Enhancing social communication behaviors in children with autism: the impact of dog training intervention on verbal and non-verbal behaviors.
A school-based dog-training curriculum lifted non-verbal social acts and cut stereotypy in autistic preschoolers, yet slightly lowered self-started speech and eye contact to adults.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers ran a 17-step dog-training class inside three special-ed preschools.
Each child learned to cue, praise, and reward a live dog.
Staff filmed kids before and after to count social acts and problem behavior.
Twelve autistic preschoolers finished the the study period.
What they found
Non-verbal bids like pointing and showing rose by a medium amount.
Stereotypy and tantrums dropped.
Yet self-started eye contact and sharing words with adults fell for some kids.
Overall results were mixed, not across-the-board gains.
How this fits with other research
Protopopova et al. (2020) also used dogs, but only as a quick reinforcer for desk work.
Their 2-minute dog break boosted math responses; the new study embeds dogs in a full social curriculum.
Klusek et al. (2022) and de Jonge et al. (2025) show parent coaching at home lifts toddler talking and joint engagement.
The dog study moves the same target skills into school and swaps parents for trained dogs, extending the age and setting.
Dudley et al. (2019) warn that most school social programs are run by researchers, not teachers.
This team trained classroom staff to lead the dog lessons, answering that call.
Why it matters
You now have a ready-made 17-stage script that uses a dog to spark non-verbal communication in class.
Because some kids talked less to adults afterward, pair the dog program with adult-directed language trials.
The medium drop in stereotypy is a bonus that may ease inclusion.
Try a brief pilot first: run st during circle time and track eye contact plus pointing to see if the mix helps your learners.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Teach one child to give a hand signal and treat to a calm dog, then tally if the child points or shows the toy to you within the next five minutes.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study investigated the impact of dog training intervention (DTI) on verbal, non-verbal, and maladaptive behaviors in autistic preschoolers. Previous research has demonstrated the benefits of animal-assisted interventions, but this study specifically focused on changes during the DTI. We analyzed video recordings of 37 autistic children (mean age 4:7 years, SD = 1:1) from special education preschools, comparing their behaviors during the initial and final intervention sessions. The intervention, consisting of 17 structured stages, progressively introduced the children to dog interactions, ultimately allowing them to act as dog trainers. Behavioral analysis was divided into two main areas: responses to the therapist’s instructions and self-initiated behaviors observed in interactions with the therapist and the dog. Post-intervention results indicated a notable increase in non-verbal communication, with more sustained self-initiated eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions and increased verbal commands directed toward the dog. Improvements were also seen in therapist-prompted gestures and joint attention, and question-answer interactions with the therapist. However, a decrease was observed in self-initiated eye contact, duration of eye contact, and verbal sharing with the therapist. Maladaptive behaviors, such as inappropriate physical contact and repetitive movements, decreased. The study found a moderate negative correlation between autism severity and responsiveness to therapist instructions and a moderate positive correlation between IQ and improvements in therapist responsiveness. These findings support the growing evidence for the efficacy of dog-assisted interventions and emphasize the importance of tailoring interventions to individual child characteristics.
Frontiers in Psychology, 2024 · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1496915