JIM FAGAN
The bonding was instant. Smart Pup retriever Charlie came into Jonathon Tardent’s home at Sunrise Beach on Tuesday and immediately went up to the 15-year-old, nuzzled him and on command from trainer, Clare Synnet, stuck out a paw.
They went outside to the garden and Jonathon called him. Charlie didn’t move and looked at Clare who said, “Jonathon, crouch down, put your head in your hands and make crying sounds.” Jonathon did and Charlie immediately rushed over to comfort him. It was a time for smiles for Glenda Boyce and Ruth Betts from Frangipani Dreams, contributor of $10,000 to make the gift of Charlie possible, and Smart Pups director, Patricia McAlister, and Claire who brought the pup to Jonathon’s home. For Jonathon’s Mum, Rebecca, it was a time for a few tears as she told Noosa Today how Jonathon was at the higher functioning end of autism. “He is so innocent and vulnerable. The Smart Pup concept will give him an independence he doesn’t have.” Smart Pups Sunshine Coast specialises in providing specially trained dogs like 12-month-old Charlie for children and young people with autism, epilepsy or other special needs to give them an independence and confidence. It is a charity and, according to Patricia McAlister, the dogs are donated to selected families. “They help reduce stress levels and relieve the social isolation special needs children often feel. We do all our own fundraising and we ask the families to also help raise money. We have three families in Noosa waiting to get their dogs.” Ruth and Glenda first heard about Smart Pups through a Frangipani Dreams’ member who knew of a family who wanted to acquire a dog. They went to Buderim to see a training session with Smart Pups and “it was so inspiring we wanted to help a family. “Patricia had a look through their list of families, who were desperately in need of a dog, and that’s how we came up with Rebecca and Jonathon. “As it turns out Moy did know about Rebecca and her circumstances back when Jonathon was in primary school. We only found this out last week, actually on Thursday, the day of the anniversary of Moy’s death. When we made the decision to help Rebecca, we didn’t know she knew about Moy or Frangipani Dreams.” Charlie needs further training and it will be another six weeks before he comes back to Rebecca and Jonathon. “I can’t wait,” said Jonathon. “He’s just the most perfect dog.” Is he looking forward to taking him for walks? He grinned, “Oh yes, and I’m going to teach him snakes and ladders.” “Better watch the dice,” said trainer Clare. “He’ll chew it.”
