Abandoned Dogs Trained for the Hearing Impaired
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Go to CCI.org. Canine Companions for Independence gives service dogs free of charge and fully trained to those it need. It is possible to train your own but VERY VERY difficult for someone to do without professional help. CCI dogs are bred to be service dogs. They are AMAZING dogs. If you train your own, the soonest it would be ready would be at about 2 yrs old. CCI dogs are trained by professionals. There is usually a 6 month to a year waiting period, but the dog is free of charge. I HIGHLY suggest you look into CCI, training for a child with autism is VERY VERY difficult. I have autism. I am an adult, and CCI does not provide dogs to adults with autism, but they do for kids with autism. I really do highly suggest CCI. even with CCI dogs, only like 2 of 5 are service dog material. The pup you get may not be fit to be a service dog, no matter how young you begin training.
Choosing Between Dog Training Schools and Animal Behavior Specialists
- The very first step would be to have the dog pass a canine good citizen course. If the dog can't pass that then he/she won't be able to do any further training. Consult with the trainer that you plan to use about what else you'll have to do after passing the canine good citizen course to become a service dog. What will you be expecting the dog to do for/with your son?
Most service dogs are bred to be service dogs and begin training from very early on based on what they will be expected to do. I have doubts that this is something you can do without being involved in some type of formal training.
Also, it is important to know ahead of time, not all dogs have what it takes to be a service dog. The dog may be a good pet, but might not be able to pass the necessary courses. - Are you ready to be handling the equivalent of TWO toddlers in public? A service dog is just about that, a helpful toddler, not a magic bullet.
If you need a dog, go through a program. I've trained both of my own service dogs, and neither of them from a puppy. They were hand picked older dogs. I know you want the best for your son, but handling him and a puppy, before it's even old enough to begin training, will have you pulling your hair out and then some. A regular trainer won't cut it for this job either, and unless you're lucky enough to be in an area with a qualified service dog trainer, you won't get the help you need and end up with a washed out dog who will be nothing more than a pet. - Yes, you can train a dog yourself, but he might be better off with a professionally trained dog from a program. If you haven't looked into them, check it out. Costs to the family vary widely, anywhere from completely free to 5 figures. Go to www.iaadp.org They list many programs. Many programs are nation wide serving people in every state.
There are also private trainers that can help. - As was suggested I would look into getting an older dog who has already been trained for this sort of thing as opposed to taking the risk on a pup who may not have the right temperament for the training.
contact these guys - they are located here in Maine and have experience with training dogs for Autism service dogs and can help you in this process. - These links might help:http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/fs…
http://www.dogster.com/group/Service_dog…
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