Hey out there My User is AnnTannie..

I have the user name of AnnTAnnie because my nephew cannot say Aunt Tammy, which brings me to the subject of this discussion.
My nephew has some special needs very similar to the autistic spectrum. New indications from many and I mean many groups have discovered that Golden Retrievers and Westies are helping these kids to talk and socially integrate. In fact there is a book out there
that will blow you away about this subject and it is called a Dog Named Henry. This mother of a severely autistic child wrote this story about how this dog--well almost saved this kids and the whole family's survival and life. I am looking for someone in the Washington DC vicinity--I would be willing to drive as much as 100 miles for a golden retriever...we need this dog for my nephew. He is obsessed with "puppies". He is an extremely gentle and loving child, so there is no risk of abuse of the dog, etc...We would love and take care of this
dog like a child. The dog will need to be a puppy, because we want to train the dog up with the child, with some service like activities.
IF ANYONE could find it in there heart to contact me...I cannot even tell you. This child, would melt your heart. We really need a dog for
him so he can grow and become a productive member of society. I have looked everywhere and no one seems to be able to find us a golden Retr. puppy, for adoption, for sale etc.. I have tried the rescues (dont call back), the shelters (sorry lady) I am sooo frustrated and desparate ( along with the parents if I may say so) so please see if someone out there can help us.

While I think both the West Highland White Terrier and the Golden Retriever are marvelous dogs, I truly believe just about any dog would be a wonderful companion for your nephew. I am assuming you have considered a whole slew of additional questions that should include does the familiy's lifestyle allow for a dog to be added as a member, will the dog get enough exercise and who will be responsible for that, cost of food and vet care no matter what, is\are the adult(s) prepared to be very actively involved with the dog, confirm that there are no allergies to dogs, are prepared for the additional houseclearning that will be needed with the addtion of a dog, etc.

With either of these breeds, please make sure you contact a breeder who has a contract and is prepared to take back the puppy\dog no matter the circumstances as this is usually an indication of a good breeder who truly cares for the puppies their animals produce. Be prepared to be "vetted" and have references ready, especially if the family is a first time dog owner. Make sure that you have questions ready for the breeder to make sure they do the proper health clearances - for the golden that would include hips, eyes at the very least and request proof, though that is no guarantee.

Added a dog to the family is a huge commitment and it sounds like a lot of thought has gone into the decision. What if the puppy has health issues too? Or may have a temperament issue? These can add up to additional expense.

That said, I would go the Golden Retriever Club of America's website and check to see if there is a regional club, then contact them as they will now local breeders who may have a litter on the ground or one planned for this spring. Don't rush out and just get a golden - you could probably find one in the local newspaper; goldens have become of the dogs that vets don't want to treat as they have a very high bite incidence. I would also do the smae for the Westie. Talk to multiple breeders - ask lot of questions. The ones that share info and want to edcuate you are the ones I would focus on -you will probably get a good puppy from them. You could also contact a local kennel club, found through the AKC website, and they will have a list of people who might have some litters with available puppies.

Good luck in your search!!!

Have you thought about a mini poodle? Yeah I know there are grooming issues- but my friend has a son with a seizure disorder and one of her mini's has taken to him like glue! This is obviously HIS dog! She sleeps with him, she cuddles with him, he even had her zipped in his coat- the zipper broke and she was so patient until we could get it undone!
Also she is now starting to do the "alert" when he is getting ready to have a seizure- something that she has never done before- or has been trained to do- she barks in circles- and within an hour- BAM- seizure. They all aren't yappy-nasty but make for an adaptable dog for a family.

And the poster above is right- make sure you work with a breeder and have a contract!

Dear Poodles Rule,

You are the only one who got what I was really saying. Yes of course I know all of the above about the general care and such of dogs. I
am trying to save a childs life, and whatever it takes to keep the dog happy and well cared for, so WHAT!!!!! I found the initial reply to
my shout out for help, sort of demeaning in tone, and really missed alot of what I said. I clearly stated or I thought so that for some reason the terriers and goldens have shown to be the BEST with these TYPES of kids. I stated very clearly in my post that I have tried many places with little or no response or with AGAIN very glib responses such as the initial one I received. This individual was not a good reader, and seemed MORE concerned about the dog, than the child. Do you really think that the animal that is saving a childs life
would be taken care of short of worship...I mean come on...

Now all that being said, you were spot on. Dogs do have a sense of seizure activity that we in the medical field have yet to
unravel, that little miracle of a poodle does know when that kid is going to have a seizure. We have recommended families with
children who are suffereing from seizures to get a dog for just that reason. The child also feels safe with the animal because the child
also knows that the dog knows and feels that they will not be alone, or somewhere where the child cannot be helped etc...

We are hoping for just such an attachment to a dog with my nephew. The poodles are a dog that I have very seriously considered for this little boy, and we had been looking for a mini black poodle, but again, for some reason, there are not many people here in the Washington DC area, who are breeding and such. You seem like a nice lady, with a large heart or compassion, am I right that you are
a woman? I don't need personal information, but I think you know what I am talking about. Anyway maybe you are right and should revisit the poodle with the childs occupational therapist. We just really felt that the goldens would be the best for this type of disorder. Thank you very much for your input. I cannot tell you how frustrating this all is...your child is in need and all you want to do is take it all away for them. I am going to keep pursuing all my options. I will return again to many of the usual websites and maybe I will get lucky and someone will respond appropriately. thanks again.

