Dogs have been part of Ruaridh Findlay’s life from the day he was born.
His mum, Lynsey, has always had dogs, so as a baby he was surrounded by canine family members.
Ruaridh was ringside in his pram at dog shows as Lynsey competed with her collie.
And that’s led to Ruaridh, 16, developing a remarkable bond with their pets.
He has trained them to such a degree that he has competed at Crufts three times.
But even more importantly they instinctively know when to step in and help the Dundee teenager who has autism and ADHD.
Labrador Beauty and golden retriever Toffee sense when Ruaridh is having what Lynsey describes as his “red mist” moments.
People with autism and ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – can experience sensory overload. This can lead to frustration, anxiety, anger and meltdowns.
When that happens for Ruaridh, both Lynsey and his dad Michael know when their intervention will be more of a hindrance than a help.
And that’s when they send in the dogs.
Lynsey said: “When he has a red mist moment the dogs can actually bring him out of it.
“If we go in he might not respond well to us but he does to the dogs.
‘They sense it’
“They actually do it off their own backs. They sense it, rather than being trained do so.”
Ruaridh said: “If everything is overwhelming me Toffee or Beauty will just pin me down and not let me move until I’ve calmed down.
“Beauty’s sister was the best at doing that, my dog Bonnie. She did the same, she would sit on me.”
Dogs are regarded by many as beneficial for children with autism due to their ‘sixth sense’ for detecting emotional changes.
As they communicate without language they can also be great companions for those who struggle with speech.
Their physical presence and loyalty can calm and reassure.
Ruaridh Findlay’s first Crufts in 2020
Some dogs are trained to be autism assistance dogs and respond to anxiety, meltdowns and physically harmful behaviour, much like Toffee, Beauty and before them Bonnie have learned to do themselves.
It was Bonnie that Ruaridh took to his first Crufts aged 12 in March 2020.
Last weekend Ruaridh returned to Birminghan NEC, his dogs among over 19,000 canines to compete in the four-day event.
Crufts is regarded as the world’s top dog show and is watched by people across the globe. To qualify is the ultimate badge of honour for the dog show community.
Ruaridh competed in the Young Kennel Club competitions, a series of contests for children and young people in skills such as agility, jumping, obedience and flyball.
He was only six years old when he started training and agility with the family’s dogs and joined the Blair Cochran Agility club.
At the age of nine he competed in his first dog show with Lynsey’s collie, Rua.
Lynsey says the shows have improved his focus and boosted his confidence – things he struggled with as a result of his autism and ADHD.
She said: “Right from when he was tiny, I’ve always had dogs.
“When he grew up I let him take on the dogs rather than me doing it.
“He trained Beauty’s sister Bonnie, who he took to Crufts four years ago.
“He’s done all the training for the labs, Star and most of Toffee’s training himself.
Fulfilling grandfather’s last wish
“The agility training he does with Blair has helped him focus. When he first started he would wander but Blair has taught him to focus which is a lot to him personally as well as as a trainer.”
So to see her son step in the ring at Crufts had Lynsey bursting with pride.
Especially as this time, he was fulfilling his grandfather’s last wish – to take 10-year-old Beauty to the show one final time before she becomes too old.
William Patterson died in May last year.
Lynsey said: “Ruaridh and my dad had a close relationship and two days before he passed he asked Ruaridh to get her back to Crufts.
“So it was quite emotional.”
Ruaridh came sixth in jumping with Toffee and with cousin Nikki, 23, and Toffee and Beauty, fifth in the pairs.
In jumping, the dog must leap over and weave through obstacles as quickly as possible.
In pairs agility, one competitor does the agility course with their dog and the other a jumping course, with a baton change in the middle.
Toffee, 7, is Lynsey’s sister Michelle Patterson’s dog.
Lynsey said: “My sister does a lot of the training for Toffee but Ruaridh’s progressing Toffee in ways that we never thought possible.
“To see her running on Sunday was just mind-blowing.”
St Paul’s Academy pupil Ruaridh already has his sights set on returning to the Birmingham arena with the family’s youngest dog, Star, a pug-labrador cross.
He is working hard with her already, having honed his training techniques over the last 10 years.
But over and above, the dogs are simply beloved and integral members of the Findlay household in Linlathen.
“They’re everything,” said Lynsey, a swimming teacher. “They’re part of the family, they’re just like having another child.”
Ruaridh agrees. “I don’t think I could ever live without a dog.”
Of the feeling when he’s performing agility with them, he said: “It’s amazing, it’s freeing just to run with a dog.”
Conversation