Originally Posted by CSign

Villa Grove, Ill. - Nichelle Drew says getting her autistic son Kaleb ready for school used to be a nightmare.

"It used to take me thirty minutes or more, of chasing him, and him screaming, and not wanting to get dressed, and not wanting to go," said Mrs. Drew.

Seven-year-old Kaleb has autism. He had tantrums and sleep problems at home, and would sometimes wander away from school.

Last year, the family purchased "Chewey," a specially trained Labrador retriever who experts said would help with his disability. The cost? About thirteen thousand dollars. Kaleb's mom says his behavior quickly improved.

"If Kaleb has a really bad spell, if he gets really upset and throws himself on the floor, he knows how to calm him," she said. "He lays on him, gives him deep pressure, and it instantly calms him."

But as Fox Chicago News reported last year, local school leaders claimed the dog was merely a "comfort animal," not a "service dog," and could not accompany Kaleb to school.

The case ended up in the courts. Now, an Illinois appellate court has decided that Chewey can accompany Kaleb to school because "Chewey is a service animal individually trained to perform tasks" for the boy's benefit.

"As long as the dog is showing benefit and doing a job, to help that child," she said, "then that dog can go anywhere that child goes."

Margie Wakelin is an attorney with Equip for Equality who represented the Drew family.

She believes this is the highest court ever to decide that autistic children should be allowed to use service animals in schools.

"So not just students who are blind, or students who are hearing impaired, but all students with a disability who benefit from a service animal are entitled to have that service animal with them in their school." Wakelin said.

The school district argued that Chewey's presence would be disruptive, cause problems for allergic children, and require additional staffing. Over the last year, however, while waiting for the court decision, Chewey has been going to the school, and Mrs. Drew says there have been no major problems.

"The children have accepted the system that he is a working dog and that he's not to be touched and not to be played with, better than adults do," she said, "so he's just part of the classroom, and they accept him as that now."

The school district, through it's attorney Brandon Wright, declined to discuss the recent ruling."

*Dog Helps Autistic Boy in School

Originally Posted by jillio

Thanks for the link. Our prison system is currently running a program whereby prisoners that were found suitable for the work are given a dog to train for service. The dog lives with them and is trained according to specific guidelines for service dogs. When the dogs have finished training, they are placed with a person in need for free, and the inmate gets another dog, and the process is repeated. They are having a lot of success. The MS student I referred to (mobility issues when walking) had a dog trained in this program, and I was very impressed with the animal's behavior. I could really detect no difference in the dog's responses than in the dogs that were trained by agencies. Of course, the inmates had to undergo training regarding the methods of training the dogs, etc. before they were allowed to undertake training an animal.

Originally Posted by FireTiger

Here is that group:
Puppies Behind Bars: Puppies Behind Bars trains inmates to raise puppies to become service dogs for the disabled and explosive detection canines for law enforcement.



If you want to know what they are doing, they are doing the same part of the training I was basic obedience and socialization. I too had training, three home visits, check ups and there were mandatory meetings and extra meetings, during puppy hood it was twice a week for about an hour...

finial training of all good schools is by professional trainers.

at the Southeastern Guide Dog look for the "Puppy Raiser" tag.

But as interesting as this is it's irreverent...

Back to the dog in question- sounds like they paid for what in the US is free ... that is a realistic cost for a fully trained service dog...

Originally Posted by jillio

What easy reference?
The dog you are referring to in this case has not been deemed a service animal by the courts.

I know you hate to deal with the petty details, but they do matter, whether you ignore them or not.

Likewise, you can't cite ADA findings regarding this case, because it is Canada.

Originally Posted by sallylou

If formal certification isn't possible, any qualified trainer can help wirh the AKA good canine citizen test. Even though no certification is required under the ADA, having this certification would satisfy anyone who questions whether the dog is trained. Dogs who provide therapy part time in hospitals and assisted living have this. The therapy dog was a life saver for me when my youngest was in the hospital for pneumonia.

