it's #WorldAutismAwarenessDay so here's a post about autism service dogs! a service dog is a dog who is specifically trained in one or more behavior, or task, to help their disabled handler. so what can dogs do for autistic people? the answer is more than you may think! (1)

for starters, autism dogs can be specifically trained to interrupt repetitive and/or self-harmful behaviors. this is useful for people who scratch, hit, cut, bite, etc! the dog gently gets in between the handler and their body to stop the behavior. (2)

another common task for autism dogs is known as "deep pressure therapy" or DPT. the dog is taught to strategically place themselves on the person's body in order to apply soothing pressure. this can also gently immobilize the person to stop them from hurting themselves! (3)

sometimes it's difficult for people with autism to navigate, especially crowded places. autism dogs can provide guide work much like a guide dog for a blind person! autism SDs can be taught to find exits, cars, and certain people.

another form of guidance autism dogs can provide is identifying important sounds. sometimes it's really hard to tell what sounds are and are not important, so autism dogs can identify and alert their handler to their name being called, their phone ringing, cars, and other sounds.

lastly, another common task is for autism dogs to "block". this is where the dog strategically places itself behind or in front of the handler to make sure strangers aren't getting too close!

this isn't a definitive list of the most common tasks for autistic handlers! autism dogs can also retrieve things, assist with balance, and provide tasks for other medical needs outside of autism that the handler may have!

however, one important thing is that autism dogs should NOT be expected to "tether". this is a practice where a young autistic person is tied to the dog to prevent them bolting. this is not safe for the dog or the child! it is the parent's responsibility to prevent bolting.

so how do you know an autism service dog is right for you? talk to your healthcare team and outline a list of tasks the dog may be able to perform for you! do be aware there are some drawbacks:
- initial cost & availability
- attention from the public
- upkeep

service dogs are NOT for everybody, and that's okay! everybody's disability, personal needs, and financial situation is different. if you think this may be the care option for you, it is very important to consider every variable!

and to non-disabled people, this is your gentle reminder to please treat people with service dogs as people! we are no different than somebody with a cane, a wheelchair, a glucometer, or another adaptive device! our dogs are very cute but please pretend they aren't there!

so for the last tweet to a long thread, here's some further reading!
https://www.psychdogpartners.org/ 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism_service_dog
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html (US)
https://assistancedogsinternational.org/resources/public-access-laws-canada/ (CAN)