“My name is Matthew and I am 8 ½ years old. I have a really nice Assistance Dog named Quincy. He is the best companion that a kid could wish for. I love my dog because he helps me with a lot of things that sometimes I can’t control. Sometimes I’m crying in a crowd and Quincy helps me a ton by licking and kissing me so I feel better. He helps me talk to people. Canines for Disabled Kids helped me a lot by getting me this very special dog.”
(These are Matthew’s own words about his beloved Assistance Dog, Quincy.)
Matt has Asperger’s Syndrome, a neurobiological disorder that makes it difficult for him to process the world, both on social and sensory levels. Some of the tasks that Quincy was specially trained for include providing assistance to Matt in calming himself when stressed, interacting in public, and task adherence. Canines for Disabled Kids (CDK) provided a scholarship to Matthew that resulted in Matt and his mom, Ann, graduating from “doggie college” (Matt’s definition of the intensive training required before taking a CDK dog home!) at NEADS with Quincy in April 2003.
