Asperger Syndrome Companion

We’ve always been a dog family. Sophie, our Shitzu, and Reggie, our mutt with a heart of gold, traveled with us across the U.S. to Toronto, Canada and back to sunny southern California when they were in their teenage years.

Our son spent his first years with Sophie and Reggie. When our baby was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, our aging pups were a great comfort for all three of us. They died of old age within six months of each other, and our home felt like something was missing for a short while.

When I learned about Canine Companions for the disabled and found our beloved Upshaw, a red-headed Golden Retriever who needed a home, our lives and home were again filled with the joy of loving a dog as an Asperger Syndrome Companion.

Upshaw was a trained companion dog. He could open doors, turn on light switches, pick up dropped socks or medicine bottles, and he always walked on everyone's left side. He and our son, who loved him dearly, had a bond that was unbreakable.

He stood at the pool's edge when our son was doing his water exercises, remained by his side following his long stays in bed after extensive leg, feet, and tendon surgeries, and he barked to let me know when something ran afoul of normal and my son needed me.

Upshaw became my companion, too, and I counted on him to look out for my boy when I stood at the sink washing dishes while my 4-year-old was watching a video on TV a few feet away.

Upshaw slept at the door to my son's bedroom at night and held strong when his sturdy body served as support when my son learned to walk. He gracefully took the hits when my boy fell on his big red body, and he would try to help him back up.

As my son's Autistic behaviors began to take hold, Upshaw remained his steady companion. Upshaw seemed to somehow prevent my son from going completely inside his head as kids with Autism often do. They continued to love each other, and my son would lie beside Upshaw and pet him in the quiet times when he was not otherwise engaged with his obsessions and fixations and self-stiming behaviors. My son's temper and overall sense of calm were wonderful benefits of having Upshaw in his life.

When we moved to a new neighborhood of townhouses and newly separated and divorced families, us included, Upshaw became the favorite dog. The local kids liked to hang out at our house and play video games, and Upshaw was part of their crowd. One of my son's playmates often came to our door simply to ask if he could take Upshaw for a walk around our gated community. Upshaw could also pee on cue, which seemed a miracle to the kids in the 'hood.

Upshaw brought new friends to our door as an Asperger syndrome companion. He was the lure that allowed my son the company of other children for the first time in his life. Over time, these kids began to get to know my son, his differences, and their commonalities, and they became friends in spite of their different-ness ... I believe Upshaw made that happen. He made it possible for my son to integrate with other children, to watch them and emulate their ways of being, to come out of himself, his Asperger's solitary life and into the world of other kids.

Our home became the site for many parties and was the landing area for most of the neighborhood. Most parents stopped by our home first to find their "missing" children. We had a lovely nest there for four years and made lasting friendships. It was a time of upheaval and sadness as my marriage came to an end, and it was made so much better with Upshaw hosting our home as we rebuilt our lives as a family of two.

Please contact me for support or other issues regarding Asperger Syndrome Companions.

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