Paws For Ryker: Gaining a Furever Friend

Meet Ryker 

Ryker is a four-year-old adventurous little boy who radiates joy through his beautiful smile.

He enjoys a good drink from HTeaO (he constantly steals his mama's), he loves being outside, and crashing into his crash pad until his mom tells him it's time to move to the next task. Ryker loves to swing for hours in his pod swing, read books (espcially Click Clack Moo Cows That Type), and be around water. He is obsessed with airplanes, Bluey, and Hotwheels. In his "downtime," he enjoys being snuggled up on the couch with his mom and dad.

Ryker has an incredible personality! Whether he is making you laugh with his dances, dressing up as the house doctor and fixing you up, or showing you one of his many facial expressions, he is full of character! His smile will melt your heart, and his laugh is super contagious!

It's obvious to everyone that Ryker is so much fun to be around!

Ryker lives with a rare genetic condition known as a mutation on the ANKRD17 gene (commonly referred to as CAGs), and he is also on the Autism Spectrum. This combination presents lifelong developmental challenges, particularly in areas related to social interaction, communication, neurological function, and behavior.

Despite the sheer joy he exudes from life's simplest pleasures, Ryker's experience with autism makes day-to-day life complicated and uncomfortable for him, especially when it comes to social situations and navigating the outside world.

Paws, Patience, and Progress: Our Family’s Story with Autism

Ryker is minimally verbal.

While Ryker has recently experienced a language explosion and can now express many of his wants and needs to those around him, he still faces significant communication challenges. For example, if he were ever to become separated from his mom or dad, he would not be able to tell you his name, where he is, or how to contact his parents.

As you can imagine, miscommunication and the inability to fully express certain thoughts can be incredibly frustrating, especially for a four-year-old. When Ryker becomes overwhelmed or is in an unfamiliar environment, he may experience moments of regression. During these times, he often relies heavily on the support of his parents or turns to his AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device to help him communicate more effectively.

Ryker struggles with sensory regulation.

Many autistic children, including Ryker, struggle with sensory processing. This sparks an intense yearning for tactile, vocal, and visual stimulation that can be baffling and overwhelming for him at times.

Ryker has a constant need for sensory input, which can sometimes leave him feeling agitated, overwhelmed, or misunderstood. He finds great comfort and joy in activities that provide visual stimulation and deep pressure, and he could happily engage in them all day. He seeks out intense sensory input as a way to regulate himself.

However, his sensory needs can't always be safely or appropriately met in the moment. For example, when in a busy public setting like a grocery store, he may crave deep pressure or loud noises, but if those needs can't be met safely, he can become overwhelmed. In these situations, he may become distressed and escalate into a meltdown (not to be confused with a tantrum). Onlookers often mistakenly perceive him of being "bad" or "disobedient," which is not the case.

In reality, when words fail him, Ryker’s body language becomes his primary way of communicating that he is seeking sensory input.

This is his body's fight-or-flight response.

This is not misbehavior.

Simple activities are not so simple.

Everyday activities that many of us take for granted, such as going to a friend's house, going to church, attending birthday parties, going to a doctor's appointment, or even something as tiny as a quick stop at the grocery store, can become an obstacle for Ryker due to his anxiety and desire for routine. Everyday activities that may seem simple to others require constant accommodations to ensure Ryker’s safety. For example, there isn’t a single park in our hometown where we feel comfortable allowing Ryker to explore freely due to his tendency to wander (also known as elopement).

When you consider the world from Ryker’s perspective, it becomes clear why social situations can be a source of significant anxiety for him.

As Ryker has gotten older, there came a pivotal moment when our outings began to take on a very different tone, and our family came to realize just how heavily our son is judged by the world around him.:

... his once cherished loud noises and hums now raise concerns.

... we were met with critical and cautious glances rather than kindness and understanding.

... friendships and playdates that once came easily now require guidance, patience, and understanding from others that can be hard for other children to understand.

… everyday noise and crowds in public that others adjust to quickly can feel unbearable for him, leading to sudden meltdowns or the need to leave early.

The reality is that autism creates moments of emotional exhaustion and stress for all of us.

Autism presents challenges in many aspects of Ryker’s life and also profoundly affects his family, who navigate this journey together with empathy, love, and unwavering support.

Ryker's closest bonds are with his Mom and Dad.

While he isn't one to pursue friendships, he loves and craves meaningful connections with others. However, Ryker often feels uneasy when peers initiate conversation or play, which can make playdates, outings, parks, and other social engagements challenging for him. Ryker has been blessed with his small group of friends that meet him where he is at, but you can see the struggle for them both when he becomes overwhelmed or overstimulated. 

When it comes to your child’s safety and well-being, you leave no stone unturned in seeking every possible resource to support them in navigating life’s challenges.

That is why we've decided to get Ryker a service dog: a furry friend who would provide him sensory support, act as his social buffer to set him at ease in public places, and provide the comforting companionship he deserves. 

How Will a Service Dog Help Ryker?

Federally recognized under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Ryker's service dog will be able to accompany him wherever he goes – school, parks, medical offices, stores, restaurants, etc. 

Ryker's service dog will be trained specifically to meet his unique needs and may help by: 

    • Providing independence when in public

  •  Anchoring to prevent Ryker from wandering off (decrease elopement risk)

    • Supplying deep pressure support and tactile stimulation for sensory regulation

    • Providing grounding support to help with calming, focus, and self-regulation

    •  Reducing anxiety and frustration

  •  Providing deep pressure therapy (DPT) in moments that we cannot give Ryker the input he needs

    •  Helping with transitional support between environments and activities

    •  Improving his quality of sleep 

    •  Helping Ryker reduce self-harming behaviors (i.e. biting, hitting himself, and grinding his teeth)

    •  Serving as a visual reminder to others to be kind and patient

    •  Giving unconditional love, comfort, and acceptance 

Studies have shown the countless benefits service dogs provide by assisting special needs children and their families, improving their quality of life by reducing stress and anxiety, especially during family outings. 

How Can You Help? 

Click the donate button to directly contribute to Ryker’s service dog fundraiser! 

We are expecting to bring Ryker's puppy home around Christmas, and will start her training soon afterwards. As some of you may know, Christmas is Ryker's favorite holiday. He could celebrate every day of the year if we let him. As shown above, even in August, he's wearing his Santa hat in anticipation of the upcoming season. This year's Christmas will be even more special as we bring home his fur-ever friend.

Every donation, big or small, brings us closer to our goal. Your act of generosity will not only provide a service dog for Ryker, but it also creates a lasting bond that fosters independence and companionship. This bond will stay with Ryker for a lifetime, significantly impacting his life. How paw-some is that?!

Wags & Gratitude

We cannot begin to thank you enough for your generosity, compassion, and kindness.

This journey wouldn't be possible without your support, and we are deeply grateful that you've taken the time to read our story and help us make this next chapter full of love - and lots of wags!

Please consider sharing our story and this fundraiser with your friends, family, and co-workers. Every share brings us one step closer.

With heartfelt thanks,

The Archer Family