Originally Posted by sallylou

If formal certification isn't possible, any qualified trainer can help wirh the AKA good canine citizen test. Even though no certification is required under the ADA, having this certification would satisfy anyone who questions whether the dog is trained. Dogs who provide therapy part time in hospitals and assisted living have this. The therapy dog was a life saver for me when my youngest was in the hospital for pneumonia.

Originally Posted by jillio

I brought it in to address the issue that was brought up regarding unavailabilty of service dogs.

Originally Posted by FireTiger

There are still not enough, the bottleneck is at the certified professional trainer and the final evaluations of the dogs (medial and temperament).

Neither myself nor the prisoners do that part of the training, it could cost a handler their life if done wrong.

The good schools will not place a dog with hip dyspepsia or cataracts etc with a partner who needs help in some way.

Some of those dogs 'fail out' entirely, some become therapy dogs (not protected with public access rights), some get career changes and become arson dogs, bomb dogs, search and rescue...depending on the dog's personality, temperament and medical issues... etc etc.

There is a huge demand for these highly trained animals...

Originally Posted by jillio

Then placement needs to go to those with the greatest need.

Originally Posted by sallylou

Firetiger, the idea is to work with the trainer so that your dog can pass the test. Some people can train their dog and the dog can pass the test. Sometumes, the dog needs more professional training before the dog can pass the test. If your dog is going to go out in public the dog needs to be trained. It's not fair to the dog to put the dog in stressful situation which creates anxiety and gets the dog in trouble. Some dogs are nit suited to being a working dog, in which case, the dog should be a pet.

Originally Posted by sallylou

Your dog is better trained than mine. lol My dogs are just pampered pets.

Can you get on a waiting list now? It sounds like you'll need one in the near future.

I have a friend who is deaf and has diabetes. She has a jack russell. I'll ask her how she got her dog. He's a great dog and a convenient size, too.

Originally Posted by sallylou

Your dog is better trained than mine. lol My dogs are just pampered pets.

Can you get on a waiting list now? It sounds like you'll need one in the near future.

I have a friend who is deaf and has diabetes. She has a jack russell. I'll ask her how she got her dog. He's a great dog and a convenient size, too.

Originally Posted by Lily7

I rarely ever made my service dog sit. She could sit, but sitting is actually uncomfortable for most dogs. Paws With a Cause instructed most of us partners to always have the dog lie down whenever possible, or stand when not.

Originally Posted by Lily7

I rarely ever made my service dog sit. She could sit, but sitting is actually uncomfortable for most dogs. Paws With a Cause instructed most of us partners to always have the dog lie down whenever possible, or stand when not.

Originally Posted by dogmom

when I worked with a very local service dog org. here, one of the other volunteers was a Puppy Raiser for Paws With a Cause.

from a behavioral perspective, a dog laying down helps with several things - one, laying down is a calming signal and often a visual cue to other dogs - the laying down dog is trying to deflect attention from herself, show deference or calm friendliness, all of which provide visual info. in dog language.

laying down provides a greater degree of control; my Rottie girls' default "at rest" or "ready and waiting for a cue" behaviors are to lay down. I have more time to prevent something that way or to react to something I see starting because the dog actually has more actions to go through to get on her feet with forward intention.

Originally Posted by Lily7

That too. Not to mention, other people are much more likely to ignore the dog than if he/she is sitting. I noticed that psychologically, seeing her sit seemed to say to people "pet me! I'm not working!" even with her cape on, whereas, for some reason, her lying down with her cape on seemed to signal a more official "I'm busy, leave me alone" - even if it was probably more of a "The dog is resting, let it rest" mindset than "the dog is working" mindset.

Additionally, you'd be surprised how many things can hit a dog in the head at the "sitting" height. Purses, shopping bags, kids swinging toys, etc. Having them lie down seems to get their heads out of "bonk range"