This is the first in a 2-post mini-series on treating autism in dogs. Make sure to also read Part 2, a very interesting case study: Flower Essences and Autism in Dogs – Case Study
As with children, here in the UK, there has been a big increase in the number of dogs with autism. I have been very privileged to be 
able to offer my Flower Essence skills to a study where owners of dogs with autism are able to share their experiences. It is believed that over-vaccinating of our dogs is the ‘trigger’, which is highly suspected to be the cause in children too. The difference is that our children are only usually vaccinated once, to certain viruses, whereas dogs are vaccinated ‘yearly’ for the same diseases! It is a very basic biology fact that ‘ONCE’ vaccinated, the immunity of your dog should last for a lifetime.
Vaccination is a very controversial subject, as most of us have an annual holiday; we have to abide by the conditions of the boarding kennels. Your dog must have had all of their vaccinations and these must be up to date. So off we go to have another set of vaccinations done for diseases that ‘Fido’ is already immune to!
Signs Of Autism In Dogs
How can you recognise that your dog has autism? In essence, they behave in the same way as children with autism do. They find it very difficult to make eye contact with their owner, they dislike change, they are stressed by big crowds and they are highly sensitive to their surroundings. They are extremely difficult to control and can be very unpredictable. They find learning new things to be very difficult. The pdf below is a list of signs that can be helpful when trying to figure out if your dog suffers from autism.
Diagnostics Tool – Canine Autism
The UK group that I offer my ‘Flower Essence’ expertise to is run by consultant psychologist Dr Petra Dance, and affiliated with holistic vet Nick Thompson. Petra’s dog Bibi has autism. I have been working with Bibi for a few months now and Petra has seen definite improvements. With each client that I work with, I always treat them as an individual and listen carefully to what their owner has to say. It can be very easy to assume that all autistic dogs have the same autistic traits. Dr Bach said; when treating clients with the same illness, each person will present a different outlook, so it is important to treat them independently. This is the first rule of using ‘flower essences’ with guaranteed success; treat what behaviour needs addressing at that exact moment in time.
Flower Essences That Can Help
A dog that loses control in any sense of the word would benefit from the flower essence Dog Rose of the Wild Forces – Bush 
Flower as this will offer a security blanket to help them cope. The positive attributes of this flower essence is that it promotes calmness and serenity.
Cherry Plum – Bach Flower will bring peace to any dog that loses control in any given situation.
Aspen – Bach Flower restores courage and confidence.
One-Sided Wintergreen – Alaskan Flower will provide support and protection for dogs that are highly sensitive to the energies of other animals and people. It helps to strengthen their boundary issues and will foster harmony.
Dog Rose – Bush Flower will address fear issues as will Mimulus – Bach Flowers by addressing their timidness and allow them to gain bravery and belief.
A favourite essence of mine is Chestnut bud – Bach Flowers which restores the ability to learn.
Walnut – Bach Flowers restores adaptability in helping dogs to cope with change.
Flannel Flower – Bush Flower is especially useful for dogs that dislike being touched.
Flower essences are vibrational medicines, which mean that they raise the vibration of your dog. Imagine beautiful music soaking into every cell in your body. You feel uplifted and happy, but once the music stops you feel empty and down. Think of your chosen essence as the beautiful music that your dog is immersed in. Therefore the second rule of using flower essences with success is to offer the essence or treatment bottle to your dog regularly. The best use of the essence is to add it to your dog’s water. Every time your dog drinks from this water they receive another dose of the beautiful vibrating essence. Give 4 divided doses over the day. The third rule of using flower essences with success (in my opinion) is to only choose up to a maximum of 3 essences. Less is definitely more, so choose carefully.
How long does it take to see results? It can be miraculous or it may take a while, just let the essences work their magic and you will be amazed.
Again, don’t forget to read Bibi’s story as told by his owner, and learn more about the signs of autism in dogs.
