Greetings:
Have you ever wondered why you love your dog so much? What is it about a dog that helps a child learn social skills or that encourages a psychiatric patient to suddenly start sharing when a dog is introduced to the therapy session? How does your dog know that you had a rough day at work and that some puppy kisses or a soft nuzzle is just what you need? How does a dog know that a young child with autism that is afraid of dogs should be greeted differently from a vivacious 6 year old that LOVES dogs?
This month I had the pleasure of meeting with professors from the University of Texas and Texas State to discuss ways to incorporate scientific research into our autism programs. For me, who has witnessed the amazing "Magic" of dogs so many times, in so many situations over the last 10 years; it's an interesting exercise to try and narrow down, in a scientific manner, what is really occurring between the human and the dog. Is the dog an effective teaching tool because it's highly reinforcing, similar to eating your dinner to get dessert, or is it a physical phenomenon related to changes in blood chemistry when you touch the warm fur? Our Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Rany Thommen, is recording some amazing progress with our K9 Club-Autism students. Is this related to the presence of the dog, the fact that most of our students come to the program because they enjoy dogs, the structure of the classes, the skill of the instructors, and or the length of the classes? Would our program be just as effective if it was built around video games and all the kids loved video games?
Austin Dog Alliance is pursuing scientific research so that we can expand the collective knowledge base of best practices that help improve the lives of children on the spectrum. For this research, I will work with the professors to analyze the dog's role from a scientific point of view. However, when I'm sitting on the floor, teaching summer camp to a circle of excited kids, I'm just going to enjoy knowing that dogs make kids (and adults) happy.
It's a lovely time of year to take your dog for a walk or to the park for fetch. Enjoy!
Debi Krakar
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Dr. Temple Grandin comments on dogs & social skill training
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Temple Grandin, 2010 TED conference (Steve Jurvetson / Flickr.com / Creative Commons lic.)
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Recently, Austin Dog Alliance contacted internationally acclaimed author and autism spectrum specialist Dr. Temple Grandin and told her about the Alliance's K9 Kids-Autism program.
Acknowledging that such programs can be beneficial, Dr. Temple commented, "For some individuals on the autism spectrum, dogs can be helpful as a social ice-breaker and help them interact with others."
Dr. Grandin is the author of numerous books on autism, including Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships: Understanding and Managing Social Challenges for Those With Asperger's/Autism and The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger's .
While Dr. Grandin has not witnessed the K9 Kids-Autism program so cannot specifically endorse it, we thank her for permission to use her comment when explaining the benefits of incorporating dogs in social skills classes for children on the spectrum.
View Dr. Temple Grandin's 2010 TED Talk: The World Needs All Kinds of Minds.
Read more about HBO's award-winning film on Dr. Grandin's life: Temple Grandin.
NOTE: K9 Club - Autism for children 8 - 16 starts on March 20/21. Space is very limited. Please contact us for more information about our group social skill programs. |
KEYE-TV News story: "Animal Therapy For Autism"
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Local CBS affiliate KEYE-TV News anchor Judy Maggio and a film crew visited the ADA Training Center in February to personally observe the powerful outcomes of the K9 Club - Autism Social Skills Group program. In this program, trained therapy dogs interact with kids on the autism spectrum as they learn about and work with dogs. The kids not only learn how to positively train and interact with dogs, but also develop essential social skills and gain confidence through the eight-week program. Watch the video (left) and visit the autism section of our website to learn more about our programs.
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KVUE News story: "Puppy love" on Valentine's Day
|  In February, ADA volunteers, members of the Youth Association, and pet therapy teams spread some Valentine's love throughout the community, visiting a number of retirement communities, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes. KVUE News caught up with some of our teams during a visit . See their story on Puppy Love.
If you are interested in volunteering with your dog, our website has lots of information about how to get started in pet therapy. |
Buy and sell on eBay for Austin Dog Alliance!
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program. You can support our mission when you buy and sell on eBay. Here's how:
- Buy: You can find whatever you're looking for on eBay - from baseball cards to new cars and more. When you do, shop for items that benefit us. You can get a great deal and support ADA at the same time. ADA's eBay Giving Works Buy Page.
- Sell: You can also support Austin Dog Alliance when you sell on eBay. Just designate our organization to receive 10-100% of your final sale price the next time you list something. Did you know that charity listings often get more bids and higher prices than regular eBay listings? Boost your sales and support our critical work while you're at it! Plus eBay gives back to you, with a fee credit on your basic selling fees.ADA's eBay Giving Works Sell Page.
- Donate Items: If you are not an Ebay seller but have an item that you would like to donate for ADA to sell on Ebay, you can drop it off at our Center. Please check our web site for hours & location. Please attach a note that says "To Sell on Ebay." We ask that donated items have an expected selling price of $20 or more.
