Can my new pup be an assistance dog to my ASD son?

[KOKOagainandagain]

DS1 suffers from chronic and acute anxiety. Our last dog was PTS 3 months ago at the age of 13 and DS1's mental health crashed. We are picking up a new puppy at the weekend. This will be our 5th family dog and will, in any case, be highly trained. Can he be trained to be an assistance dog so that DS1 is not alone if and when he leaves the house? DS1 struggles to leave the house atm even working with OT and a counseller. If this is possible, how would I go about it?

Thank you Alma

Desperation breeds inspiration.

I think there's a possibility you could do this. I have seen a couple of TV shows where people were aiming to train their puppy as an assistance dog so there must be a possibility of self training. As the dog doesn't need to perform very specialised tasks for your son, the main thing is that it must be perfectly behaved in public. I believe that is partly the dogs own personality and partly a huge amount of training.

I just found this when googling dogaid.org.uk/home/4593469178

Do you have specific links? I'm planning on as much socialisation as possible, using a backpack where necessary before the vaccinations give full protection, with positive training from day 1.

Can anyone say what they found useful? I've tried to think of everything but I'm bound to have missed something.

I saw that Moxie but they say under 16. DS1 is 17.

I feel like there are many universities that would be really supportive of having an emotional support dog on campus (even if not formally accredited). As they are run like businesses now due to funding, they are incredibly keen to cater to the needs of students and will generally go the extra mile. Maybe if he went to a uni within commuting distance of home, this could be a solution (then the dog could also act as a family pet). I would definitely talk to or email unis when you get to the application stage.

I know some truly lovely Dobermanns, but I don't know whether they are the type of dog to have public appeal such that people might bend the rules and welcome them into every situation.

I think this dog aid might be a different one they seem to say people over 15 and there is a story about a 19 year old girl who trained her own dog. I don't know anything about it though just saw it online.

Hi currently there is no system in the UK where your dog can undertake training you be officially accredited to allow in public places where normal dogs not allowed

There are couple charities that can help with training at home and for dog friendly places

This might have some useful advice:

www.dogsforgood.org/how-we-help/family-dog/

I hope you are successful op. It'd be lovely if it works out

It’s illegal to discriminate, service dogs are allowed everywhere. Including hospitals.
www.assistancedogs.org.uk/law/

OP, If I were you I would contact the charities suggested and ask for advice. My only 'concern' is the size a doberman would grow to, they arent small or medium sized like most assistance dogs are.

I personally adore dobermans and have known many over the years, all fabulous dogs. Not sure they are 'calm and steady' in their younger years though.

Wishing you and your son the very best with everything.

Block, yes, but this isn't, and won't be, an assistance dog. It's a family pet. So legislation about service dogs being allowed anywhere is completely irrelevant.
Op, there is no way on earth that you will get trainer accreditation, get a Doberman service dog accredited, and have a university agree that the said dog can accompany ds.
It's a lovely idea, but it won't fly.
I hope you all enjoy your new pet, and that it brings ds to a happier and healthier place.

@KeepOnKeepingOn1 my eldest is asd and our dog has been invaluable. Not as severe as you're describing and different circumstances but I'd research and invest in a professional trainer. Who knows? This could open up a completely new avenue for you both, esp if he can be involved in the training - wishing you luck

The ADUK(a voluntary coalition of assistance dog organisations) site says this -
Can my pet dog be registered as an assistance dog by ADUK?
'ADUK accredited assistance dogs are highly trained and their temperament is tested over a long training period. Some ADUK charities have their own breeding schemes and start training and socialising each dog from a very early age.

Dog A.I.D. support the training of people’s pet dogs which go through a rigorous training programme over many months under the guidance of highly experienced instructors. Medical Detection Dogs occasionally work with pet dogs if they meet certain criteria.

There is no registration scheme at present in the UK for people to register their pet dogs as assistance dogs

See individual websites for further information.'

So this seems to point to Dog Aid being able to help although it does say there is a waiting list. It seems that they help physically disabled people however I'm wondering if it may be possible they could help the OPs ds I think this might depend on if they thought he could do the training with family support and handle the dog safely by himself. But it would certainly be worth looking into.
I still think it would be worth doing the family dog scheme mentioned or working with a good dog trainer to get the dog to that standard of behaviour, even if the dog couldn't be registered as an assistance dog. It would still be a big help to your ds to have the dog with him in places where dogs are allowed.

Why not take the pressure off you all. If I'm correct, DS starts college in 2019 and currently needs to manage one day at a time.

I have OT'd with young people in this context. It was sufficient for handler and puppy to build a trusting relationship, find places where they could both remain together and as a challenge build relationships with others in order to extend the variety of settings both handler and puppy could enter.

The relationship between both is key; the handler with MH needs developing an compassion for the needs of another.

Thanks all. DS1 has been having weekly sessions with his OT for over a year now and has managed to extend his ability to leave the house, first just into the garden, then a short walk into the village, then extending this to include picking up milk from the village shop and now he will travel with her in the car and has played crazy golf at a local golf hotel/health club a couple of times. She is keen to use the dog as the reason to visit more social environments but we live very rurally and dogs are accepted and welcomed in the places he next needs to get comfortable visiting.

DS1 is better/more comfortable focusing on the needs of the dog - he empathises with dogs far more than humans - and the dog also is a kind of conduit that filters direct experience with the overwhelming outside world iykwim. The thing is that he never becomes desensitised, it is always like the first time, he is always overwhelmed. This seems to be the way that anxiety is with autism and each new professional thinks anxiety will reduce over time. He has been coping with extreme anxiety for over a decade now and he is exhausted.