Dogs can help treat children with autism

A major cause of autism in children is that they often keep things bottled up inside and are unwilling to share with others. The more they do this, the more others gradually distance themselves from them, creating a vicious cycle. However, although many children are unwilling to communicate with people, they are willing to share their feelings with certain animals. This provides an opportunity for dogs to help treat children with autism.

According to reports, in 1991, Hong Kong initiated the "Dog Doctors" program, which expanded to Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen in 2004. Currently, there are over a hundred "Dog Doctors" in these three locations. After so many years of development, the number of these dogs remains limited, showing that training a dog capable of addressing the psychological issues of children with autism is quite challenging. It is understood that the selection process for these "doctor dogs" is very strict. Besides undergoing basic health checks, dogs must also undergo temperament assessments simulating real visit scenarios. Examiners simulate children’s actions during play, such as pulling ears, tugging fur, and pulling tails. Dogs that resist or retaliate are immediately disqualified. Additionally, dogs’ reactions to noisy sounds and food are tested; for example, feeding a dog and suddenly taking the food away, or suddenly dropping an object to observe the dog's reaction. If a dog becomes very panicked or shows aggressive postures, it is also eliminated.

Dogs help children communicate better

Ultimately, only dogs that are gentle, friendly, calm, relaxed, non-aggressive, and willing to accept contact from strangers can pass the test. Even so, training such a therapy dog requires half a year to a year. Besides teaching basic commands, dogs must be trained to adapt strongly to their environment. Therefore, for families with autistic children who already have dogs at home but rarely interact with the child, it is best not to recklessly let the child be alone with the dog. Without professional training, if the child exhibits behaviors such as attacking or pulling the dog’s fur, the dog may retaliate, potentially resulting in biting incidents.

The core role of a therapy dog is not actual medical treatment but rather serving as a communication tool to help children bridge distances with third parties. Since most children with autism are unwilling to communicate with people, the autism worsens. Dogs become a bridge for communication.

Many autistic children are unwilling to talk to their parents but enjoy talking to small animals. When they see adorable pets, they may actively approach to greet and interact with them, even attempting to touch the pet with their own hands. Animal therapy can gradually improve children’s proactive social abilities. Besides common dogs, other animals such as dolphins, lambs, and ponies can also be trained for therapy.

Although some dogs trained can assist in treating children with autism, the selection criteria for these dogs are inherently strict. They must have a very good temperament and high obedience; otherwise, training alone is a huge hurdle. Actually, if we let children interact with dogs from an early age, it can effectively prevent autism problems. This is because during play with dogs, children can release many emotions, and even if they dislike talking or interacting with people, they are often willing to reveal their feelings to dogs. When children's emotions are expressed, the possibility of developing autism is greatly reduced. This is the benefit dogs can bring.