When the veteranarian told me
that my 3-year-old lab/Akita mutt was likely autistic, I was stunned. Sure he
was a strange dog, who seemed to lack the most basic canine instincts and
behaviors.....but autistic? Out of all the dogs I could have chosen when I went
to the animal shelter to pick out a puppy, it scarcely seemed possible that I
picked an autistic dog.
This was not my first experience with autism: twelve years earlier I was inducted into the autistic world when my first son, Stephen, was born (to read more about him click on http://abductedbyaspergers.blogspot.com/ ). Stephen was six years old when his quirky and unusual traits were given a diagnostic explanation: Asperger's Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. What are the chances that I actually picked a dog afflicted with a similar disorder?
I had taken my dog, Joe, to the vet
that day for shots. After the doctor spent a few minutes with us, he asked if he
could take Joe into another room for further evaluation. About 20 minutes later
he returned with Joe and gave me his diagnosis.
Joe was peculiar from the day I brought him home. He was terrified of everyone and everything. He never looked anyone directly in the eyes and was very uncomfortable being physically close to people. When someone would reach to pet Joe, he quickly moved away, fearing a hand coming near his head. He didn't lick people and was not territorial with food or toys like most dogs. Initially I thought that Joe had been abused as a puppy, but then decided the foster families they used at the animal shelter were probably screened better than foster families for DCFS (Department of Child and Family Services).
Joe's diagnosis finally elucidated why
he didn't behave like a normal dog and it helped me recognize his limitations.
I realize that our 50 pound canine is terrified of creatures a mere fraction
of his size and he will never be a deterent to pests that dig in my flower beds
and eat my vegetable garden. Squirrels taunt Joe by running around the base of
our large trees while he chases them in vain. The neighbor's small cat has no
respect for our dog - after Joe ran up to her in our yard, she stood her ground
unfazed and eventually turned her back and casually walked away. More recently,
Joe was traumatized when a small yellow finch attacked him in the yard and he
was afraid to leave the house for days.
Despite the daily challenges of raising an autistic dog, there are a few sweet victories. A month ago my dad sent a rawhide bone for Joe. The first week he didn't go near it. By the second week he sniffed it occasionally. The following week he actually held it gently in his mouth a few times. Then yesterday when one of my sons arrived home, Joe actually greeted him at the front door with the bone in his mouth.
It is the fleeting moments when Joe's autism is briefly overidden by his basic canine instincts, that give me hope that Joe can live a fulfilling dog's life despite his disability.
This was not my first experience with autism: twelve years earlier I was inducted into the autistic world when my first son, Stephen, was born (to read more about him click on http://abductedbyaspergers.blogspot.com/ ). Stephen was six years old when his quirky and unusual traits were given a diagnostic explanation: Asperger's Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. What are the chances that I actually picked a dog afflicted with a similar disorder?
 |
| Joe, 5 months, and me |
Joe was peculiar from the day I brought him home. He was terrified of everyone and everything. He never looked anyone directly in the eyes and was very uncomfortable being physically close to people. When someone would reach to pet Joe, he quickly moved away, fearing a hand coming near his head. He didn't lick people and was not territorial with food or toys like most dogs. Initially I thought that Joe had been abused as a puppy, but then decided the foster families they used at the animal shelter were probably screened better than foster families for DCFS (Department of Child and Family Services).
 |
| Hayden, Joe, me and Stephen |
Despite the daily challenges of raising an autistic dog, there are a few sweet victories. A month ago my dad sent a rawhide bone for Joe. The first week he didn't go near it. By the second week he sniffed it occasionally. The following week he actually held it gently in his mouth a few times. Then yesterday when one of my sons arrived home, Joe actually greeted him at the front door with the bone in his mouth.
It is the fleeting moments when Joe's autism is briefly overidden by his basic canine instincts, that give me hope that Joe can live a fulfilling dog's life despite his disability.
No comments:
Post a Comment