Service dogs assist with tasks related to seizure disorder and low communication skills by comforting, activating a warning device, calming after an episode, and getting help. Some dogs are able to warn a person that a seizure is coming and get them to safety.Assistance/Therapy dogs help people with disabilities complete tasks to increase their independence and quality of life. They comfort autistic individuals in social situations and help to calm anxieties. Bear has limited speech capabilities, epilepsy, and autism. He has frequent melt-downs and will scream, cry, fight, and engage in self-injurous behaviors. Doctors offer more and more drugs, but I'm hesitant to put him on anything when he can't tell me how it makes him feel. Therapy dogs will comfort and help contain a situation when anxiety starts to increase. This will help us to identify triggers for Bear. It should also help him learn how to calm himself in future situations. Many people with panic disorders, especially children on the autism spectrum, will develop phobias of seemingly normal things if they feel out of control. When anxiety and panic come on, therapy dogs are trained to get the person's attention, lay on top of them if necessary (creating the soothing pressure that is usually needed to get Bear out of an attack), and they also will hold down the person's arms so that they are not able to injure themselves.The benefits of having a therapy dog would be so valuable to our Bear. The cost of a therapy/assistance dog is between $10,000 and $30,000. We are choosing to train the dog ourselves through a program here in town to cut down on the cost, but also so that the dog can be trained for Bear's specific needs. He will be involved in the training as much as possible so that he understands what the dog can do for him.We are asking for donations so that we can afford to get started ASAP. The first step is getting the right dog. The therapy training program here will only certify labradors or labradoodles. We are opting for a labradoodle because they shed less and are more hypoallergenic. Bear likes to rub his face on soft things, including animals, and we want to avoid allergic reactions, especially since most of Bear's self-injurous behavior involves his eyes. Labradoodles are less likely to cause allergic reactions for children in Bear's school as well. We have found a well-suited pregnant labradoodle due any day now, which means the puppies will be ready to take home by Christmas. If you are in a position to help, it would mean the world to us. Whether you can help or not, please share this page if you don't mind! Thank you for taking the time to learn about Bear and the benefits that could come from having a therapy dog!
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