Teen and his dog guide headed to USask Engineering
Via CBC Saskatchewan: Dog guides Bingo and Doug helped Stephen Walcer deal with the frustrations of autism and fulfil his dream of graduating from high school.
As teenagers stream out the door of Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw, one stands out from the rest.
His best friend and constant companion isn't a fellow graduating senior, but a loyal, conscientious black Labrador dog guide named Doug.
Doug and his predecessor, Bingo, helped Stephen Walcer, 18, deal with the frustrations of autism and fulfil his dream of graduating from high school.
"They've just been a friend for me for the past seven years — just always there and I could rely on them during hard times," he said of the two dog guides.
Doug will be by Walcer's side when he crosses the stage to receive his diploma, and moves into the next chapter of life at the University of Saskatchewan, where he plans to study engineering.