Service dog, autistic Tacoma girl forming bond

Service dog, autistic Tacoma girl forming bond Luka has spent months training to be a service dog, but he still has some growing up to do before he can take charge of a 4-year-old Tacoma girl with autism. He's already learning not to eat food off the floor of public places, to find another activity when he's doing something the family doesn't want him to do and to read cue cards. (Since Isabel loves to spin in circles, the dog's trainers want him to be able to do the same to increase the pair's bonding. Isabel's mom, Liz Moore, said it's been fascinating and heartwarming to see what Luka is able to accomplish and to watch her daughter come out of her shell. " Moore said Luka's training can be stressful because there's no set schedule or deadline for him to move into her home full-time, but the system works well because it's giving the family enough time to bond with the dog. Many service dog agencies deliver adult dogs to people with special needs. Executive Director Patty Dobbs Gross acknowledged this has been a slow transition, which can have its downfalls – the foundation's costs continue to rise the longer it takes to train Luka – but said it shows a rare commitment level. It was during this period that Liz Moore realized she wasn't yet ready to handle Luka alone. Now, she spends up to 45 minutes with the dog and enjoys lying with him or propping her iPad against him to watch movies. She likes to look in Luka's ears, fold herself over him and pet him with her feet. The dog will be taught to take commands from Isabel, and eventually will be tethered to the girl to prevent her from running off. However, Luka's rambunctiousness is still apparent – understandable for a 14-month-old puppy – and more time is needed before he can stay permanently with the Moores. When that didn't work out, Luka went to stay with Spader for intensive one-on-one training on how to behave in public. After Spader moved to the Midwest last month for a full-time job, Luka was placed with a local puppy-raising family, where he is expected to stay for the next three to six months. It's already a struggle for Moore to take care of Isabel and her 2-year-old son without having to also train a puppy. Plus she has other life changes to adjust to – her boyfriend recently moved in, with his young daughter, and his toddler son also might come to live there. "It's really important to make sure we're not asking too much of him before he's ready for it," said Wendy Dahl, an animal behavior consultant who oversees Luka's training. " The next level will comprise of more training with Isabel. "Rather than a failure to stick to a schedule, I see this as a feather in North Star's cap because we're sticking with the family longer even though we have more challenges," Dobbs Gross said. Dobbs Gross said that money has been applied to Luka's training, but expenses are still mounting. Everyone who interacts with Luka says his training is coming along nicely, but he has too much energy right now to be a full-time service dog. Yet, Luka is already part of the family. "He's so smart, and he's so in tune with stuff. "We love him. There has been progress on both sides. Luka obeys basic commands and has learned to read one-word instructions so Isabel eventually can give him commands with signs, since her speech is limited. Service dog, autistic Tacoma girl forming bond Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 08/04/2012