The power of service dogs to change children's lives

The positive impact of service dogs continues to grow: Melissa Faye Greene's new book, "The Underdogs," captures the new and innovative ways service dogs are being matched with children with a variety of issues: diabetes, autism, attachment disorder, seize disorder, brain damage, fetal alcohol syndrome and others.

Her book focuses on a service dog academy in Xenia, Oh., called 4 Paws for Ability.

It was the first service dog agency in the country to place service dogs with children, Greene told MPR News host Kerri Miller.

"The big service dog agencies, the established academies, they wouldn't [do] it. They felt it would be throwing a dog into a pit with an out-of-control kid," Greene said. But 4 Paws' results have been remarkable.

Her book explores the human/canine relationship, and the science behind those positive interactions. "Our bond with dogs," she writes, "is an ancient facet of our humanity."

In one example in her book, she looks at the relationship between a service dog and a young boy adopted from Russia, who was prone to violent outbursts and other disruptive behavior. Service dogs from 4 Paws receive 500 hours of training, including 100 hours specifically focused on the child they will be assisting.

The family of the boy reported that the dog was able to disrupt the boy's outbursts and eventually predict them before they even happened, intervening before he could act out.

Greene said that children's relationships with service dogs can be transformative because, for many of the children, the dogs are "their first friends."

"Their medical issues or psychiatric issues have closed the opportunity to learn how to play, how to hang out with other kids, how to take turns, how to feel empathy, and then they give up," Greene said. Dogs can change that.

With dogs, Greene noted, "Even the most remote and withdrawn child will have the feeling: 'Alright, let's give this a chance.'"

For the full discussion on service dogs and "The Underdogs" with Melissa Faye Greene, use the audio player above.