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Canine companion arrives for autistic girl


By Raymond Bowe

Friday, June 06, 2003 - 15:00

Local News - WASAGA BEACH — Leigh Hoppins’ guardian angel has arrived.

The 10-year-old girl welcomed Buddy, a three-year-old chocolate Labrador, into her life a few days ago, and the duo have already forged a special bond.

Upon arriving at the Hoppins home, Buddy immediately went to Leigh, somehow sensing that she was his project.

“He’s like her little guardian dog — he goes into her room and sleeps with her at night,” said Cathie Hoppins, Leigh’s mom.

Leigh thought she was dreaming when Buddy arrived.

“He’s nice,” said Leigh of her new companion. “He’s my buddy.”

Leigh was diagnosed at age four with Asperger Syndrome, a highly functional form of autism. She lacks social skills, has repetitive behaviour, and sometimes displays severe aggressive outbursts, said her mom.

Buddy will be Leigh’s special companion and a safety anchor should she try and stray away from him.

“The number 1 thing is safety,” said Cathie. “But the ultimate goal is for her to have her independence. He’s just so gentle the way he watches over her.”

Cathie said she already sees changes in her daughter, a Birchview Dunes elementary school student.

”She’s a lot calmer now, and is really excited when she gets home from school,” said Cathie. “To have him here when she gets home is a big deal. She just loves him.”

The family has readily accepted the dog as one of the family.

“We’re really surprised about how well he’s adjusted into our family, considering how much he’s moved around in recent months (with training courses),” Cathie said.

After applying to get a National Service Dog in March of 2002, the Hoppins family held various fund-raisers in the fall to purchase the $8,000 specially-trained canine. Many service and community groups approached the family with financial assistance.

“We couldn’t have done this without this community,” Cathie said. “It was great the way they pulled it all together.”

After 15 months of training, Buddy arrived at their Wasaga Beach home.

Buddy was trained at a facility in New Hamburg, near Kitchener. Blaine and Cathie Hoppins did a week’s worth of training there to learn various commands and familiarize themselves with Buddy. Part of Buddy’s training included sitting in a busy mall with a hamburger in front of his nose.

He had to ignore the temptation, and passed.

“He’s ready — he’s definitely ready,” said Cathie.

There’s one more step for Buddy to overcome. The Hoppins will take him into high-traffic communities for his Public Access Test in a few days. If he passes, his training will be complete and Leigh will be tethered to him in public using a waist harness.

Buddy, who will retire around 10 years old, is outfitted with a purple jacket when he’s on the job. Cathie said his demeanour changes significantly when he dons that jacket, although he still has his playful side.

There are two sides to Buddy in the Hoppins’ eyes.

“We want him to be a dog, not just a little soldier,” Cathie said.
 

© 2003, OSPREY MEDIA GROUP INC