Update on my son

[JSUPreston]

As many of you may recall, we found out shortly before Christmas that my younger son is autistic. The past several weeks have been a learning curve for all of us. We've been learning different ways to handle things with him, how to think like him to try to understand and communicate better, etc.

We've also been reading on the benefits of a service animal for autistic children. I grew up around deaf and blind people and seeing eye dogs, and had never given thougth to a service animal for autism until SWMBO found some articles about it. So, a few weeks ago, we stated training the GSD with the local Easter Seals. Even though the dog would make an excellent service or therapy animal for my son, my son is so scared of the dog because of the size that the relationship isn't there for the GSD to work out.

Now y'all don't beat me to the end of the story...

SWMBO has been volunteering at the local animal shelter for a while now. We've been talking about the idea of a dog just for our son, but wasn't sure of it. Anyway, a dog that had been adopted was recently returned because the person thought they could have a dog in their apartment. The dog is a black terrier mix of some sort with a streak of white on her chest and touches of white on the chin and rear paws. She's about 25-30lbs. and is 11 months old, best we can figure. From what we understand, she's pretty much grown physically.

So, after I get home from work, the wife and I started talking about an animal for our son. She suggested this dog (Maggie), especially since my wife had worked Maggie earlier today. We pull up a pic of Maggie on Petfinder, and my son immediately says that he loves her and that she is his dog. Off to the shelter we go.

Maggie and both boys hit it off immediately, but Maggie immediately bonded with my autistic son. Obviously, Maggie came home with us and has started settling in. I had to run to Cub Scouts, but left the boys at home to do homework and bond with Maggie. When bedtime came, my son was practically crying because he couldn't sleep with his new dog, since his room was a wreck. Maggie and my son are now asleep on the couch. He is the happiest he's been in a while. We're hoping that Maggie will do well with her therapy training. We're not expecting her to function as an ADA approved service animal, but if she can help out my son here at home with coping with things, it's going to be great.

No pics yet, but yes, it really did happen. Since SWMBO got a discount on the adoption fee and got some free dog chews, I guess I should post it in bargain alerts as well.

[crokett]

Thanks for the update, and stories like this are why I will always prefer dogs to cats. Sorry cat lovers. Cats may feel like this but darned if they will ever let you know it.

[Uncle Cracker]

Very glad to hear this. Some things were just meant to happen, I guess. It's all about making the little guy happy. Keep us posted.

[germdoc]

Animals are much more sensitive creatures than humans--sounds like a the beginning of a wonderful friendship...

[lrogers]

That is really great! I'll bet they will be best buds.

[Pappy]

Not only is this a great thing for your son, but Maggie probably has the best companion a dog could ask for.

[JSUPreston]

We had a little trouble with my son with Maggie last night. Seems he was more interested in having her sit with him while he did his homework than he was in his homework. Took forever to get him to do it. She was busy following the wife and me around as we CLEANED his room. She did go to bed with him for a little while, but was more content to go sleep on the couch. However, 5:30 this morning, I hear his voice calling for her. He definately loves his dog.

She goes to the vet today for her first post-adoption checkup. Hoping it's not too expensive. We spend so much at the vet's office that we have a running tab.

She already knows quite a few commands and has learned very quickly how to show the wife and me when she needs a little "private time." SWMBO wants Maggie to go to the door and tug or nuzzle the leash. So far, so good, with a couple of accidents. At least the accidents are on puppy pads or where the kids have left a towel laying on the floor.

She is a sweet dog, and I hope she and my son continue to bond and that when she starts training as a therapy dog that she will do well.

[TB Roye]

If she is doing well and bonding she will do even better with training. If you son could take a little more responsibility with her, like feeding or taking her out for a Potty break it will even do more. The more he is able to do the better, I know it is difficult with you son's disability. I think once he can learn or figure out the more he does for his dog the better she will become his. I think dogs become a one person animal depending on who does the most for them, even though they love the whole family there is usually one person who is theirs, "the leader of the pack".

Tom

[JSUPreston]

Tom, we're getting him to do stuff like feeding and walking her. Bad part is I really hate to wake up an 8 year old in the middle of the night to take Maggie for her "private time."

