Autism Assistance Dogs

A Child that Connects to

an Angel Dog,
Connects to the World

The Gerald Anderson Foundation

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 Autism Assistance Dogs in the Philippines
Introduction
No one knows exactly what causes Autism
but the affected children often appear to live
in a world we have little understanding of.
Often, they participate in ritualistic and
repetitive behaviors, sometimes for hours at
a time. They may spin a coin on the floor,
flap their hands in their face, or filter sand
through their fingers.
Many times, parents report that a hand
placed on their child’s arm for only a brief
second might cease the repetitive behavior
for several minutes or longer. Some
researchers believe that children with
Autism have a heightened level of sensory
input; at times resulting in sensory overload.
Kids on the autism spectrum can have a tough time behaviorally (and their behavior can be
tough on others). Some children bolt. Others may have emotional meltdowns because they
can’t express their frustration in words or feel utterly overwhelmed by sounds and sights that
the rest of us might find merely annoying. And, as most of you probably know, they often have
a hard time connecting with other people because they don’t read social cues intuitively.
Children with disabilities present a unique challenge to parents. Autism presents even more
unique challenges than other more prevalent disabilities.
The child with Autism does not connect well with his or her environment. Autism manifests
itself most strikingly as impairments in communication and in the formation of social
relationships.
Children with Autism are often nonverbal, or when they are verbal they usually do not use the
skill to actively communicate with other people in their environment.
Many children with this disability have a strong need for a structured, routine environment;
change creates feelings or fear and/or anxiety. Some children even exhibit serious behavioral
changes including, at times, self-injury.
Here is a list of behaviors that a child with autism may show:
 Non-responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests are in normal range
 Uneven gross/fine motor skills
 Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity
 No real fear of danger
 Apparent over-sensitivity or under sensitivity to pain
 Obsessive attachment to objects
 Spinning objects
 Sustained odd play
 Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
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  Little or no eye contact
 Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled
 Difficulty in mixing with others
 Tantrums
 Preference to being alone; aloof manner
 Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason
 Showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
 Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
 Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words
 Insistence on sameness; resistance to changes

The number of people with autism spectrum disorder in the Philippines and other countries
worldwide has almost doubled in the past six years and the number is still rising according to
Erlinda Borromeo, President of the Autism Speaks Foundation.
Unfortunately, there is not a substantial amount of data regarding the actual prevalence of
people with autism in the Philippines but we do know autism has displaced the prevalence of
Down’s Syndrome as the second most frequently diagnosed (after cerebral palsy), according
to the Autism Society of the Philippines, a support group for families of persons with autism.
Based on the prevalence rates worldwide, the figure could be one for every 500 people. But
these estimates, however, still underestimate the actual prevalence because of the difficulty in
recognizing the condition with such a broad spectrum of manifestations and because it is still
not being diagnosed. It is usually the parents who bring the issue to the attention of the doctors.
How Do Angel Dogs Help Autistic Children?
Autism assistance dogs are unique to the world of dogs helping people. Unlike the guide dog
who helps with physical tasks, the autism assistance dog is there more for emotional support.
By simply being there, a solid, sound and reassuring companion can help ease sensory
overload, which is a common challenge for those with autism. People with autism are often
unable to filter out sensory input – these folks hear, feel and smell everything – all at once –
and are usually unable to ignore or redirect those stimuli. With a dog by one’s side, an autism
assistance dog can help by giving them a focal point, or a way to ground their random,
unceasing environmental experiences.
The kindness and gentleness of the autism
assistance dog helps the child by just being
there – being tolerant of a child that never
“grows up”, makes crazy noises and funny
body language, may not speak and may want
to do compulsive behaviors over and over.
Dogs can be tasked-trained to use touch
intervention, as well as pressure intervention
and mobility assistance when these repetitive
or self-injurious behaviors occur.
Children with autism have shown enormous
improvement with social skills,
communication, and even facial recognition

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when placed with an assistance dog. Our Angel Dogs wear a special identifying vest when out
in public with their child, which labels the dog as an Autism Assistance Dog. When individuals
notice the 'ask to pet me' inscribed on the vest, the child is invited to communicate about their
dog. In the beginning the descriptions are simple, such as the name of the dog, the color of the
dog, etc., but over time discussions become more complex as the child explains how the dog
helps him, and what they like about their dog. With its unconditional love and inherent
patience, an Angel Dog can lend far more support than any particular person or parent can
offer by themselves.
As with many strategies and treatments when it comes to autism therapy, one must ask whether
or not there is evidence of effectiveness of autism dogs providing the services advocates claim
they provide. The literature describes two primary positive outcomes:
 Enhanced physical safety and security
 Enhanced social, learning, and emotional improvements

