“All of her nerves and anxiety had melted away” ❤️️
When Mr. Weenie joined his family a few months ago, he quickly became bonded to all of them, but especially Mary. Mary has autism, and there are some things that are a bit more challenging for her — but not when Mr. Weenie is around.
“He calms her through everything,” Fernweh Cooley, Mary and Mr. Weenie’s mom, told The Dodo. “Any new situations she is scared to do, she will hold Mr. Weenie and he will push his little cold nose to her cheek (that’s his way of getting her attention). It brings her attention to him instead of the situation that’s causing anxiety.”
The family had brought Mr. Weenie home for everyone, but it quickly became clear that he was meant to be Mary’s dog.
One of the biggest challenges Mary has faced over the years is going to the doctor. It causes her more anxiety than most other things and has been an obstacle she and her family have struggled to overcome.
“She used to scream, run out of the office [and] hide,” Cooley said. “It was next to impossible to get her inside. However, with years of being patient and not pushing her into doing things she didn’t want, we’ve been able to get her inside, but she sits there without speaking, full of nerves, no eye contact.”
Cooley hated seeing how much stress going to the doctor caused for Mary, so before a recent trip, she decided to ask the office if Mary could bring Mr. Weenie along. They agreed — and as soon as they arrived at the office, Cooley was blown away at what a difference it made having Mr. Weenie there.
“With Mr. Weenie, she interacted with staff, let them know what was bothering her, talked to them and actually SMILED,” Cooley said. “All of her nerves and anxiety had melted away.”
Being able to hold Mr. Weenie while at the doctor’s made Mary feel safe, and it completely changed her experience. She suddenly had the reassurance that everything was going to be OK, and Mr. Weenie was more than happy to be there for her.
When Mary’s family first welcomed Mr. Weenie into their lives, they had no idea just how close he and Mary would become. Now, the pair are best friends, and he’s always there to make things a little bit easier for her.