RIGHT: Connor and Foster in 2010, shooting the Shetland Sheepdog episode of Animal Planet’s Dogs 101. BELOW: Connor and Sarah, a high school freshman who is involved with various dog sports and volunteers in an elementary school autism class several days a week, surrounded by Ravyn, Foster, Splash, and Uhura.
a dog could be introduced. My daughter, this child’s therapy team, myself and one of my dogs worked together to help this child learn how to interact in a safer manner with dogs. After about a year, Mom decided they were ready to add a carefully chosen dog to the house. The key words here are “carefully chosen.” There is no perfect dog for life with any special needs child. If you are considering bringing in a dog to try and enhance the life of your child, I recommend talking to trainers familiar with special needs children and pets. There are many of us in NoVA willing to discuss this topic. Roni Campbell of Walking with a Friend (on Facebook at @walkingwithafriend) and Laura Sharkey of WOOFS! (on Facebook at @woofsdogtraining) are two others you can contact for guidance. Be honest about what is going on and understand if the answer is “I would not recommend a dog at this time.” What you see when you watch Connor and Foster on Dogs 101 reruns was the result of many factors. Before becoming a parent, I had 16 years of various dog-related work, including 6 years of pet therapy experience and three years volunteering at a behaviorist’s facility. One of my first jobs after high school was with cognitively impaired adults of various ages. Connor had an early diagnosis and intervention. And finally what you see is how autism affected Connor as an individual. There are no magic
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HAYMARKET LIFESTYLE
“In many situations, a dog can enhance the life of a special needs child. However, in the wrong ones, things could turn out badly.” wands, essential oils or mystical powers added to a puppy that will suddenly make everything turn out like a Hallmark Channel movie. It is work and dedication. What do I want you to take away from this? In many situations, a dog can enhance the life of a special needs child. However, in the wrong ones, things could turn out badly. Careful choice of the dog and reasonable expectations for the dog and the child are important. Early intervention once concerns are raised with your child is a must. Expecting a dog to tolerate anything a child can do is not fair and could result in problems. However, careful work, understanding and reasonable expectations increase the chance of a good outcome. ❖ ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Karen Peak owns West Wind Dog Training and The Safe Kids/Safe Dogs Project in Prince William County. She shares her life with her husband of 26 years, her two children, multiple dogs and cats.
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Catching up with Connor: Today, Connor is a college sophomore studying chemistry and secondary education. He lives on campus, drives, is involved with various clubs, and has volunteered or worked for Prince William County Schools and Kings Dominion. In tenth grade, as part of the IBMYP program, Connor did a personal project on the topic of autism, pets and technology. The website may be found at: ibmypautismproject.com.