By now we all know the benefits of dog ownership. From killing loneliness to encouraging us to exercise, it’s endless. For children with autism in particular, living with a dog can help reduce anxiety as well as help them deal with life’s obstacles.
Dogs are highly empathetic, comforting, and loving creatures, which is exactly what autistic children need. Autism is a very misunderstood condition, and many of the "treatments" advertised by organizations like Autism Speaks and uneducated nosy neighbors can be highly damaging to autistic people. There are tons of exercises and self-care therapies that make life a lot easier for kids with autism — such as stress relief, talking counseling, and sensory toys — but one of the best ways to lead an autism-friendly life is having a good support system. And a huge part of that support system can be getting a dog.
If you’re thinking of reasons why you should get a dog for your autistic child, here are all the reasons why it’ll really help your child’s development.
Communication Encouragement
Many autistic people, both children and adults, are nonverbal. Because they don't communicate with words, body language is the main form of communication. It’s never OK to force a nonverbal child to speak, for many reasons, as it can cause great distress and sensory overload. Not speaking does not equate to being noncapable, and there are tons of ways to communicate with your child that are comfortable, clear, and loving.
Dogs constantly communicate nonverbally while around us, when they’re not barking. They do tricks to indicate they want a treat, they scratch at the door when they need to go outside to pee, and way more. Dogs can teach kids a lot about communicating that doesn’t require making a single sound. Dogs teach kids that it’s OK to be silent, while still getting their point across. On the other hand, there’s also evidence to support the idea that spending time with dogs can also help nonverbal children gain confidence with speaking in their own time. Regardless, a dog can help support your child either way.
Social Lubrication and Buffers
Social interaction can be tough for autistic children, as understanding social cues and dealing with social anxiety are big factors of autism. Similarly to pets helping children express themselves, a pet can help as a conversation starter with other kids. The dog may also make the first contact with other kids, and their reaction to the dog lets your child know if the other child is open to communication.
This form of social lubricant is also a good a way to spend time with other kids without speaking (for example, playing a game of fetch or petting the dog). Conversely, dogs can act as a social buffer to take the pressure off the autistic child, especially if the pet wears a service worker leash or badge that lets those around them know your child has a hidden disability. Seeing an emotional support dog can let people know that your child may need to be approached in a more sensitive manner, or not at all.
Emotional Support During Meltdowns
An autistic meltdown is often confused with a tantrum; however, it’s usually anything but. Often triggered by overstimulation and sensory overload, a meltdown happens because the body doesn’t know what to do with that negative energy. It can be similar to a panic attack in the sense that your fight-or-flight kicks in, and it’s very difficult to regulate your emotions and heart rate. Dogs have an incredible sense of emotional intelligence, and they know when human beings and other animals are upset.
An average dog will usually go to a child to lick their face, and they'll snuggle up with a crying child. A trained service dog can even detect an oncoming meltdown before it even happens. Much like an even warmer and fluffier weighted blanket, service dogs are usually trained to put their body weight gently on someone having a meltdown to help regulate sensory processing and ground the child. They will also seek out exits when needed and prevent self-harm by using their body as a buffer.
Stress Reduction
Tons of research has gone into the benefits of pet ownership, as well as the health benefits of petting. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, petting your dog regularly helps release oxytocin, making for brighter moods and stress reduction. It can also help reduce cortisol, the stress hormone.
For autistic children, this is extra helpful, as petting can be seen as a form of stimming. Not only can dogs can help kids recover from meltdowns, but they’re also amazing for reducing stress over the long term. From sitting with their dog during homework sessions to falling asleep while petting them, your child can regularly relax with the help of their best bud. For particularly stressful days, an easy and comforting go-to coping method for your child can be simply playing with their furry friend.
Encouraging Independence
This goes for any kid, but getting a dog for your child with autism can greatly encourage their independence. It’s especially helpful for autistic kids, as autism can often come an extra amount of anxiety and fear of failure. Give your child responsibilities with their dog, such as holding the leash when you go out on walks, feeding them treats, brushing their fur, and more.
Helping pick out the dog in the first place will also give your child a personal and important responsibility. From quieter dogs to dogs who don’t shed too much, there are tons of wonderful breeds out there that are perfect for kids with autism, but the perfect dog is the one they pick themselves. Many autistic folks have a strong sense of empathy, despite the harmful stereotypes, so taking children to a shelter to pick up a rescue animal will probably make them feel like a superhero.
