A whole new leash of life

The new year offered a world of new possibilities for nine-year-old Jack Caldwell as he was not only introduced to his very own golden retriever dog but his pet has given Jack a new lease of life.

Jack, who is from Bunratty and a student of Clonmoney National School, met his dog Aggie for the first time in December at the Irish Dogs for the Disabled organisation in Cork.
Nine-year-old Jack has ataxic cerebral palsy and, as a result, has difficulty with his balance and with walking. In the past he has had to use a walking frame to get around and while a necessary tool for Jack the walker created a stumbling block to Jack’s social interaction and to his acceptance by his peers.
However since Jack’s mother, Emer Sherry discovered the organisation Irish Dogs for the Disabled and learned that the group could train a dog who would help Jack in more ways than one, his life has taken a turn for the better.
“Basically I Googled and found the website for the Cork-based charity and they were amazing. We put in our application last January 2009 and went there in July where we met a few of the puppies. In October we got a call to say they found Jack a dog, and we went down in October to have an interview,” she explained.
There was a strict “vetting” process and Jack and his family attended an intensive residential training course in December and learned how to walk with Aggie and how to use the necessary commands.
Two-year-old Aggie is a stability dog and she is specially trained to help Jack walk and she knows how to act in different scenarios. She has learned certain commands so she can react to certain situations. Emer explains that for instance when Aggie comes to a kerb, she stops and Jack will give a command to say whether there is a step up or a step down. She then provides Jack with the right stability for going up a kerb by putting her two paws on the kerb and once Jack is up safely she follows him.
“Jack was using his walking frame up until the end of October. After that he had tripod sticks and for a child with balance problems it was hard for him to contemplate using sticks. We said that the dog might not happen until you use the sticks and within four weeks he was more motivated and applied himself. Since he got Aggie, Jack uses one stick, and holds onto Aggie’s harness when he walks,” Emer added.
Jack is the first in the county to benefit from a dog under this programme and asked how the family and Jack have taken to their latest addition, Emer breaths a sigh of relief, “Aggie is fantastic. We brought her home in December and we had to learn to live with a dog for the first time but she’s great. She’s extremely calm. Jack just adores her and the two of them have a routine where they will both sit on the floor and they cuddle and Aggie falls asleep. She really gives him great confidence.
“On his second day of training, Jack said to us, ‘I love Aggie because no one looks at me anymore’. In his mind, the burden of going out in public with a visible disability has been lifted. The happiness that this gives him is worth more than we can ever put into words. Aggie attracts all the attention.
“Before, people would see the walking frame first and it was obvious that Jack has a disability now people see the dog first and they ask the dog’s name. He loves this and he has become more sociable and less fearful of having to speak to both friends and strangers as a result.
“Physically, he has become stronger and fitter, due to all the walking he has been doing when out with Aggie. The quality and volume of his speech has improved due to practising the verbal commands he must use when walking with her. She is a constant, dedicated companion, which is important to him as life can be a little bit isolating sometimes,” Emer outlined.
Having never had a dog in the house before, Emer commented that while it’s a “messier” household, “we wouldn’t swap her for the world. She is a massive addition to the family and we would never go back on our decision”.
The Caldwell family will have Aggie for eight years and as she is a working dog she will then retire but they do have the option of keeping her for her retirement.
For more information about Irish Dogs for the Disabled visit their website at www.dogsfordisabled.ie