Asaway Puppy Program
asaway.com
Unfortunately, most service dog programs do not train dogs for children with Down Syndrome. However, we have initiated the Asaway Puppy Program to provide family dogs specifically for families with children who have Down Syndrome or severe speech impairments. We select pups for temperament and trainability. Because children with Down Syndrome often have speech issues, we attempt to select pups that can readily learn visual commands.
To ensure complete bonding, each family trains their own pup. For families that have never had a dog, we recommend you obtain one of many commercially available dog training videos. In particular, we like Teaching Basic Manners (Volume One), which is produced by the founder of “The Loved Dog”, Tamar Geller, a renowned life coach for dogs and their people. This video, while designed for a general audience, will help your special child become a vital member of the pup’s training team, even in the early stages before the pup learns a set of manners.
Children with Down Syndrome are remarkably caring by nature. These children have a deep well of love to draw from. The pups that qualify for our program are suited to provide not only well-behaved companionship, but also to serve as faithful life-long recipients of that love. Applicant families for our program must have a child with Down Syndrome or significant speech impairments.
Our son’s Aussie is the dam for the puppies in our program. For our son and our family, she is the best dog ever. Our son, who is a 10-year-old with Down Syndrome, handles each puppy daily. From observing each puppy with him, we select the puppies for our program. At present, we have a 6-month waiting list, and growing. Request additional information by email. Be sure to include “Asaway Puppy Program” in the subject line.
Other options for children with other disabilities include the Monroe, Alabama, program featured below. There they have trained dogs for police work, hospice care and seizure alert.
The Times Plus (MONROE) — They’re more than just pets — they’re professionals. From the more common service dogs, like mobility assistance dogs for the physically handicapped, guide dogs for the blind and hearing dogs for the hearing impaired, to therapy dogs who provide the ill and elderly with cheer and entertainment, to search and rescue dogs, to herding and hunting dogs, to guard and police dogs — these canines are specially trained to act as their handlers’ eyes, ears and hands.When they slip into their uniforms, they transform from playful pet to professional pooch. And they mean business.
Posted on: Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 1:03 pm 
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