When reviewing the literature for research on

the effect of autism dogs, most of the outcome
studies support the notion that these dogs do
provide increased physical safety and
security. For example, Burrows and Adams
(2005) and Burrows, Adams, and Millman
(2008) reported that parents consistently
claimed that the dogs prevented children from
bolting and running away. Parents relaxed
more during bedtime knowing that the dog
would alert them should the child with autism
leave the bed or exhibit some other potentially
dangerous behavior. Because of the dog’s
ability to physically prevent the child with
autism from behaving in a dangerous way,
parents felt more in control and calmer. Most
of the dogs accepted the jackets in which they
were placed and followed commands well.
Parents reported immediate satisfaction and
reduction in concerns about safety issues.
Although more studies are needed, some parents noticed new skill development. For example,
after being with their dogs for a period of time, some children began regulating walking pace
and developing improved motor skills and control. Burrows, et al. (2008a) found that some of
their participants began learning dog-care tasks (e.g., feeding the dog by taking lid off food
container; putting food in bowl; putting bowl on floor; commanding dog to eat). Additionally,
motor skills improved in some children who learned to pet the dog. The authors also found
that, according to parents, the children exhibited decreased anxiety, were calmer, and engaged
in fewer tantrums and other disruptive behaviors. Some parents even reported improved
bedtime routines, and that the children “just seemed happier.”
Using a more sophisticated design, Farnum and Martin (2002) investigated the impact of such
dogs on the mood and social abilities of children with autism. The researchers systematically
varied three different conditions consisting of a simple toy, stuffed dog, and real dog. They
found that the participants demonstrated greater positive mood and “focus” on the environment
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when in the presence of the autism dog. Some children with autism demonstrate repetitive
behaviors such as flailing their arms, hitting various surfaces, stomping their feet, etc. Parents
often say that just a simple touch to their child's arm will interrupt these behaviors so the child
is redirected. Our Angel Dogs are trained to recognize these signs from the child, and paw at
their leg to interrupt the behavior.
Other advantages of having an autism assistance dog are:
 Redirecting repetitive behaviors - dogs can be taught to nudge a child that is
performing repetitive behaviors, this touch is often all that is required to redirect the
child from these behaviors.
 Improved independence - assistance dogs can provide independence by allowing the
child to walk with the dog as opposed to constantly holding the hand of a parent or
adult. These highly skilled dogs can assist the child while under the direction of the
adult.
 Increased vocabulary - children with autism are often noticed to have an increase in
vocabulary after being paired with an assistance dog. The children seem to be more
comfortable in speaking with the dog which transfers more verbal interaction with
people.
 Improved quality of sleep - assistance dogs provide a certain level of comfort that can
often improve a a child's ability to sleep more throughout the night.
 Overall calming ability - when performing everyday tasks, children feel less pressure
working with a dog as opposed to their peers. The tactile experience of having a dog as
a companion has also proven to provide calming effects. Autistic children who work
with dogs have been documented to feel less anger and experience less act of aggression
compared to the time before receiving an assistance dog.
 Recovering children quickly - these assistance dogs are taught to track the child in the
event that they bolt or become missing. These dogs are capable of locating the child in
a variety of environments and terrain. This ability to locate the child quickly, greatly
reduces the risk of serious harm.
Dogs are not judgmental and they accept us for who we are. They are a constant companion
that offers unconditional love and devotion. Above all the other ways an assistance dog can
help, this is perhaps the most beneficial of all.
There are no organizations in the Philippines providing Autism Assistance Dogs. The
Gerald Anderson Foundation is the first and only agency in the Philippines to begin
placing highly skilled Autism Assistance Dogs and the first agency known to train these
assistance dogs with tracking skills.
How will the Gerald Anderson Foundation Fulfill Its Goal?
The goals of the Gerald Anderson Foundation Angel Dog Program are:
 To respect and honor the family’s needs.
 To advocate, through the dog, for improvement in the child’s quality of life.
 An individualized set of goals is evaluated and set in motion for the puppy/child team.
The training program includes cognitive exercises, health and safety assessments, and
social skill improvements.
 A realistic set of agendas is mapped out to optimize the dog handling skills and animal
husbandry needs of caring for a dog as a pet.
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  An on-going relationship between trainers and family, years after placement.
 To educate the family about laws concerning the rights, privileges, and responsibilities
of owning a service dog.

