Join Anna Kennedy as she explores the transformative world of autism assistance dogs with Ruth King, a business development manager who has been partnered with her own autism assistance dog for nearly seven years. Ruth shares her incredible journey from being unable to speak to family members and facing life-threatening health challenges at 17, to finding hope and independence through her springer spaniel Ryder. This episode reveals how autism assistance dogs are selected, trained, and matched with individuals, offering insights into a bespoke program that considers sensory preferences and individual needs. Ruth discusses the rigorous training process that transforms specially selected dogs into life-changing companions, while also sharing her work as a hyper-realistic pastel artist and her role in helping one of the UK’s most recognized autism assistance dog organizations grow from a home-based program to an internationally accredited charity.