The Lassie Phenomenon
From Service Dog Training
Lately there has been a huge surge in the number of service dogs being placed with children.[1] The exact nature of these children’s disabilities ranges widely (though autism is by far the most common), but the striking thing about these partnerships lies in the supervisory nature of the dogs’ jobs. These dogs are expected to monitor the behavior of children who are not able to provide for their own safety, due to youth, disability or a combination of the these factors. The dogs are expected to become everything for the child…a nanny, a protector and a friend, sometimes their only friend. To illustrate the nature of these placements, I’ve selected a few news quotes that typify this approach:
"Angelina is never going to have a real friend. This dog will be her friend." [2]
"These dogs must know 'exactly where to stand, move, and hold their tails,' said McCabe-Sandler. The reason? These dogs don’t get their commands from the children and parents are usually too pre-occupied with caring for their kids to give detailed direction. They must be highly functional so that they can navigate common situations like going to the grocery or getting in and out of a car without getting in the child’s way."[3]
"The dog would help with her behavior; it would be her constant companion and keep her safe. ... The dog also will protect the 7-year-old from danger."[4]
"And, since Kaleb doesn’t sleep well overnight, often going to bed as late as 11 p.m. and waking up as early as 3 a.m., the dog would be able to ease the Drews’ fears of Kaleb escaping outside."[5]
"Shadow's duties will vary when he completes his 18 months of training. One major task will be keeping track of Corey…Once Shadow is on the job, Corey's family will have the assurance when Corey does manage his Houdini act, he won't be gone for long."[6]
"Their hope is that Buddy will eventually act as a safety net and learn to trail John, who is inclined to dash off and run away."[7]
Why is it that parents trust their children to these dogs who are claimed to posses almost mystical powers to protect, guide and befriend children? It’s something I like to call the Lassie Phenomenon. Why is this? When we look at Lassie and other dogs in film and on TV, we can begin to see where the mindset developed that is behind this trend of placing service dogs as caregivers for children.
Lassie is one of the timeless movie characters who has entrenched herself in modern culture. In the United States, her film and TV popularity spanned a period from 1938 to 1994. Lassie was always the hero. No matter how bad the situation, or how impossible the odds, Lassie always saved the day, and her boy, completely on her own initiative. The picture Lassie gave American society of the idealized, but impossible, bond between a boy and his dog is firmly established in the American mind. The parents and grandparents of today grew up with Lassie as their canine role model, and often without any practical explanation of realistic canine behavior to offset his heroic accomplishments.
Lassie is not the only character of this type. There is also Benji, who starred from 1974 to 2004, always coming out on top and always saving the day. Nana, the St. Bernard (or Newfoundland) nanny in Peter Pan, is also fixture of canine pop culture; a dog who could be trusted completely to guard and guide children in the absence of parental supervision.
For members of my generation who are now starting families, and members of my parents’ generation who already have children, the images of Lassie, Benji and Nana have greatly influenced how we perceive the interaction between dogs and children. It is logical then, that these generations of parents would turn to trained dogs when they have a child who requires extra supervision. This becomes particularly true when service dog organizations portray their dogs as being capable of such feats.
Is this a good thing? Is it realistic? Can dogs really supervise and protect a child like Lassie, Benji and Nana did on TV and in the movies? In the next few weeks I will be exploring some of the different supervisory tasks service dogs are assigned to perform for children with autism and other developmental disabilities from a cautionary viewpoint. These dogs look good on the surface, but are we hearing the whole story?
Footnotes
- ↑ For the purpose of this post, I’m going to consider a child to be anyone lacking the maturity and mental development to independently handle a service dog during the handler’s usual activities.
- ↑ http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08339/932559-55.stm
- ↑ http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/health/Dogs-Heel-Autism.html
- ↑ http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/117589.html
- ↑ http://www.register-news.com/local/local_story_203100114.html?keyword=topstory
- ↑ http://www.thejournal-news.net/articles/2008/11/01/news/news01.txt
- ↑ http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2008/05/10/2008-05-10_service_dog_autistic_child_share_warm_fr.html#ixzz0RQ7zCgQ1
--Tiffany Huggard-Lee 09:49, 19 September 2009 (CDT)
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| Author | Tiffany Huggard-Lee + |
| Post date | 19 September 2009 14:49 + |
