“Our son, Landon, was so happy to meet his CNIB Buddy Dog, Ruggles. They met in October 2019 and Landon could tell right away that Ruggles was kind and loving, and immediately started calling him ‘a good friend’. Ruggles is a gentle, smart and obedient two-year-old golden retriever with a playful side. He is a real sweetheart. We first heard about CNIB Buddy Dogs after receiving an email from CNIB and we were immediately excited about the opportunity. Our family has had two pet dogs before, so we knew a buddy dog would be a great companion for Landon. Animals have always calmed Landon, who has autism and sight loss, and we knew he would love having a dog of his own and it would be a good opportunity for him to learn how to be responsible for a dog. We were right – Ruggles has brought so much joy to Landon’s life. He loves having a dog that he can pet and hug when he feels like it. Landon doesn’t have many friends, but he knows he has one in Ruggles, who often comes to Landon with love and affection if he is having a hard day. They love to play fetch and chase each other around the house. We took Ruggles on many camping trips last summer and Landon loved having him with us. Everyone that meets Ruggles adores him. Even family members that normally fear dogs are comfortable around him – he really feels like a member of our family. Thank you, Ruggles, for being such a good friend to Landon.”
-Esther & Jason Byers, parents to Landon (age 12)
