Ian lives in a full house with a busy family, which includes his parents, an older brother, a younger sister, and several family pets. Yet making room for Autism Assist Dog Dewey was no problem for this 8 year old and his family.
Ian’s parents, Laura and Chadd, heard about Can Do Canines from friends whose son received an Autism Assist Dog from us not long ago. They were excited, but the moment Ian met Dewey was even more thrilling than they expected. Laura says, “I knew that Ian would love Dewey, because I had seen him around dogs, but it was fun to see Dewey’s reaction to Ian and the bond they developed so quickly.”
Just as their emotional bond is significant, the physical bond between them when Ian holds Dewey’s handle is crucial. Laura explains, “If he has Dewey with him, he feels more secure. He just knows he has his buddy and he’s more grounded.”
For Ian, wrapping his hand around Dewey’s handle came easily. For the past few years, Ian has been participating in hippotherapy, a type of horseback-riding therapy for individuals with disabilities. “During that,” Laura describes, “he holds the handle on the saddle and he tells the horse to ‘walk on.’ And so with Dewey, it just kind of was a nice transition into him because he has a handle. And so Ian holds Dewey’s handle and just tells him to ‘walk on.’”
“Walking on” also means more “walking in.” Before Ian had Dewey, he often preferred to stay near the doors of stores, not wanting to go in any further. Laura says, “Now that we have Dewey, it’s really fun to be able to take [Ian] to Target and he can go pick out a package of Oreos, or go look at the Roombas that are on display, or just be out in public and experience seeing new things.”
Increased experiences can also mean increased stress. Not to worry. Dewey can help with that, too, by what Laura calls “redirecting Ian’s upsets.” She says, “If we know that something’s going to potentially get him, then we’ll get Dewey to interact with him.” And Ian adores Dewey’s interactions, relishing every kiss and snuggle. In fact, when sleeping together they are “totally intertwined,” according to Laura, who has the photos to prove it. She admits, “I take a picture every night of the two of them, so I have lots.”
As the pair is up moving about the world together, there are even more benefits. Ian is able to work on his gross motor skills, which are important for his physical health. Plus, the family can leave Ian’s wheelchair/stroller at home, since Dewey allows Ian to be more a part of the action when they are out on the town. Laura stresses that having Dewey “has been truly life changing for us as a family and for Ian.” She and the rest of the family are heartened by the “opportunities that Ian will have to experience life more fully and to be able to participate in more family activities and more fun things with his peers and just have a sense of calmness when he’s with Dewey.”
Understanding that amazing partnerships like this don’t simply happen, Laura says, “We are just incredibly grateful to the whole organization and to everyone who contributes in any way. We just really, really appreciate all the time and energy that is put into raising these amazing animals that help fulfill all these people’s lives. It’s just wonderful.”
Thank you to all those who made this partnership possible:
Puppy Raiser — Rochester Federal Medical Center
Great Start Home — Sue O’Connell
Whelping Home — Jan McQuillan
Special Thanks — The Patterson Family
Name-A-Puppy Donor — Duelm Lions Club
Team Sponsor — John Manthey, in memory of Bonnie Manthey
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