The Portuguese water dog puppy has been named Farrusco by teen Rui Marques, from Porches, who was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of two.
Now aged 17, he was gifted the service dog by the Portuguese Assistance Dog Association following a charity fund-raising campaign.
Farrusco, who is three and a half months old, will now have to undergo training for a year and a half, as well as bond with Rui and his family.
Trainer Rui Elvas, who will be teaching the young animal to be an assistance dog, praised the Portuguese water dog breed for its “calm qualities” which he says will bring “more balance” to the teen’s daily life.
The youngster’s parents, Elsa and Rui Marques Sr. said the dog will be a “vital help” for their son in “improving his ability to interact with daily challenges and preconceptions”.
Farrusco is the sixth dog delivered by the Portuguese assistance Dog Association this year; there are currently more than 200 requests on the waiting list.
Rui’s family have also been advised to integrate their son, who attends the Lagoa Arts School, in a professional working environment as soon as possible.
The teen has previously received a prize for one of his paintings and worked for the Sonae Group for a few months last year.
He is currently seeking employment.
According to research, “an autism service dog is a service dog trained to assist an autistic person to help them gain independence and the ability to perform activities of daily living similar to anyone else”.
For the most part, these dogs are trained to perform tasks similar to those of service dogs for other sensory processing disorders.
In Portugal an assistance dog, including its training, can cost up to €5,000.