Celebrating International Assistance Dog Week 2026
- Shadia Hancock
- Aug 5
- 6 min read
An appreciation post for my assistance dog, Arwen.
In celebration of International Assistance Dog Week 2026 (Aug 2-8), I reflected on the positive impact my own assistance dog, Arwen, has had on my life over the last four years, and how she supports me daily. I welcomed Arwen home when she was a puppy and started assistance dog-specific training once she turned one. Last year, I was proud to have passed our Public Access Test (PAT) together, which is an assessment that evaluates whether the assistance animal meets the requirements for safety, behaviour, and comfort when accessing public settings. Since starting our assistance dog team journey, we have accessed cafes, restaurants, shopping centres, medical appointments, work engagements, the hairdresser, and public transport together. Arwen enriches my life in so many ways.
Specific assistance dog tasks
Arwen fulfils a variety of tasks to assist in addressing barriers that arise from me being an Autistic ADHDer (i.e., AuDHDer). These include providing me with deep pressure input, whereby Arwen lies on my tummy or legs to ground my body. I find this very calming, especially if I am extremely restless or unable to settle. Arwen will intuitively do this when I am sleeping; since having Arwen, my ability to sleep soundly throughout the night has improved markedly. I previously trialled using weighted blankets as a similar sensory input, but they were not as effective. It's just not the same as having a living, breathing being with you (not to mention a natural heater).
Arwen can provide physical barriers and boundaries between myself and other people by standing either in front of or behind me. This is particularly helpful when standing in lines, where I find it difficult to wait without starting to feel agitated. I also find it distressing when people stand too close to me. Arwen is a welcome physical and visual buffer.
Arwen is also able to identify signs that I am starting to become dysregulated, often alerting me before I am aware. This has included times when I have struggled to disengage from tasks at the expense of important activities such as eating and drinking. This is a common experience for many Autistic and Neurodivergent people, whereby we can struggle to recognise and interpret our internal body signs and cues, otherwise known as interoception. Arwen will alert me in a range of ways, such as nudging me with her nose, placing her paw on my leg, licking my face, or sitting directly in front of me. This has been a game changer, as my signs of dysregulation are not always obvious to the unfamiliar observer.
No words required
Arwen and I have a bond that transcends words. We ‘get’ each other. We work together as a team and look out for each other. There is nothing quite like the unconditional love, acceptance, and regard you can receive from an animal. We both have certain ‘quirks’, routines, and preferences that we have learned to incorporate into our lives. When I am having a tough day, experience a meltdown, or feel intense joy and excitement, Arwen is there every step of the way. There is no need to explain to her why I interact with the world in certain ways, or why particular noises distress me. When I am feeling socially burnt out and need quiet time, it is a breath of fresh air to just be with Arwen; no spoken conversation needed.
Arwen is also a very clear communicator. If she wants my attention, she vocalises or puts her paw on my leg. If she needs space, she takes herself to one of (her) many couches in the house. I do not find myself second-guessing Arwen's intentions or feelings, which I can do with some humans.
Consistent companionship and friendship
I never feel alone when Arwen is home with me. We wake up together, and we end the day together. While we do not spend every waking hour together, even knowing that Arwen is in the same building as me fills me with a warm, fuzzy feeling. On the odd occasions that she has needed to be away from home, it has felt so quiet and dull without her.
Arwen is very predictable in her responses to me coming home. Regardless of whether my day has been wonderful, terrible, joyous, or upsetting, Arwen will greet me as if we have spent months apart. I will always hear her excited barking as I pull into the driveway, announcing to the world that Shadia has arrived home! Her love and happiness draw me into the present moment.
Increased social connections
Many of my social connections have been facilitated, directly and indirectly, through a mutual love of animals. One of my friendships started through my previous assistance dog, Freya, when I was invited to join my now-friend on a walk with her dog. Neither of us would have felt confident or comfortable initiating this without our dogs as the social anchors.
Having Arwen has enabled me to connect with other assistance animal handlers at various stages in their training journeys. I have had the pleasure of meeting some beautiful people in the general animal world, while attending group dog classes or engaging in our Nosework sessions. I have also found that my Autistic and Neurodivergent friends seem to love having Arwen join us for catch-ups. I am not going to lie; they do tend to ask after her first, before me. I don't blame them; after all, she is my Very Important Poodle.
Enhanced community participation
Frankly, Arwen gives me a reason to leave the house most days. I am a homebody, and once out of a routine find it very difficult to re-engage. As with other Autistic people, this became apparent post-COVID; I realised that I had enjoyed the respite that home-based life had provided and found it challenging to start accessing the community once again. The outside world can be exhausting, and it is easy to find a reason to avoid it. The people, sudden noises, smells, bright lights, the planning required, needing to interact with lots of people… the list goes on.
Arwen loves outings, new experiences, and any excuse to spend time with me. So, if I tell her, "We are going out to the car" or "Let's go for a walk", she will pretty much always respond with extreme enthusiasm - she would have to be feeling seriously unwell to ever decline an offer for an outing. This then makes me feel more excited at the prospect of leaving home and trying new things. It also holds me to account, as if I take too long, Arwen will clearly communicate her feelings about this! So instead of feeling "Ugh, I have to drive to the shops. I really don't want to go, maybe I should do online shopping", I start thinking, "I don't want to go, but Arwen's coming with me, at least she'll love it".
Additionally, Arwen helps me stick to routines, which can be challenging as someone with ADHD. She tends to learn my daily schedules quickly, including when I usually get up in the morning or go to bed. This has resulted in her alerting me when I have deviated from these usual patterns.
Having Arwen with me also provides me with a natural conversation starter with people in the community. I find it challenging knowing how to start conversations, particularly with people I do not know. Usually, if Arwen is with me, people will start asking questions about her. This takes the pressure off these social interactions and facilitates positive discussions. Arwen is well known at my local pharmacy, café, restaurant, and grocery shops, to the point that I get asked questions if Arwen is not with me when I visit!
I feel so lucky to have Arwen in my life and am grateful for the incredible work of our assistance dogs, their guardians, businesses, animal trainers, assistance dog providers, and our community allies.
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