No one was demeaning you. It is just that you did not like their answer!!!

[quote name='AnnTannie' date='Feb 10 2009, 12:50 AM' post='1068446']
Dear Poodles Rule,

You are the only one who got what I was really saying. Yes of course I know all of the above about the general care and such of dogs. I
am trying to save a childs life, and whatever it takes to keep the dog happy and well cared for, so WHAT!!!!! I found the initial reply to
my shout out for help, sort of demeaning in tone, and really missed alot of what I said. I clearly stated or I thought so that for some reason the terriers and goldens have shown to be the BEST with these TYPES of kids. I stated very clearly in my post that I have tried many places with little or no response or with AGAIN very glib responses such as the initial one I received. This individual was not a good reader, and seemed MORE concerned about the dog, than the child. Do you really think that the animal that is saving a childs life
would be taken care of short of worship...I mean come on...

WOW!!!

I am sorry my response was "too glib" for you, but I would always put the dog first if I were to consider placing a dog in a home where the dog would be a service animal. What if the temperament of that individual dog was not the right one for being a service dog? Not all dogs are suitable for seizure alert not are all dogs suitable for being supportive to a child with special needs. The godlen retriever is a wonderful breed, but there are MANY types of them out there and not all breeders are scrupulous. What if you found yourself a breeder of the field type golden - this dog would need at least a hour a day of heavy exercise for it to be fit to live in a house and not drive the family crazy. I know because I know field bred goldens. If terriers are not given rules to follow, they will become little terrorist dogs and drive you batty while being no help to the child.

Good luck in your search. I hope you find what you are seeking.

Hi Ann,

I don't know if you are still reading this thread. But on the chance that you are, I wanted to offer some suggestions.

I think what you are trying to achieve is wonderful and a great idea if the family of your nephew is in the situation to raise a puppy. It take a lot of time, patience, and training. As a mother with three kids, raising puppies around kids who are dog savvy and without "special needs" is difficult enough.

Any responsible breeder and/or shelter/rescue group or service dog organization is going to first want to make sure the family is ready for and able to handle a dog in the home. The next step is deterimining what type of dog and whether a puppy or adult would be best. Personally, based on my experiences through the years with therapy work, service dogs, etc, I almost Always reccomend going through an experienced assistance dog organization. Raising and training your own runs the most risks of problems (and heartbreak if it doesnt' work out). Working with a group that has knowledge and experience behind them gives you a greater chance of success. Please consider this carefully and don't see it as a negative. I am saying this to help the family and child avoid problems. Not to discourage or offend you.

Therapy dogs and Service Dogs are proving to be very useful in working with kids with autism. That is true. Many groups do use Golden Retrievers, just due to their popularity in this line of work. A dog suitable for autistic kids needs to have the right level of energy, trainability, and Calmness for the situation. Not all dogs, and especially not all Golden Retrievers or Westies are suitable for the job. If the family you are trying to help Does choose to raise their own puppy and train it, they need to be extremely careful in selecting a breeder and subsequently a puppy. If they are not experienced dog trainers, which I assume they aren't or you wouldn't be asking these questions...then they will also need the assistance of a trainer to help in raising and training the dog. In which case, I also reccomend employing that trainer in advance of the puppy in order to help in the evaluation and selection process. A good trainer can also help you locate responsible breeders. Both Westies and Golden Retrievers have quite a few health problems, and some temperament problems.

There are plenty of responsible breeders around. I am in PA, and have a wonderful, very responsible breeder of Westies right down the road from me. I know of three great Golden Retriever breeders in PA and MD too. They do exist and aren't hard to find if you know where to look. Start at akc.org and located the national breed clubs for the breeds you are interested in. Then see if that club has a breeder referral program. That should help to get you on the track to locating a responsible breeder. Of course you still have to know what questions to ask and how to identify a responsible breeder who's dogs are Suitable to your needs. (for example as mentioned above a breeder of field bred Goldens may be very responsible, but his dogs might not be suitable for your needs) Once you locate a breeder who is willing to work with you, you need to determine if his/her dogs are suitable for you needs. Then you need to determine if the next litter you are eligible for is suitable. And finally you need to select the most suitable puppy in that litter. A trainer can help you with this process.

To get you started, here are some trainers who may be accessible to you and able to help you:
Maryland:

http://ljttraining.com/?page_id=2

http://greenbeltdogtraining.com/

http://www.fidosforfreedom.org/assist-dogs...information.php

http://www.dogearsandpaws.com/

And if anyone can help you or direct you best...I'll bet this person can!

http://www.peaceablepaws.com/

Good luck in your search! It's important to recognize that this isn't an overnight process. The more time spent learning and studying, and then selecting the route to go...the more chance for success. I would still highly reccomend a trained, adult, assistance dog in almost every case and I think you need to carefully consider that option and the pro's/cons involved.