Autism Life Link Blog

Autism Life Link Blog

Does a Dog Help with Autism?

When we first got our dog Molly, I figured Quay would just ignore her. At first that was the case. For the first few months, Quay would occasionally be sitting on the couch petting her for a brief minute while Molly would lick his hands. We had no idea it would turn into a bond that could never be broken.

Quay Playing with Molly

Molly was a Boxer and a very big one, coming in at over 100 lbs. She was the sweetest girl. She ended up getting so big that the kids would ride her like a horse! Molly and Quay where best buds. She would sleep in his doorway to protect him and would not let people near him unless we said it was ok. It was such a blessing for him to have a friend like that. I was so used to him playing by himself and pushing people away. Molly opened him up and helped him in so many ways. When she came into the room, you could see his eyes light up with joy. Now Quay plays fetch, pets, rides, chases and cuddles with the dogs.

About a year and a half ago we decided to add to our family and get a Rottweiler named Lily. We knew Molly was getting older, and we wanted to make sure that when we had to put her to sleep the transition be as smooth as possible.

Quay Playing with Lily

After a long fight with her back legs and hips, we had to put her to sleep a few months ago at the age of 11. It was very hard, but Lily has stepped up to the plate. The kids just love her and she loves them. She’s a big sweetheart just like Molly. If you’re thinking about getting a dog to help your autistic family member, I highly recommend it. The right dog can make the biggest difference in their lives. It is a blessing covered in fur.

Molly opened Quay up to a more social self and this allows him today to play with his sister, Zarea, and interact with kids at school. Sometimes that little push ends up being a huge result! The smile it put on his face was all I needed, but I ended up getting so much more!

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