Cosmolo Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I can't find a link to it at all but did anyone else see the story on The Project tonight about the dogs for children with disabilities? When the mother of an autistic child said "It's like having someone help you without judging you", i confess to being a little teary! Beautiful story, wonderful training and special dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Mutt Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Our boy (4 years old) had a stroke at 14months old, it affected his speech development along with the other physical ailments. While none of our dogs were ever therapy dogs and Diva certainly isn't it's amazing how much progress loving an animal can make, they don't care about funny sounding words or clumsy walks like people do. Jack is near normal in speech now and if it weren't for having dogs even the tho he's seen two off to the stars (rainbow bridge) he wouldn't be anywhere near as clear as he is now. I didn't get to see the show worse luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 It was a lovely story, I just had a look at the webpage but tonight's show is not up there yet. Here is a link to the organisation though: http://www.dogsforkidswithdisabilities.com/ I thought the idea of tethering was an awesome idea for younger kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 It was just wonderful. Not only did the gorgeous dogs do wonders for the children, but the whole venture helped the parents, too. As one mother said, the lady who runs the program had brought her such understanding and support, too. Specially so, for the mother of the severely autistic little boy, whose grief was still so raw. At the end of the segment, the Doctor on the panel remarked that dogs were contributing enormously all across the field of medicine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 My disabled dog Pickles is a big hit with disabled children... somehow they all understand each other and that they are somehow different from most of us. Disabled children who are frightened of most dogs seem to like interacting with Pickles... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 My disabled dog Pickles is a big hit with disabled children... somehow they all understand each other and that they are somehow different from most of us. Disabled children who are frightened of most dogs seem to like interacting with Pickles... T. Well done, Pickles That little dog has truckloads of spirit, which would be a great 'teacher'. BTW, I was just told about a Psychology Clinic in Victoria where therapy dogs are an option for sessions, especially with children and young people: http://www.ltw.com.au/psychology.php I once read a researcher's comment, re the wonderful benefits dogs have been found (with hard evidence) to bring people of all kinds & of all ages & needs. He said that if dogs were a medication, it'd be hailed as a wonder drug. With no side effects, either. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 My disabled dog Pickles is a big hit with disabled children... somehow they all understand each other and that they are somehow different from most of us. Disabled children who are frightened of most dogs seem to like interacting with Pickles... T. Well done, Pickles That little dog has truckloads of spirit, which would be a great 'teacher'. BTW, I was just told about a Psychology Clinic in Victoria where therapy dogs are an option for sessions, especially with children and young people: http://www.ltw.com.au/psychology.php I once read a researcher's comment, re the wonderful benefits dogs have been found (with hard evidence) to bring people of all kinds & of all ages & needs. He said that if dogs were a medication, it'd be hailed as a wonder drug. With no side effects, either. :) I take my puppy to therapy with me sometimes, even when people see him in the waiting room with me they smile and ask if they can say hi and he's a really licky boy so always makes people laugh. Puppies, or dogs, are great therapy, even for grown-ups! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdierikx Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 It was just wonderful. Not only did the gorgeous dogs do wonders for the children, but the whole venture helped the parents, too. As one mother said, the lady who runs the program had brought her such understanding and support, too. Specially so, for the mother of the severely autistic little boy, whose grief was still so raw. At the end of the segment, the Doctor on the panel remarked that dogs were contributing enormously all across the field of medicine. My disabled dog Pickles is a big hit with disabled children... somehow they all understand each other and that they are somehow different from most of us. Disabled children who are frightened of most dogs seem to like interacting with Pickles... T. My disabled dog Pickles is a big hit with disabled children... somehow they all understand each other and that they are somehow different from most of us. Disabled children who are frightened of most dogs seem to like interacting with Pickles... T. Well done, Pickles That little dog has truckloads of spirit, which would be a great 'teacher'. BTW, I was just told about a Psychology Clinic in Victoria where therapy dogs are an option for sessions, especially with children and young people: http://www.ltw.com.au/psychology.php I once read a researcher's comment, re the wonderful benefits dogs have been found (with hard evidence) to bring people of all kinds & of all ages & needs. He said that if dogs were a medication, it'd be hailed as a wonder drug. With no side effects, either. :) I take my puppy to therapy with me sometimes, even when people see him in the waiting room with me they smile and ask if they can say hi and he's a really licky boy so always makes people laugh. Puppies, or dogs, are great therapy, even for grown-ups! And yet people think it makes sense to deny populations of 40,000 people these pleasures and benefits. It is a pity that the benfits of dogs to human society are beholden to the simplistic and somewhat remarkable false dichotmoy of being pro dog or anti dog, as is the case here in Australia seeing policy makers ignore the profound benefits that dogs provide to people. Pity if someone buys a house in the development up in the Tweed and has a child with a disabiltiy or develops one themself... