"Jack gives unconditional love and has such a calming presence, not only for Callum and the family, but for everyone that he connects with" - Melanie, Callum's mum
It’s been one and a half years since Jack joined the Newman family, and their bond continues to go from strength to strength.
Callum will stroke Jack when he’s feeling distressed or upset, helping him to calm down or settle. Jack’s also been taught to support Callum when doing assisted walking, or when he’s getting up on his knees.
But the greatest way Jack has started to help the family was a task he learned recently. Towards the end of 2023, Jack was brought in for further training with the ADNZT team. During this time, he was taught to ‘alert’ (bark) whenever Callum is having a seizure, to retrieve a pillow for Callum to lie on, and then finally, to lay down beside him until things settle, as a means of moral support.
The ADNZT team works hard to meet the changing and developing needs of our clients, their families, and our working dogs. One way we do that is by providing ongoing training to our working teams. Since learning this, Jack has helped Callum come out of seizures quicker by licking his hands, and even resting his head on Callum’s chest.
Melanie says Jack’s ability to ‘alert’ when Callum is having a seizure will give Callum more independence as he gets older and is also a huge support to her.
What’s even more remarkable, is that not only has Jack taken the training on board, but he’s advanced on it! In recent weeks, Jack has sensed a few seizures before they’ve begun, giving the family a ‘heads up’. For Melanie, that’s been where she's really felt Jack’s immeasurable worth.
To put it simply, Jack is Callum’s rock. Melanie loves watching Callum and Jack interact together. Callum enjoys giving Jack a full body rub down, then proceeds to roll over the top of him. Jack has zero complaints; he loves the massage!
The family loves taking Jack on as many outings as possible. With Callum’s love of dinosaurs, they took Jack to the museum and enjoyed seeing him react to the T-Rex. He’s also been included in costume days, where he even dressed up as a T-Rex himself (the costume was made by one of Callum’s carers).
The whole family adores Jack, and Callum's sister and mum are thrilled to have a companion if they need support too. Jack will continue to be an instrumental member of the Newman family for many years to come. Melanie hopes that eventually, he can learn to give Callum fully self-regulated seizure alerts. And as a mum, she’d also love to see the day Callum takes Jack for a walk independently.
To read Jack and Callum's story from 2022, please visit: https://www.assistancedogstrust.org.nz/post/2022-annual-appeal-callum-and-jack
To help more New Zealanders like Jack, please consider making a donation today. Thank you 💙
Comments