Autism Service Dogs

Since 2001, Denver Dog Works has been training Labrador and Golden Retrievers to assist children and families living with Autism. We are proud to be the first school in Denver to provide such dogs to families with children who are autistic.

Criteria For Families

Typically, the best results come from families who have:

• A CHILD with Autism between the ages of 2 and 8 at the time of application

• POSITIVELY exposed and socialized the child to large dogs in the past

• NO other family dog in the house (please note DDW will assess family dogs on an individual basis to determine whether they will be a good fit with a service dog)

• TIME to devote to the learning curve of adding a Service Dog to their lives

• A WILLINGNESS to have one or both parents travel without the child to our facility for an one day seminar, and for 5 days during Team Training when you receive the dog

• A FENCED yard or plan to contain the dog when in the yard

ONE dedicated parent that stays home during the weekdays if the child is not yet in school. This project will be more successful if the dog bonds with the child and one parent, not a selection of different caregivers  

About The Dogs:
The primary function of a service dog for Autism is safety! There is a small window of opportunity when the dogs can physically stop a child from bolting into the street or away from the parents in public. The physical ability of the dog to restrain a child must be taken into consideration when we place the dogs into homes to work. The dog should be physically able to slow a child down when running. These selectively bred dogs are trained to slow small children at curbs and intersections to prevent them from bolting into traffic when accompanied by an adult that gives the dog verbal commands. For many parents, the use of a Service dog allows them for the first time to walk behind their child without hanging on to a sleeve or hood of a jacket.

The children are attached to the dogs via a leash and belt system. The dog responds to commands by the parents to proceed forward in a straight line, turn left or right and to stop. If the child approaches a curb or tries to walk off the sidewalk, the parent can tell the dog to stop and stay. The dog will use all of its power to brace its footing to slow the child down and stop, which gives the parent walking behind the child time to intervene.

The children are taught that they are responsible for the care of their new dog and that they are attached because the dog needs him/her near by it all times. For most children, this is better than an adult always hanging on to them. Many families of children with autism have told us that they feel trapped in their own homes because they cannot go out in public with their Autistic child. With Autism, children get over-stimulated by different sounds, sights and smells. They are easily overwhelmed. In many cases the child’s service dog has a calming effect on the child and can take the edge off the child’s highs and lows.

To submit an application to request a Autism Service Dog Please CLICK HERE