2012!

AUTISM SERVICE DOGS OF AMERICA

a child who connects to a dog connects to the world
!

2012

2012!

2012

2012
Every&year&is&a&busy&year&for&our& nonprot,&and&this&year&was& certainly&no&exception!&

This Year
ASDA&approved&12&new&families,& brought&10&new&dogs&into&our& program,&placed&7&dogs&with& families&and&individuals&aected& by&autism,&held&5&local&fundraisers,& placed&3&therapy&dogs,&held&3& weeks&of&Doggie&Day&Camp&and& placed&our&rst&facility&dog.& Welcome to the J and K classes!

And We
wouldnt&have&been&able&to& accomplish&any&of&these&things& without&the&dedication&we& received&from&you&J&our& volunteers,&our&families,&our& supporters,&and&our&donors.&& Thank you from all of us at ASDA!

Jake, Jersey, Jade, Juba, Jett Koda, Kenya, Karma, Keely, and Kai

One&of&the&main&reasons&Liams&family& wanted&a&service&dog&was&so&Liam& could&access&the&community&safely.& Before&Ginger&arrived,&Liam&was&only& able&to&leave&home&on&the&weekends& when&his&dad&was&home,&and&was&home& schooled&to&help&maintain&his&safety.& The&second&day&of&tether&training&was& the&rst&time&mom&had&been&able&to& take&Liam&out&of&the&house&on&her&own&in&over&a&year.&With&Gingers&support,& she&and&Liam&were&able&to&enjoy&a&nice&walk&through&a&local&park.&Ginger&has& been&enjoying&her&new&life&and&beautiful&backyard&in&Ridgewood,&NJ.

GINGER AND LIAM

GIZMO&left&Oregon&this& summer&to&join&autism&service& dog&Chewey&in&Illinois.&Gizmo&is& helping&Chewey&support&the& Drew&Family&by&attending&school& with&Kaleb.&

HEIDI AND SANTIAGO

Heidi&was&placed&in&California&in&September.&Before&Heidis&arrival,&her&boy& was&a&little&uncomfortable&around&big&dogs.&In&just&a&short&amount&of&time,& Santi&has&learned&to&love&Heidi&and&they& have&built&an&incredible&bond.&Mom&recently& told&us&that&Santi&wants&Heidi&with&him&all& the&time,&and&they&have&to&intervene&to&be& sure&Heidi&gets&a&few&breaks.&Santi&likes&to& build&tents&over&her&dog&bed&for&the&two&of& them&to&play&in.&Heidi&is&also&making&a&huge& dierence&with&Santi&outside&of&the&home.& His&occupational&therapist&recently& mentioned&that&since&Heidis&arrival&she&has& seen&an&increase&in&Santis&focus&levels,&and& has&noted&generally&lowered&anxiety&levels.&

GRACE&is&being&placed&in& December&with&Melissa,&a&young&adult& with&high&functioning&autism.&Grace&will& be&joining&Melissa&in&Wilmington,&NC& before&the&end&of&the&year.&Melissa&is& looking&forward&to&the&arrival&of&her& new&best&friend&and&the&extra& motivation&and&help&she&will&provide!

Facility Dog Program Ian and Ivy

This&year,&two&of&our&Southern&California&puppy&raisers& started&taking&their&service&dogs&in&training,&Ian&and&Ivy,& to&The$Help$Group&to&work&with&children&with&autism.&& They&have&had&great&experiences&so&far!&Our&volunteers& report&that&Ian&and&Ivy&are&making&a&dierence&every& day&they&are&there.& The&preJschool&classes&are&very&special.&&The&students& are&all&nonJverbal...&One&little&guy&feels&with&his&head,& and&loves&rubbing&his&head&on&Ivys&chest&and&belly& when&we&walk&by&the&classrooms,&the&dogs&hear&the& specic&sounds&from&the&students&and&head&for&the& door,&as&if&they&need&to&be&with&those&children...&after&6& weeks,&petting&the& dogs&is&no&longer&a& teacherJassigned&task,& and&all&students&take& their&turns&and&seem& to&really&enjoy&the& experience.

