• Welcome to Autism Forums, a friendly forum to discuss Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, High Functioning Autism and related conditions.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Private Member only forums for more serious discussions that you may wish to not have guests or search engines access to.
    • Your very own blog. Write about anything you like on your own individual blog.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon! Please also check us out @ https://www.twitter.com/aspiescentral

Therapy Cat Helps Autistic Girl To Reduce Anxiety

AsheSkyler said:
I've never dealt with dogs outside of pets, but what's so special about a service dog for therapy? Shouldn't it just be a simple matter of going to the pound or seller's house and just seeing which dog warms up to you first?
Click to expand...

I asked the same question and as it turns out, they do a lot more than I realized.... for example, my future service dog will be trained to:

Dutifully?: (lost a word there)
Ring 911 if I become incapacitated (using a special device installed in the home)
Alert me if I leave a burner on the stove on or a candle burning

Socially:
Give me acceptable social exits if I start getting stressed at meetings or the like and need to breathe... (i.e. Sorry, dog has business)
Be a great conversation starter so I can better meet new people

Psychologically:
Alert me to imminent panic/anxiety attacks before they occur (they can smell the increase of adrenaline in the bloodstream)
Guard and wake me in the night while I stay in hotels away from home

Personally:
Just being my friend
and giving me something to take responsibility of besides just myself.

Besides all that... a service dog, by federal law, is allowed to go ANYWHERE you go. School, hospitals, stores, restaurants, etc. As I live alone, I cannot leave my dog home while I work, so he/she will have to be allowed to accompany me. And due to various issues associated with my issues (PTSD and HFA), having the dog with me will allow me to better participate in society and be more productive as a person.
.
 
Ahhh, cool! I knew businesses had to allow service animals go with their owners, but I didn't know about some of those other trained qualities like 911. Most I'm familiar with is dogs for the deaf, bomb sniffers, drugs sniffers, they're working on cancer sniffers, and of course the things that naturally come with a pet like convenient exits and conversation starters. My kid served similar functions for me when he was an infant. "Um, yeah, diaper change, bye!" *disappears for hours* "It was a mega poop, then he needed a nap, and ya know I couldn't leave him, and..." Old mom trick, actually. :D
 
Lukas said:
I asked the same question and as it turns out, they do a lot more than I realized.... for example, my future service dog will be trained to:

Dutifully?: (lost a word there)
Ring 911 if I become incapacitated (using a special device installed in the home)
Alert me if I leave a burner on the stove on or a candle burning

Socially:
Give me acceptable social exits if I start getting stressed at meetings or the like and need to breathe... (i.e. Sorry, dog has business)
Be a great conversation starter so I can better meet new people

Psychologically:
Alert me to imminent panic/anxiety attacks before they occur (they can smell the increase of adrenaline in the bloodstream)
Guard and wake me in the night while I stay in hotels away from home

Personally:
Just being my friend
and giving me something to take responsibility of besides just myself.

Besides all that... a service dog, by federal law, is allowed to go ANYWHERE you go. School, hospitals, stores, restaurants, etc. As I live alone, I cannot leave my dog home while I work, so he/she will have to be allowed to accompany me. And due to various issues associated with my issues (PTSD and HFA), having the dog with me will allow me to better participate in society and be more productive as a person.
.
Click to expand...
That is pretty awesome Lukas...thanks for sharing ;)
 
AsheSkyler said:
Ahhh, cool! I knew businesses had to allow service animals go with their owners, but I didn't know about some of those other trained qualities like 911. Most I'm familiar with is dogs for the deaf, bomb sniffers, drugs sniffers, they're working on cancer sniffers, and of course the things that naturally come with a pet like convenient exits and conversation starters. My kid served similar functions for me when he was an infant. "Um, yeah, diaper change, bye!" *disappears for hours* "It was a mega poop, then he needed a nap, and ya know I couldn't leave him, and..." Old mom trick, actually. :D
Click to expand...

Indeed! I had no idea as well. It was suggested I get one and I almost laughed. I called a trainer and learned a ton as to what they can do... It is also a bit complicated process as well. Takes quite some time to train them.

LOL about the diaper change!!!
 
I love this article! :) I love how even the kinds of animals you wouldn't expect can become beneficial therapy animals. Thula is a beautiful cat. Sometimes I would like having a therapy animal, but I guess for now my stuffed animals are my therapy animals. :D
 
In every pair of felines I've ever owned, one of them has elected to become a therapy cat. It seems to be the one with the most pronounced people skills and strongest emotions--and not always my initial first choice of companion.

I heard on NPR that research has shown that both dog and cat brain scans show changes when they are loved, and in fact they do love back--maybe not a surprise to this forum, but I'm glad to see information like that start to go mainstream. I would expect humans to have the same results.
 
My friend is a medical student that trains therapy cats for hospital visits. He has two of them, and I watched one over Thanksgiving this year for my own loneliness' sake and for his because ironically his cats stress each other out on trips.I found her very soothing and motivating, even at my age. I guess we really underestimate kitty kindness.
 
Vanilla said:
View attachment 13046
Click to expand...
I love the pic in which Thula is gazing at the violin and bow, and the one in which she's lying on top of the piano. It rather reminds me of my aunt's black Labrador, who would lie under the grand piano while my dad was playing, invisible in the shadow apart from her soulful brown eyes. Must have enjoyed the good vibrations. <3
 
Last edited:
I love dogs. Though dogs are highly social, pack animals.

Though in terms of being more like autistic humans, I would think of cats first and foremost. :cool:
 
Last edited:
I have a dog and cats.

The dog is loyal, likes to work alongside me, relies on me for guidance/ direction/ instruction.
Is servile.

The cats have me well trained and are looking into having me cloned because they’re entitled to one each.

I get a lot from being in the company of animals (four legged and furry)

And it’s four other life forms in the house I can explain the importance of attention to detail to when the husband and children have stopped listening :)
 
You know Prophet Mohamed had cats all over his house. (I am not Muslim) We could maybe see if Mohamed had Autistic Traits. Adding a religious figure to our list could help us. Islamic Prayer has always looked like stemming to me?
 
In all honesty, I think I am eligible for having an emotional support animal. I would need that a ton. Plus Alex, my 13-year-old golden retriever, is going def and has arthritis in his legs, which keeps him from getting up off the hardwood floors properly. Sometimes he needs help from us when he is trying to get up. I'm afraid he might not last much longer.

My mom said that there will not be any more animals in this house even after Alex passes away, but I prefer the company of an animal. I think a toy breed such as a Yorkie would be best for me, since I want to pick it up and carry it every once in a while. Also want a dog that can sit in my lap.

I love the loyalty a dog brings. Alex was my only friend during my Elementary school years, which is basically when I had no friends at all...

Man's best friend.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Top Bottom