Autistic boy from Rugby gets 'life-changing' assistance dog that gives him confidence to go outside

ITV Central reporter Rosie Dowsing meets Noah, 8, and his autism assistance dog Peggy.

An eight-year-old boy from Warwickshire who could barely leave the house due to stress and anxiety, says his new autism assistance dog has changed his life.

Noah Shone from Rugby now has the confidence to go out to play, socialise and spend time with family thanks to the emotional support he gets from his specially trained Labrador, Peggy.

At two years old, Peggy was given to the Shone family by the national charity Support Dogs, which trains registered assistance dogs to help those living with autism, epilepsy or disabilities.

The family say this Christmas has been the best yet because Peggy has supported Noah to leave the house and enjoy festive activities such as ice skating and dining out.

Noah's mum Kay Shone said: “Noah also managed to attend the school Christmas fair and a birthday party on the same day, something which would have been too much for him before Peggy.

“Peggy went to the party and had lots of cuddles from Noah and the other children - it’s amazing how much her influence calmed the children down that just sat quietly with her.”

Noah got his autism diagnosis when he was five, after lockdown made the difficulties much more obvious.

Kay said: "He’s very good at masking – at school he was the perfect child, but when he got home, we had the ‘explosions’. During lockdown we noticed it more as he was with us all the time."

Getting Noah to leave the house had since been nearly impossible. He didn't like being given instructions, known as Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).

But now Peggy has bounded into their lives, Noah loves to go out and about.

Kay said: “Previously, Noah would stay in and didn’t want to go anywhere at weekends.

“Now we are off out doing all sorts of things he had never tried before – we have been to ski slopes, I’ve sat and watched Noah toboggan and we have been on holiday twice.

“Getting him out of the house was a big stumbling block, whereas now with Peggy, he’s quite happy to try things. Having his best friend next to him gives him that bit of confidence."

Peggy has also had a positive mental impact on the whole family, who say they are less stressed, and more relaxed at home too.

Noah's dad Robert got diagnosed with autism at a similar time to Noah and says having a dog like Peggy lifts his mood, especially on walks.

Robert said: "She has definitely helped me and my mental health, I relax a lot and as a family we do not get as stressed anymore."

When asked about how Peggy has changed his life, Noah said: "She gives me comfort, she is always there, and she is adorable."

The charity, Support Dogs, trains autism assistance dogs to provide safety and to facilitate a more independent and socially inclusive life for both the autistic child and their family.