A young boy named Mikey was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. He had been experiencing anxiety which could sometimes happen to people with his condition.
His family searched for ways to help him with his anxieties and learning challenges without resorting to medication. They decided on raising funds for a therapy dog.
On that day, Mikey did not know that he was going to see the dog who would soon become his therapy dog and his best friend. He was pleasantly surprised to meet a white Golden Retriever puppy. They liked each other instantly. Mikey named her Bacon because it was his favorite food.
Mikey wanted to be as close as possible to Bacon on the ride home. He kept touching her through the cage. As soon as they actually arrived at the house, Mikey seemed somewhat possessive of Bacon. He would not let anybody else touch her or talk to her.
Bacon was a smart dog. She easily learned all the basic commands by the time she was six months old. Even if she did not have any formal training yet, she knew how to make Mikey calm down. Whenever Mikey felt anxious or upset, she would kiss him on the face, neck, and hands.
Lori, Mikey’s mom, would have liked for Bacon to lie down on top of Mikey like a weighted blanket when he’s having an anxiety episode, but licking him seemed to work. She had noticed that Mikey had lesser anxieties when Bacon came into their lives. Lori hoped that someday, Bacon would get certified as a therapy dog so that she could accompany Mikey to school.
Mikey and Bacon spent a lot of time together. Typically, they would get up at about the same time in the morning. They would cuddle for a few minutes before Mikey got ready to go to school. They constantly hang out after school and during the weekend.
Lori created an Instagram account to document Mikey and Bacon’s journey together. In this way, Mikey would have memories to look back to when he got older.
Source: The Dodo via YouTube
