Emmett Weiss is the 13 year old son of Benjamin and Maegan Weiss. Emmett is on the Autism spectrum, non verbal, has a moderate intellectual disability, and is at high risk for elopement.

Emmett is a curious kid and shows a growing interest in becoming more independent. This need also greatly increases the risk of elopement in public settings (the park, stores, ect..) as well as at home. Because Emmett speaks very few words, the chances of him being returned safely after running away are greatly diminished.

In the interest of his personal growth and safety his parents have been searching for ways to help Emmett develop a greater sense of independence and help to give him a way to successfully function in the community. His parents believe that a dog trained for his specific situation would fill that need. Emmett’s new companion, a male English Lab, will be ready to join the family on September 26th.

The puppy will begin Basic Obedience courses on October 5th. This course will help Emmett bond with the dog and develop better communication skills. He will then continue with Advanced Command Training, Reliable Off Leash, Good Citizen/Therapy training and any other service training deemed necessary. When these are completed he will begin “Freedom Tether Training.” This teaches him to allow Emmett to play and explore independently up to a safe distance without the limit of a physical tether. If Emmett reaches the limit of the “safety zone” he will block his way and attempt to redirect him while barking to alert an adult that an elopement situation is taking place. Scent training will be also be completed and will be used to help track Emmett in the event that he becomes lost.

It is estimated that over 60 weeks of travel and training will be required for him to reach his full potential.

When all is said and done Emmett will have a companion capable of keeping him calm and safe while out in public. This will help to open a world of experiences and hopefully help him practice new communication skills. The cost of this training and expenses will come close to $10,000. The goal is to help Emmett’s family offset some of the training and travel expenses in the weeks to come.