Delray Teen And His Service Dog
December 2, 2020
Shane Koch is spreading awareness about Tourette’s Syndrome with his viral “Callum the Ridgy” TikTok page.
The 16-year-old’s connection with his dog has garnered more than 1.4 million followers.
“I created the page to show awareness, to show that you are not different nor normal and it’s better to be weird than normal,” said Koch.
Callum has been by Koch’s side for almost a year, helping him when traditional treatments wouldn’t.
“He notices when I do the ticks, he’ll nudge me.” Said Koch. “He can literally sense when I do those ticks and as I feel it coming and a lot of that stress will go away.”
Koch was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome at eight years old and nothing doctors suggested made his symptoms go away.
Koch explained his journey was not always easy saying “I got made fun of by teachers and students, sometimes I would get in trouble for them.”
Koch says Callum has helped to control the repetitive tics and sounds, and his social media page has given him a voice to tell other kids that different is OK.
The teen says Callum has been by his side for almost a year and since his tics have been under control.
“My dog is what helps me with my Tourettes,” said Koch to CBS 12 News. “Having a dog, it doesn’t even need to be a therapy dog, it will just distract you and want to play, and he just helps so much.”
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]
Students Get Therapy Dog
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]
Therapy Dogtor
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]
Therapy Dog Pups
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]
Puppy Cams
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]
Pet Committee
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]