By Jennifer Reed
It’s been a busy couple of months for Good Dog! Drake!
Since her official debut at the Comprehensive Autism Center (CAC) in August, Drake and Susie have been adjusting to a huge transition. Susie has been working closely with Good Dog! and Drake’s trainer, Sam, to continue improving her handling skills and strengthening her bond with Drake. Meanwhile, Drake has worked to overcome her loss of Sam and adapt to her new family. As we all know, sometimes even wonderful changes don’t come easy.
Despite these initial struggles, however, Drake is settling nicely into her very important role at CAC. According to Susie, it is quite obvious that the children adore Drake and vice versa.
Susie reports that Drake is great at following the commands “Say hi,” “kiss” and “hug” and she absolutely loves the attention.
On her very first day at CAC, Drake spent some time with Kinley, a toddler with autism who struggles with communication. After only a few minutes with Drake, Kinley walked across the room and picked up a wooden puzzle. She picked out the piece featuring a picture of a dog and promptly brought it to Drake.
More recently, Susie says, one of the older kids assisted her in giving Drake the “high five” command, while another child with a history of dog phobia stood in front of Drake and petted her for the first time. Another child, who has spent a great amount of time exploring Drake from afar, recently approached her. He will now pet Drake from behind, but only as long as she is not looking at him.
To many, these accomplishments may seem small, but for children with autism and their families, there is nothing greater. This dog is for them and we hope their successes only continue to grow in Drake’s presence.