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 (edited) They also have a facebook page HERE I didn't see the show but Katie the founder of DKD was also one of the trainers for the SEDA puppies in our area. She on occasion brings the DKD dogs to our obedience classes, there is a few people in our town with DKD dogs in their homes till they are trained and assessed to go to their new families. Its a fabulous idea. They are always on the look out for carers for new dogs that come in to the program. They also rehome the dogs that don't make the program. I think that it would possibly work like SEDA dogs and Guide dogs if the dog doesn't make the cut as a therapy dog the foster family would have the option of adopting the dog they cared for in the early stages. Edited to add, the benefits of pets/dogs as therapy is so amazing and its hard to explain, after seeing it for myself, its more amazing than I could have ever believed it to be, especially for some people. (my two girls are accredited therapy dogs) So for children with a disability it would be just awesome! Edited October 25, 2012 by tlc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidley Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I can't encourage people to get behind this more. This organisation has been start by an amazing young woman who is very passionate about the special relationship that dogs and children have. She started a program in SA for dogs for kids with Autism within another organation before moving to Melbourne and starting this amazing organsation There is also a facebook page Page here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 (edited) Couldn't agree more that DKD is worth supporting. I went to the Facebook page and saw that they're producing a 2013 calendar, which can be pre-ordered...and they also have auctions. tic, also agree with you about the amazing benefits from therapy dogs. I've just been reading a book about how present knowledge of brain function is forging ways to treat conditions like anxiety & depression. At one point, the author departs from technical words to say this about the 'magic' dogs can bring: "I have the deep-seated idea that some dogs are angels, because they bring such open & non-critical assessment of us and can forgive so graciously. At least my dogs always do." Edited October 25, 2012 by mita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Couldn't agree more that DKD is worth supporting. I went to the Facebook page and saw that they're producing a 2013 calendar, which can be pre-ordered...and they also have auctions. tic, also agree with you about the amazing benefits from therapy dogs. I've just been reading a book about how present knowledge of brain function is forging ways to treat conditions like anxiety & depression. At one point, the author departs from technical words to say this about the 'magic' dogs can bring: "I have the deep-seated idea that some dogs are angels, because they bring such open & non-critical assessment of us and can forgive so graciously. At least my dogs always do." That is so true, I know this is totally a different scenario and I don't want to derail this thread but in the palliative care ward one day one lady I visited with my girl Tully was truly amazing. I had passed the room and didn't go in as the lady was obviously sleeping or unconscious (I didn't know which) and she had family members around her, I walked passed the room and a lady (the daughter I thought) came out and asked me if I could take Tully in to say hello to her mum, she told me she was in a semi conscious state and had been highly agitated, I lifted Tully up to her and the daughter got her mums hand and run it down Tully body and you could see a change in the lady right away. The daughter just thanked me profusely saying she hadn't seen her mum that relaxed in weeks and she was very grateful I was visiting on that day. I can imagine that dogs would have the same calming effect on Kids with any sort of disability. They are truly amazing! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I walked passed the room and a lady (the daughter I thought) came out and asked me if I could take Tully in to say hello to her mum, she told me she was in a semi conscious state and had been highly agitated, I lifted Tully up to her and the daughter got her mums hand and run it down Tully body and you could see a change in the lady right away. The daughter just thanked me profusely saying she hadn't seen her mum that relaxed in weeks and she was very grateful I was visiting on that day. I can imagine that dogs would have the same calming effect on Kids with any sort of disability. They are truly amazing! :) You're not O/T at all. Just showing that 'magic' effect of dogs, even with one stroke along fur. Imagine the value to the children with autism, when they have that magic at their side, day and night (as DKD showed on TV). Similar story to yours from the US Tibbie people. A young soldier was in a coma in a US hospital. All things were tried to stimulate some consciousness....family voices, music etc. Then a staff member got a bright idea. She brought over a therapy dog (a little tibbie) from the children's hospital. She placed it on his bed. The dog neatly stepped over tubes to lay at his side, head resting against his hand. Nothing happened as time passed. But the little dog just patiently lay there. Then, the hand moved, touching the soft fur & giving the slightest of strokes. From then on.... stimulation (including using the little dog) was stepped up, & there was gradual improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Wow amazing, its wonderful to see first hand the kind of effects dogs have on people in need. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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