "Service Dog") dog doing tasks at that moment, you can get hassled by people saying, "No pets allowed!"

Even with a vest clearly saying, "Do Not Pet", and the person themselves saying, "I know I am not supposed to pet him, but...", you can get hassled by people petting, and distracting, your service dog.


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StarTrekker
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14 Jan 2016, 10:32 pm

Knofskia wrote:
Kuraudo777 wrote:
^Would it work if you put a jacket on your dog when you get him/her that clearly says Service Dog Do Not Touch?


Not necessarily. Even with a perfectly groomed, perfectly behaved, vested (with vest clearly saying, "Service Dog") dog doing tasks at that moment, you can get hassled by people saying, "No pets allowed!"

Even with a vest clearly saying, "Do Not Pet", and the person themselves saying, "I know I am not supposed to pet him, but...", you can get hassled by people petting, and distracting, your service dog.



Yeah, I've seen several youtube videos about the "stupid things that people say to service dog owners", and most of them mention intolerant store owners and ignorant passersby.


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Simmian7
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15 Jan 2016, 6:33 pm

Sammi wrote:
Simmian7 wrote:
ConceptuallyCurious wrote:
I would love a service animal but both my hearing and my autism are too mild (afaik).

You write well.


yeah... i'm like that too. i'm too fine for the most part...that when i do have autistic moments, i get yelled at instead or looked at funny. maybe one day service dogs will be bountiful and inexpensive enough for EVERYONE on the spectrum.


No.. No you really don't. Service dogs are not cool. I wish I didn't need a dog to be functional. You don't want to be so disabled that you need a service dog. Not all autistic people need service dog.. you have to be disabled..

I don't want to start a debate I don't want to so please don't



i never said i wanted one to be cool. i never even think that when i think about wanting/needing a service dog. i think that i just might benefit from it and get helped by it...if I wasn't so overlooked and not severly disabled. i would most likely be more social and go to more places if i had one. and prolly other stuff would happen as a result...like...i'd be more motivated around the house...i'd get the confidence that i don't have to do things that I should be doing.


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Simmian7
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15 Jan 2016, 6:36 pm

StarTrekker wrote:
Hi Sammi, thanks for posting. I've been looking into getting a service dog for when I move out of my parents' house. I don't need one right now because they do the things I would need a service dog for, like keeping me calm in crowded spaces, guiding me around so I don't get lost, and reducing my anxiety around strangers by talking to them for me. I know that's going to change once I move out though (whenever that happens), so I've been researching autism service dogs for a while. Would you mind explaining a little about what it's like living day to day with a service dog? Do you find any experiences more difficult with a dog than they would be without one? For example, store owners confronting you about your dog, other people trying to pet him while he's working, etc?


yeah... my parents are practically the same thing for me. but they are getting very elderly now... and i know for a fact that i won't be able to count on my brother in the same capacity. my world is going to become very unstable in the maybe near future.


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It's like someone's calling out to me. Writing it all down...it's like I'm calling back to them.
(quote from August Rush; but used as a reference to my writing)
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ConceptuallyCurious
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16 Jan 2016, 5:10 pm

Yeah, I guess they wouldn't be able to help with cooking - I'd wondered if they would be able to harass me into setting and alarm, or lead me back to the oven when I walk away from it. But I guess it would probably be too variable for a dog to do.

I really think I'd benefit from safety crossing roads. If the dog didn't let me cross until I told it to, it might stop me from wandering out without thinking or suddenly breaking into a run.

Or as a heavy transportable weight to calm me down.

But the point is moot - where I live autism dogs are only given to the most severe children and hearing dogs are only for severely/profoundly deaf in adults. Apparently they do give dogs to moderately deaf children, which is frustrating for me. (Seems the child waiting list is about half the length for adults, anyway.)

When I live somewhere I can keep a dog, I might apply for a dog which has some but failed to complete all the training as they suggest that these dogs can help those under threshold but obviously have no legal benefits. I think I'd have to be careful, as a friend got one as a child and the dog seemed completely untrained - guess it failed early on.


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Knofskia
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16 Jan 2016, 5:45 pm

ConceptuallyCurious wrote:
When I live somewhere I can keep a dog, I might apply for a dog which has some but failed to complete all the training as they suggest that these dogs can help those under threshold but obviously have no legal benefits. I think I'd have to be careful, as a friend got one as a child and the dog seemed completely untrained - guess it failed early on.


Unfortunately, you also have to be careful of some of the dogs that "graduate" too.  Some of the Service Dog programs are actually scams.  They get people into a legally binding contract, get all of the fundraising money, and then give you a dog with health issues, behavioral problems (read "aggression toward handler"), and no actual service dog training. 8O


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bookworm285
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23 Jan 2016, 10:22 pm

Knofskia

Where did you get your service dog? My adult daughter is in need of one but I hardly know where to start.



Knofskia
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24 Jan 2016, 11:54 am

bookworm285 wrote:
Knofskia

Where did you get your service dog? My adult daughter is in need of one but I hardly know where to start.


Well, my dog is an owner-trained service dog; he is not from a service dog program. Basically, I searched for a candidate from shelters, rescues, and breeders. Then, I adopted him. Then, I took him to regular puppy classes for obedience training. Then, I took him to a dog trainer who worked with service dogs for task training. Then, I took him out for public access training.

It is a lot of work and many dogs wash out.


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Ettina
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25 Jan 2016, 6:11 am

Sammi wrote:
Sorry it came out wrong.. I'm bad at expressing myself.. I mainly said that for the person who quoted you, saying that they should be allowed for everyone on the spectrum.


And why shouldn't they? If anyone on the spectrum could be helped by a service dog, why does it bother you so much to think of them getting one?