Many parents come to compare their autistic child to Houdini due to the fact that they are able
to disarm alarms and open locks within seconds. It seems that no matter how many precautions
are taken, that their children still find ways to wander from the house. Gerald Anderson
Foundation Angel Autism Assistance Dogs are trained to track and locate the child by scent.
This is a similar task to 'Search and Rescue', only the dog has learned to track down one
specific individual. Training such as this is invaluable to keep a child from becoming lost or
injured.
Our Autism program is geared toward young children with Autism and those teens and adults
with Autism who will for all intents and purposes never be independent and function more like
children. We are not able to provide a service dog to those with high functioning teens and
adults with Autism or Asperger’s who will handle the dog on their own.
Angel Dogs provide a service and
should be seen as ONE of the tools used
to manage the child’s disability. The
dog is not the total answer, but can be
an intervention therapy for use with
neurological disabilities by preventing
or interrupting impulsive or destructive
behaviors. It is important to recognize,
honor, and observe the relationship that
the child needs to have with the service
dog, since it is the child who will
ultimately receive the greatest benefit
Two programs: Encounter and Placement.
How are Angel Dogs Trained?
When considering what kinds of tasks to teach a
service dog for an Autistic child, it is important not
to get hung up on the concept of an all-purpose
'Autism service dog' but rather a dog specifically
trained to mitigate the individual problems that a
specific person experiences as a result of Autism.
Most of the dogs we place are puppies that have
come from our own breeding program, and are
raised and molded from birth with the specific goal
of being an Assistance Dog. Others are lucky
enough to be rescued from shelters, and end up
changing the lives of others.
Autism is a spectrum disorder, and no two Autistic
people will have precisely the same difficulties or strengths. Each dog's training is personalized
in tasks but in general Angel Dogs are trained to respond to the following Autistic symptoms:
 Impulsive Running - dog will help retrieve and get child back to parent
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  Self-Harming Behavior - dog will interrupt behavior and alert parent
 Awakening at Night - dog will bark to alert parents
 Interpret Mood Swings - dog will crawl into child's lap to calm child
 Interrupt Social Isolation - child tends to focus on dog companionship
 Non-Verbal Child - child learns to give dog commands
 PICA - dog will stop child from eating inappropriate items
 Self-Stimulation - dog can interrupt behavior

What Makes the Gerald Anderson Foundation Different?

The Gerald Anderson Foundation is a non-profit NGO. This means that the social and financial
assistance of organizations such as yours is vital to our operation. Locating and soliciting
support for the cost of maintaining and training K9 units is a constant and principal component
of our advocacy.
We at the Gerald Anderson Foundation share a core belief that through education and the
proper, humane use of dogs, we can make a difference in the lives of all Filipinos. We aim,
daily, to serve the entire community of the Philippines through the pursuit of our mission.
 A Comprehensive Approach. Long range serious solutions are what count. This is not
a warm, fuzzy operation. It begins with identifying the needs and developing a no-
nonsense program to meet those needs, continues with a heavy dose of problem solving,
moves on to selecting and training the best teams in the world, all with the aim of
building long-term K9 SAR capacity.
 A gift for collaboration. We don’t try to do everything ourselves. Instead, we team up
with corporations, government agencies, foundations, schools, and other non-profits to
leverage our collective resources.
 Frugal spending habits. We are proud to be a lean, efficient user of donated money.
The vast majority of the Gerald Anderson Foundation’s annual income goes for the
support of our mission with the minimal practical amount used in management and
fund-raising. Because of our careful resource allocation, gifts to the Gerald Anderson
Foundation go a long way. Our transactions are totally transparent.
 Reliable leadership. In addition to envisioning and creating the foundation, Gerald
Anderson Jr. is deeply committed to serving as president and CEO, while his father
Gerald Anderson Sr. has brought years of experience to the office of Director. It has
been their leadership that has uncovered and developed a culture of passion and
attention to detail. This culture has affected each member of the foundation staff and
continues to drive and inspire us to accomplish our mission.
 Expert advisors. Our Advisory Council is one of our most valuable resources
providing additional expert knowledge and finding balanced unbiased answers for
important projects that enhance the Foundation’s official board of directors.
 Dedicated volunteers. We also rely heavily on dedicated volunteers or part-time
workers to staff what should be paid positions in other organizations. On a single day
in July, dozens of volunteers painted, hammered, and scrubbed at our newest facility
located on the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. They were among the hundreds of volunteers
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 who have stepped forward to help the Gerald Anderson Foundation. Obviously, a lot of
people believe in what we do.

CLOSING

Gerald Anderson
Executive Director, Gerald Anderson Foundation
gerald@geraldandersonfoundation.org/
http://geraldandersonfoundation.org/
https://www.facebook.com/Gerald-Anderson-Foundation
63-920-974-1267

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 REFERENCES

Burrows, K. E., & Adams, C. L. (2005). Evaluating the benefits of service dogs for children
with autism spectrum disorders. Available at:
www.cnaf.net/documents/NationalServiceDogsStudy.pdf

Burrows, K. E., Adams, C. L., & Millman, S. T. (2008a). Factors affecting behavior and
welfare of service dogs for children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Applied
Animal Welfare Science, 11, 42-62.

Burrows, K. E., Adams, C. L., & Spiers, J. (2008b). Sentinels of safety: Service dogs ensure
safety and enhance freedom and well-being for families with autistic children. Qualitative
Health Research, 18(12), 1642-1649. Available at”
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1049732308327088

Hall, P. L., & Malpus, Z. (2000). Pets as therapy: Effects on social interaction in long-stay
psychiatry. British Journal of Nursing, 9(21), 2220-2225.

McNicholas, J. & Collis, G. M. (2000). Dogs as catalysts for social interactions: Robustness
of the effect. British Journal of Psychology, 91, 61-70.