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Our One Hope - The Story of Nick & Reggie

Our One Hope - The Story of Nick & Reggie
by Michelle Ripportella

Living with a special needs child is short of what someone would call a struggle for all. It is not just a struggle for the special needs child, but it is a struggle for the family and everyone that interacts with them. My son, Nick, is diagnosed with ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Speech and Receptive Language Disorder, LD, and has some of the crossover symptoms that a child with Autism would have.

Since he was three, we have been in and out of doctors’ offices, and have seen holistic doctors, therapists, nutritionists, neurologists, and psychiatrists for answers to what we could do to help him. The only answers we received were for my son to go on medication and herbal supplements. Although he was able to get some relief, the true relief came with the arrival of Reggie, our Tricolor Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

We had no idea that our decision to get our first dog when Nick was six, would end up being the best decision we ever made. Maybe it was that Reggie understood Nick, or Nick understood what Reggie had been through as a rescue dog. Whatever it was, they “got” each other.

To better understand, with my son’s diagnosis, he tends to have meltdowns daily. Sometimes he is violent, other times erratic, and most often he is uncontrollable. Little did we know that Reggie’s compassion would comfort and calm my son! Every time Nick had a meltdown, no matter what state of mind he was in, Reggie would march right up and lick his face and lie across his neck as if to say, “It’s ok, I am here, and you don’t have to get upset.” And wouldn’t you know it – that’s exactly what he did. Nick would begin to calm down (not entirely), but at least slow down his meltdowns. Over time they gradually became less intense.

Now, at the age of nine, my son knows what he needs, so when he starts to get upset, he goes right to Reggie and Reggie knows just what Nick needs. I have never seen anything like it. Keep in mind, Reggie has not been trained as a therapeutic dog, and has had no formal training of any kind. He just has this sense to know when my son needs him and he goes to Nick’s side over and over and over again.

I know people say that all dogs know you and sense your needs, but Reggie knew from the first day he met us. Reggie was never scared, as most rescue dogs probably would have been. We as humans were scared at times of Nick’s behavior, but not Reggie. Now, by no means is my son cured, and he may never be; but he is better, thanks to the love of our Cavalier, Reggie. Our many thanks go to GCCR for bringing more to our family than just a rescue dog.

November 2014