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Group Classes & Seminars
Summer Camp Enrollment Open
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 Summer Camps For All Kids: Our summer camps sell out every year! We bring our therapy dogs to summer camps, so kids can learn to train and work with pets. Or, kids can being their own (well-behaved) dogs from home to join in the fun. This year we even have an "I Want To Be A Vet" camp. Visit our K9 Kids Summer Camps page for all the details and online enrollment. Space is limited, so don't delay. Seminars and Short Classes: Have you ever wondered what to do if your pet was bitten by a snake or suddenly became lethargic and stopped eating? Have you thought it might be nice to learn to perform pet CPR "someday"? Well, someday is here -- reserve a spot in our March 31 Pet First Aid/CPR seminar on our Seminars & Short Classes page. We're also holding a Pet Therapy seminar on March 3. Check the link for other upcoming seminars and short classes in the months ahead. Group Training Classes: In March, we have multiple sessions of the following group classes:
- Dog Manners 1 and 2
- Dog Manners for Deaf Dogs
- Dog Manners for Kids (10-15 years old)
- Dog Manners C.L.A.S.S. (new Canine Life And Social Skills program)
- Barking & Growling
Sign up on our Group Training Classes page. Class sizes are kept small so everyone receives plenty of practice and personalized attention from our certified instructors. In addition to group seminars and classes, our trainers are available for private sessions or consultation. Call the ADA Training Center (512-335-7100) to discuss your needs. We can help you decide what type of training or program works best for your needs. As always, THANK YOU for training with ADA. Your training and seminar fees support our community outreach programs, including pet therapy and our Autism/Asperger's Group Social Skills program.
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Adoptable Dogs
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Meet Spot!
He's a super cute and playful one year old terrier mix.
Spot has a wonderful temperament, getting along well with other dogs and with children, too.
He's a very smart pup and would make a fun agility dog or companion for walks in the neighborhood.
Check out Spot and other great ADA dogs in our Rescue/Foster/Adoption program on our Adoptable Dogs page.
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Pet Therapy: Delta Society is now "Pet Partners"
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Delta Society is now Pet Partners!
As of February 2012, the internationally-recognized non-profit organization which trains, evaluates, and supports handlers and their pets engaged in animal-assisted therapy has changed its name. Over the next few months, you'll see the green-and-white Delta Society logo phased out as the new Pet Partners logo takes center stage. Read more about animal-assisted therapy and our Pet Therapy Training Program or reserve a spot in an upcoming Pet Therapy Seminar. For new or renewing teams, sign up for a Pet Partners Evaluation in the months ahead. (Next evaluation dates are March 10 and May 5). |
Spring cleaning? We've got a wish list....
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Are you thinking about spring cleaning? Before you toss out items you no longer need, think about making a tax-deductible donation to Austin Dog Alliance!
We've got a wish list for items to stock our office, supply our rescue/adoption program, and other needs.
We can use ....
Crates, collars, leashes, dog toys
Craft supplies for our K9 Kids programs
Filing cabinets
General office supplies
... and much more
Visit our Wish List to see if there's a match between what you no longer have space for, and what we're in need of!
Thanks for supporting Austin Dog Alliance!
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Austin Dog Alliance Youth Association
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The Austin Dog Alliance Youth Association (ADAYA) is a student-led youth volunteer association with a mission:
To partner with dogs to improve the lives of children and their families in the Greater Austin community while providing fun and rewarding leadership and volunteer opportunities for students. Service projects include working with other dog-related nonprofits (shelters), visiting nursing homes and libraries with the therapy dogs, youth-led fundraisers such as dog washes, and helping out at Austin Dog Alliance events throughout the year. Every quarter, ADAYA plans a social/learning event. Speakers include area veterinarians, humane society employees, groomers, and other dog-related speakers. The ADAYA is open to all teens ages 13 - 19. Learn more and sign up here.
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Looking ahead...
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- We'll be supporting our fellow non-profit Texas Hearing and Service Dogs in their 14th Annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk. Come on out to support their work and help set a few new Guinness World Records on April 7 at Auditorium Shores.
- Join us for ADA's Parents' Night Out / Kids' Night Out April 21, co-presented by The University of Texas Autism Project. Open to kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their siblings (ages 8-13).
Watch our Events Calendar for news on upcoming events!
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Double Your Impact Through Employer Matching
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 Did you know many mid-size and small employers in the Austin area have an Employer Matching program for charitable gifts? Employers will often match the amount of an employee's charitable donation, thus doubling the impact of individual tax-deductible contributions.
Charitable giving allows nonprofits to provide services to the community and expand much-needed programs, while allowing individuals and companies to benefit from tax deductions for charitable contributions to qualified organizations.
To find out if your company has an Employer Matching program, contact your Community Relations or HR department.
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Austin Dog Alliance is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, with the mission of improving the health and well being of individuals and families through programs incorporating the powerful connection between dogs and humans.
To achieve our mission we
- Promote the valuable role of pet therapy in our community
- Implement animal assisted programs in nursing homes, hospitals and rehabilitation centers
- Enhance student reading skills by utilizing Bow Wow Reading Dog pet therapy teams at schools and libraries
- Provide a variety of fun and educational programs designed to build self-esteem and teach children to love and respect dogs
- Provide programs for children and their families who are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder and other special learning needs
- Provide professional and positive dog training classes
- Carefully place rescued dogs into forever homes
Austin Dog Alliance is funded by the revenue generated from our training classes and donations by individuals and corporations. All donations are tax deductible. Please donate .
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| Contact Us | Board of Directors
Treasurer Volunteer Outreach
Newsletter & Social Media
Grant Writing
Leadership Team
Adoption Program
Pet Therapy Volunteer Coordinator
Pet Therapy Director
Training Director
Media and PR
Marketing
Youth Association
Event Coordinator
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Austin Dog Alliance is now part of the 