Facility Dog Program - Haley ASDA&placed&our&very&rst&facility&dog&at&the&Victory& Academy&in&Wilsonville,&OR.&Haley&is&working&with&all& the&students&in&her&class,&above,&as&well&as&providing& support&for&select&students&in&the&school.&The&Victory& Academy&is&a&special&school&for&children&with&autism& spectrum&disorders.&

George&is&moving&in&with&his& forever&family&this&month!&George& will&be&living&in&Portland&with&his& new&boy&and&girl,&and&continuing& work&as&a&therapy&dog.&

Gunner&went&to&his&forever& home&in&November,&right&here&in& Portland!&Gunner&will&be&working&as&a& therapy&dog&with&the&American&Red& Cross&and&at&local&schools.&

Iden&went&to&live&with&a& wonderful&family&in&Vancouver,& Washington.&He&is&making&his&new& girl,&boy,&and&parents&very&happy.& Looks&like&theyre&keeping&him& busy&and&happy,&too!&

SUMMER CAMP 2012 ASDA offered three weeks of our Doggie Day Camp to campers with and without autism. We had so much fun. This was absolutely our best summer yet!

SOPHIE AND ETHAN

Ethans&family&was&accustomed&to& carrying&him&everywhere&to&prevent& him&from&running&away&from&them.& Ethan&loves&being&outside,&but&isnt& always&aware&enough&of&his& environment&to&keep&himself&safe.& The&rst&day&Ethan&and&Sophie&were& tethered,&the&family&went&to&Target.& Ethan&wasnt&yet&aware&that&he&was&tethered&to&Sophie.&As&soon&as&the& car&stopped,&Ethan&tried&to&bolt&into&the&busy&parking&lot.&This&time,& Ethan&was&tethered&to&Sophie&so&he&didnt&get&far.&As&his&Mom& instinctually&reached&for&Ethan,&she&ended&up&grabbing&the&tether&and& was&able&to&redirect&Ethan.&This&moment&illustrated&just&one&of&many& ways&Sophie&will&provide&invaluable&assistance&for&this&family.&Having& Sophie&will&open&up&opportunities&for&increased&independence&for&Ethan& while&allowing&the&family&to&do&more&together.& Sophie&and&Ethans&journey&is&being&documented&on&The&Autism&Channel.& You&can&watch&their&rst&segment&by&following&this&link:&

W E WENT SWIMMING

https://vimeo.com/50593695&

GWEN AND CHRISTOPH

WE PL AYED A ND TRA INED AT THE ARC ADE

Gwen&was&an&easy&choice&to&pair&with&Christoph&after&he&attended&our& summer&camp.&We&saw&the&bond&start&forming&between&the&two&on&the&very& rst&morning.&Christoph&has&high&functioning&autism,&and&is&one&of&Gwens& main&handlers.&He&is&working&hard&to&learn&commands&and&timing,&and&to& develop&the&patience&and&consistency& necessary&to&handle&his&service&dog.&These& are&skills&that&many&children&like&Christoph& struggle&with&in&daily&life.&The&family&has& found&that&designating&15J20&minutes&of& Gwen&and&Christoph&relaxation&time& before&school&has&helped&Christoph&get& ready&for&his&day,&maintain&success,&and& then&decompress&after&school.&

WE PRACTICED DEEP PRESSURE

WE TRA INED IN T H E COMMUNITY

Adriana&is&a&fun,&energetic,&and&busy&girl& with&high&functioning&autism.&Grady&is&a& exible,&easy&going,&and&motivated&dog,& making&him&the&perfect&match&for&Adi.& Working&together&they&are&navigating& through&both&school&and&community& activities&with&less&anxiety&and&emotional& outbursts.&Adi&has&learned&to&be&Gradys& handler,&expanding&her&focus&and&responsibility&to&someone&elses&wellJ being.&Working&with&Grady&allows&Adi&to&have&more&independence&while& developing&skills&in&the&area&of&empathy&and&social&connections.&The& family&has&already&seen&an&increase&in&positive&and&appropriate&social& behavior.&This&makes&life&for&Adriana&safer&and&less&overwhelming&while& creating&endless&opportunities&for&growth.&Grady&and&Adrianas&story&will& also&soon&be&featured&on&The&Autism&Channel!

Grady and Adriana

A Big Thank you!

To&all&of&our&puppy&raisers&and& their&families,&to&our&advanced& trainers&and&puppy&coaches, to&all&of&our&volunteers,&to&our& board,&to&Community&Pet&Clinic&of& Tigard,&to&Growing&with&Pride& Preschool,&to&Hallinan&Elementary& School,&to&The&Help&Group,&to& Phoenix&Inn&of&Lake&Oswego,&to& LO&Blueprint,&and&to&all&our& breeders:&Amber&Glen&Kennels,& Chehalem&Mountain& Goldendoodles,&Project&2&Heal,& Sunset&Goldens,&and&Trails&End& Labradoodles.

Autism&Service&Dogs&of&America 5232&N&Interstate&Avenue Portland,&OR&97217

Happy Holidays from Autism Service Dogs of America!