Brandon is a 15 year old boy with autism. He deals with many challenges at home,
    school and in the community on a daily basis. Brandon is non-verbal, lacks social
    skills, demonstrates repetitive behaviours, is impulsive, a “runner”, has difficulty
    attending to tasks, and experiences severe meltdowns several times per week. In
    addition, Brandon has never had a friend to play with.

    Research has shown that a specially trained dog can assist a child with autism in
    many ways. The dog can:

encourage the child to leave a cherished inanimate world

act as a companion, offering unconditional love and friendship

provide increased safety, preventing the child from bolting into traffic or other
dangerous situations

be trained to track a child who has wondered off – offering added safety and
peace-of-mind to the family  

provide independence, allowing the child to walk down the street without
holding a parent’s hand

ease the transition to public places like school or the mall

help modify the child’s behaviour, redirecting the child’s focus at school

keep a child at their desk

improve social behaviours and play skills

encourage an increased level of communication

help calm and focus the child during difficult times





















    For a child with autism, having a specially trained service dog allows them the benefit
    of greater social interaction with their peers, increasing the child’s self-esteem.

    After having done a lot research around choosing a breed and a breeder (Adanac
    Poodles of Canada), we purchased a Standard Poodle puppy named Simba, and
    located a reputable autism service dog trainer (Autism Dog Services) with the goal in
    mind to train and certify the dog so that Brandon can receive all the benefits that an
    autism service dog can provide. The cost of specialized training for Simba is $8,000
    which is a bargain compared to the $18,000 it would normally cost. The reduced cost
    is because we already have a dog, and we have been doing the socializing
    ourselves, and we will be doing most of the training ourselves - under the direction of
    the professional dog trainer. Another benefit of bringing the dog into the family's
    home as a young puppy, is that it allows for early and effective bonding between the
    puppy and the child. I am thankful that Autism Dog Services provides this option to
    its clients. For families who are considering this option, I recommend reading The
    Golden Bridge A Guide to Assistance Dogs for Children Challenged by Autism or
    Other Developmental Disabilities by Patty Dobbs Gross.

    Since we purchased Simba (the dog), we have already seen improvements in
    Brandon and the bond between dog and child is evident. We are looking forward to
    working with Wade Beattie of Autism Dog Services to ensure that Simba acquires
    the special skills he needs to assist Brandon.

    We hope that you will consider a donation to assist us in the cost of the training and
    certification of Simba as an Autism Service Dog to assist Brandon.

    If you would like to make a donation, please contact us so that we can direct your
    donation to Wade Beattie of Autism Dog Services and keep track of the donations
    on this web page.

    Sincerely,

    Karen and Sebastian Robinson (Brandon's parents)
    15 Beer Cres.
    Ajax, ON L1S 0A2
    Phone: 905 427 7524
    Email: karen.robinson@afase.com
A SERVICE DOG at school
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$8,000
Related websites
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Protocol for Service
Dogs in School
Fundraising letter for Autism Service Dog for Brandon
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ADANAC Poodles of CANADA
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