Autism support dog transforms boy’s school experience

Bringing home a golden retriever named Topaz has been a “life-altering opportunity” for a Pennsylvania family.

Topaz lives with “her boy,” 9-year-old Chaise Clouser, as well as his mom Ashley, dad Justin and 5-year-old brother Conner, in Shelocta, a Pennsylvania borough with a population of roughly 100 people located about 50 miles from Pittsburgh.

The 3-year-old service dog was trained to help Chaise cope with his symptoms stemming from autism and ADHD, the 9-year-old’s mom, Ashley Clouser, told Newsweek in a series of interviews in November and December.

“She has a love for Chaise that I have never seen a dog have with anyone,” Ashley said.

Ashley said their lives were “pretty normal” until the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world in 2020 and the Clousers began noticing concerning behaviors in Chaise they had never witnessed before. She said Chaise began to engage in “severe aggressive behaviors” that no de-escalation strategy could calm, leaving his parents no choice but to restrain him so he wouldn’t hurt himself, them or his little brother.

“His world was now turned upside down and he had no other way to deal with that then turn to aggression,” she said. “In June of 2020, we had to make the most difficult decision that I believe we have ever had to make and commit Chaise to a psychiatric hospital for treatment. Once home, we realized that although he was a little more manageable, this was our new normal and it was frightening.”

She said there is “no manual” for how to help children with Autism and they were running out of options, so she reached out on Facebook and a friend told them about 4 Paws for Ability, a nonprofit located in Xenia, Ohio, that provides service dogs to children and veterans with disabilities. The nonprofit, which aims to “enhance the lives of people with disabilities,” has trained more than 1,800 service dogs since 1998, 4 Paws for Ability spokesperson KaLynn Clark told Newsweek in an email on Sunday.

By the end of July 2020, Chaise had been approved for a service dog and the Clousers’ fundraising efforts began.

“Our lives revolved around not doing much as a family and walking on eggshells, afraid to set him off,” she said. “It was important to get Chaise a service dog to allow our family to be just that, a family, being able to do things together without fear of what could happen and who might get hurt.”

Bringing Topaz Home

The Clousers’ journey to get Topaz was “long,” especially considering they had to raise a daunting sum of $17,000 before they could even be put on a list for a service dog for Chaise, Ashley said. However, thanks to “an amazing network” of loved ones and community members, a series of fundraisers and a front-page feature in their Indiana County newspaper The Indiana Gazette, they were able to reach their goal. Ashley credited an anonymous donation for covering more than $8,000, saying they received a call from a couple in September 2020 offering to pay whatever the Clousers had left to raise.

“Their belief was that we should be focused on raising our children, not worrying about raising money for his medical equipment,” Ashley said.

With the cost of a service dog covered, the Clousers now had to raise money for their trip to Ohio to meet the dog and go through a training process before bringing her home.

In March 2023, the family was financially ready and prepared to take home a service dog, and two months later the Clousers headed to Xenia, Ohio, on May 9 “with excitement” to meet Chaise’s “hero,” Topaz, Ashley said.

“We learned so much from 4 Paws from start to finish, and it is uplifting to know that we have their support for a lifetime,” she said.

Getting School Approval

Despite the high price tag for Topaz, Ashley said the biggest hurdle was the battle for the dog’s clearance to attend school with “her boy.”

Immediately after bringing Topaz home, the Clousers started on their next journey to advocate for Chaise to bring her to school with him.

“No one ever prepares you for the amount of time you must spend educating yourself as a parent of a child with special needs, especially one with a service dog,” Ashley said. “We dove into all things ADA [American with Disabilities Act] to ensure we knew what Chaise’s rights are within the world, including school, when it came to Topaz. Although it wasn’t an easy hurdle to tackle, it was one that was necessary for his educational success as a child having Autism.”

After many emails, phone calls, and conversations with the family’s attorney in addition to meeting with Indiana Area School District officials, Topaz was finally approved to attend school with Chaise in July 2023. The school district also provided a “facilitator” for Topaz to help teach Chaise how to be more independent with the dog’s commands.

Newsweek reached out via email to the superintendent of Indiana Area School District for comment.

“Although this was all new waters for all parties involved, we are happy to report that the transition was somewhat smooth and Topaz has been working very hard to assist Chaise throughout his school day so that he may receive an appropriate public education while helping to manage his big emotions,” Ashley told Newsweek.

In Focus

Topaz, a 3-year-old golden retriever, is 9-year-old Chaise’s service dog. “There is no manual for children with Autism and we were running out of options. His mom, Ashley Clouser, told Newsweek, adding that it was important to get Chaise a service dog to “allow our family to be just that, a family.”

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Ashley said Chaise has had to be physically restrained far less now that he has Topaz by his side.

“Even when he gets frustrated, he is quicker de-escalated by Topaz than any other technique we have used in the past and we have probably tried hundreds,” she said. “Our lives have changed in more ways than one for the positive. I would be lying if I said that this has been an easy process and adjustment, but it has been worth it and Topaz has settled into her role as a ‘hero’ in our books and established that bond with Chaise.”

Meet Topaz

Topaz is a female yellow golden retriever who was born on October 2, 2020, at 4 Paws for Ability and named after the “beautiful yellow fairy in the Barbie movie, Fairytopia.”

As a puppy, she was part of the 4 Paws Puppy Enrichment Program (PEP), which the nonprofit calls “kindergarten for puppies.” After graduating from PEP, Topaz worked with trainers to learn basic obedience commands and get used to being in public before moving on to advanced service-dog training.

Clark said the puppies undergo a “rigorous” training program that lasts about two years, during which they progress through stages – biosensor, puppy enrichment, socializing, and advanced training – to prepare for their future partners’ lifestyles and specific disabilities.

“Topaz is absolutely amazing,” Ashley said. “She has exceeded all of our expectations and continues to each and every day. She has a love for Chaise that I have never seen a dog have with anyone. Topaz is ready and on point the minute that she even senses that he is getting upset. She runs to his side and starts circling him, nudging him, getting close to him, or pawing at him, while looking to us for a command to start working.”

Despite being great at her job as a service dog and the best friend to Chaise, Ashley said that Topaz has a spunky side and a strong-willed attitude at times, which allows her to fit right in with her boy.

“We are blessed beyond words for this life-altering opportunity for Chaise and our family and we couldn’t be more thankful for 4 Paws and all they provide to those in need,” Ashley said.

“Chaise absolutely loves her and won’t allow us to leave the house without her, even if we are just going to be gone for five minutes,” she added.