article_snippet: Australian kids suffering the effects of autism are getting a helping paw from assistance dogs.
article_snippet: Assistance dogs have been proven to increase independence, reduce reliance on human caregivers and act as a great ice-breaker helping overcome social isolation.
article_snippet: Assistance Dogs Australia currently support 55 families with autistic children across Australia and while you might instantly think of assistance dogs performing physical tasks, Ms Freeman said Brock's role is far more related to emotional support. '
article_snippet: Although this process costs about $27,000 per dog Richard Lord said it's worth every cent to see the extent dogs can improve the lives of children who are faced with a life of challenges. '
article_snippet: Assitance Dogs Australia spend around $27,000 on each puppy but are happy to give Assitance Dogs Australia to deserving families for free .
article_snippet: Richard Lord said kids who've been given assistance dogs find kids who've been given assistance dogs lives improve drastically because kids who've been given assistance dogs are finally given the opportunity to participate in society without relying so heavily on carers or parents. 'assistance dogs give a bit more equality to people who suffer from a range of disabilities.
article_snippet: It helps assistance dogs enjoy assistance dogs community, allowing assistance dogs to get as much out of life as assistance dogs can,' Richard Lord added. 'assistance dogs give a bit more equality to people who suffer from a range of disabilities.
article_snippet: It helps assistance dogs enjoy assistance dogs community, allowing assistance dogs to get as much out of life as assistance dogs can' Ms Freeman said having Brock around has given Ms Freeman the confidence to speak in front of the class, something Ms Freeman would have never done before. '
article_snippet: Assistance Dogs Australia will be celebrating the success of Assistance Dogs Australia PAWS program, which is responsible for pairing children suffering from autism with Assistance Dogs Australia very own therapy puppy.
article_snippet: The PAWS program not only gives out these lifetime friends but also works with parents to  train family dogs to provide the same emotional support that trained Assistance Dogs do.
article_snippet: Assistance Dogs can learn up to 50 specialised commands that will help Assistance Dogs communicate effectively with children on the autism spectrum.
article_snippet: Assistance Dogs Australia receives no government funding so Assistance Dogs Australia rely heavily on the generosity of individuals and community support to consistently deliver these positive results for children with autism.