Canine Companions, based in Santa Rosa, trains dogs to help kids living with autism and their families manage daily needs, including sleep.
Jackson Blanchard is just one example. He experiences a lot of anxiety for a 13-year-old boy, an unfortunate feature of his autism.
His dog Mystery is making a huge difference.
“Jackson’s anxiety level before Mystery was a 15 out of 10,” said Jody Blanchard, Jackson’s mother. “Now, I’d say his anxiety level is at a 3 or 4.”
Leaving the house for school isn’t as big an ordeal anymore. Mystery calms Jackson and prevents him from running away.
For years, Jackson slept with his mom and dad. But now, Mystery sleeps on top of Jackson like a weighted blanket to bring down that anxiety at night.
“And we all sleep through the night, and that’s been such a blessing,” Jody Blanchard said. “On month two after having Mystery, he looked at him and said he’s my best friend. The hard thing for kiddos with autism is that they don’t have friends. … It’s that contact with another living being. It’s that human canine connection.”
Canine Companions recently teamed up with the University of Arizona in a research project that shows service dogs do in fact help kids with autism sleep better compared to kids without a dog.
“They accept us for who we are. They don’t see the disability,” said Dr. Brenda Kennedy, chief veterinarian research officer at Canine Companions.
“They don’t see the differences, and that feeling of acceptance is honestly one of the reasons why dogs are killing it out there.”
The Blanchard family can now fly and go to places like Disneyland.
If you or someone you know needs more information on Canine Companions, visit the website canine.org.
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