He will be involved in her training and care as much as possible. Like you said, I want her to see my son as the leader of her pack. Now, the GSD, the boys and I all know that SWMBO is the leader of our pack.

[TB Roye]

You won't have to wake him in the middle of the night. She will learn to last until morning or will wake you as your second in command. Dogs know better that to wake up a SWMBO, just like we do.

Tom

[JSUPreston]

Dogs know better that to wake up a SWMBO, just like we do.

I don't think the German Shepherd has quite learned that rule yet. One quick lick to the face, and she's wide awake.

[JSUPreston]

Because of life, and my short term memory getting shorter, I had forgotten to post pics of Maggie and keep y'all updated. It's taken me a couple of weeks to be able to post what you're about to read.

On Halloween night, as we were getting ready to go to bed, Maggie attacked our GSD (Sebastian, the gentle giant). My wife was sitting on the floor with him, and Maggie just lunged into and tried to kill him. Maggie didn't work out as a therapy dog, and just became a family pet. However, since we got her, she had become aggressive with the cats, Sebastian, and had growled at the kids more than once. My MIL had scared her once, and Maggie tried to attack her as well.

Maggie had gotten rough with Sebastian before, and my wife has been able to take care of things, but it was different this time. I actually had to grab Maggie and, for lack of a better way of wording it, throw her down onto her back. I had to place one hand over her neck and show her that I meant business. She snarled at me, and then realized that it was me, and immediately submitted. Sebastian had to be rushed to the vet's office and was boarded for the night because of his injuries. He was attacked where his left front leg and chest meet. The vet on call, my wife, older son, and I got him bandaged up as best we could until he could be operated on. My in-laws stayed with our younger son until we got home. Maggie was crated, with our older son getting strict instructions on how to handle her and what was to come.

Try this the next time you want to feel like the scum of the earth: Tell your 11 year old Autistic son that you have to take his dog and have her put down because she has become too aggressive to safely live with the family.

We had to make the decision because we no longer felt the kids were safe with Maggie. We talked it over with dog trainers we know, and folks that run animal rescues, and they all told us the same thing. We were also told that given how badly things had gotten, that it could become a legal liability if we were to give Maggie to someone else. The decision appeared to be the right one...as soon as Sebastian came home with multiple layers of stitches all over his leg up to his chest, Maggie went into growling/attack mode.

A friend of my wife's who runs one of the rescues came over to the house and took Maggie to the vet for us. Maggie lived at the vet's office under observation until this past Monday (Veteran's day). Due to some very poor communication from the vet handling the case, we didn't know that she was gone until this past Wednesday. My wife (and I) had both thought about going against advice and holding Maggie one last time. I guess it wasn't meant to be. We were told that Maggie was aggressive with most of the staff, but did become friendly with one tech, who held her as she passed. We were told that she passed peacefully.

Friday night we got Maggie's paw print and collar in the mail. They are now on a shelf for us to remember her by.

We always believed that Maggie had been abused by someone before we got her. She became more aggressive at night and with people who wore dark clothing. We've also learned that she may have either had a brain tumor of chemical imbalance based on how her aggressiveness progressed and her behavior.

Needless to say, we've been on one heck of an emotional roller coaster the past couple of weeks. I just hope that she is waiting for us at Rainbow Bridge.

[trungdok]

That's such a lovely story and reminded me of my own dog. Seems like they have already became each other's best friend. Thanks for sharing.

Edit: I didn't get to read the last post before writing the comment. Sorry to hear you had to put her down.

[leehljp]

Thanks for sharing this last bit. Praying for your family and for your son. I know that he misses her. And even before I got to the end, my mind was saying something to the effect of a tumor.

[LCHIEN]

Sorry it didn't work out - its a small tragedy in several ways. - loss of a pet, injury to another beloved pet, trauma to the family and esp. your son. Financial hit.

I hope you can come to a new solution. Maybe a rescue dog with an uncertain history is a risky choice compared to a puppy. Best of luck to you whatever you decide.