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Florida Boy Finds Friend In Assistance Dog

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The Daytona Beach News-Journal

Published: August 27, 2008

EDGEWATER - Trevor Wyatt cannot speak, but there is happiness in his grin. The 6-year-old plops a hand on his dog's blond fur, stroking it from his wheelchair as he rolls past rows of houses on a balmy summer afternoon.

Kresge, a 2-year-old Labrador and golden retriever mix, sticks close to Trevor's left wheel. He lets out a tongue-filled yawn, though this isn't your typical dog's cushy life. Kresge, who dons a blue vest in public, is a skilled companion dog.

His human partner, Trevor, has cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects body movement and muscle coordination. Kresge is his assistant, friend and fur ball.

Chosen for this vocation before birth, he is part of a skilled fleet of dogs from the Canine Companions for Independence. The national nonprofit organization provides highly trained assistance dogs and support to enhance the lives of people with disabilities.

After just a few months at home with his new family, Kresge has done that and more for Trevor and his parents, Michele and Jimmy Wyatt. He assists them in daily tasks, but more than anything he's become a great friend.

As Trevor's assistance dog, that means sisters Marisa, 11, and Patricia, 17, can't interact with Kresge too much to insure the bond remains with their brother.

Placing an assistance dog with a candidate depends on a variety of factors, such as the candidate's abilities, behaviors and equipment he or she uses, said Lori Lindsay, a spokeswoman for Canine Companions at the organization's southeast campus in Orlando.

"We focus on most aspects of the candidate's life and personality," she said.

Nationally, the group places about 200 canines with human partners every year. Because Trevor can't talk, his parents are Kresge's facilitators. But before bringing him home in April, the Wyatts needed some training of their own.

They attended a two-week intensive course at Canine Companions' Orlando campus with Trevor, where they learned about canine theories, verbal commands and even grooming skills. It was during this training session that they also were matched with Kresge.

The Wyatts worked with several dogs before finding a good fit. Michele Wyatt said trainers assured her that their future dog would eventually learn to walk alongside a wheelchair when a bond is formed. But once paired with Kresge, it seemed it was meant to be.

"He just automatically walked up beside Trevor, and that's when I said, 'Jimmy, this is the one,'" said Trevor's mom.

During their training, the Wyatts attended lectures on campus and tested their proficiency and their dog's skills at a food court in an Orlando mall. The family had lunch while Kresge calmly remained on the floor.

"When he's out in public, he's supposed to be invisible," said Trevor's dad, who can command the dog to go under a table. "A lot of people, when we leave a restaurant say 'Oh, we didn't even know you had a dog.'"

On trips or walks in the neighborhood, he remains at Trevor's side - often soothing the boy when he cries by laying his head in his lap or staying close for Trevor to run his fingers through his fur.

"He has a big calming effect on Trevor," his mom said.

Assistance dogs from Canine Companions begin basic obedience training as puppies. They go through at least six months of formal training to master about 50 verbal commands before undergoing team training with candidates.

The group uses golden retrievers, Labradors and mixes of the breeds, said Patrice Shields, a development associate with the organization.

Among his abilities, Kresge can retrieve a fallen item, such as Trevor's toys, push a door open, pull a drawer open with a rope, flip a light switch and even push an elevator button - though there's a 50/50 chance he'll push the right one.

But besides the physical help he provides, he's also become the Wyatt's social bridge in a society that often shuns or doesn't know how to act when they see a young boy in a wheelchair.

Children gasp in amazement when they see Kresge in a building, wondering how the dog was allowed in.

"They'll ask to pet him," Trevor's mom said, "and right away, I'll make sure to introduce Trevor."

The dog helps people acknowledge him as a person, as opposed to just staring, she said. Talking with strangers seems to help her son maintain eye contact and better head control so he can see what's happening around him.

And even though it's been a few months since Trevor and the dog met, it seems Kresge knows when he's needed, she said. Sitting on the couch beside his mom, Trevor is quiet until a friendly lick interrupts his silence.

"Did you get kisses?" she asked, as her son burst into laughter.

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