Aliquippa service dog wins American Kennel Club award for going beyond

Jason Phox
·4 min read
2

ALIQUIPPA ― Dogs have been man's best friend for thousands of years. They offer loyal companionship and emotional support and have become integral to our lives. From disability assistance to simple companionship, dogs are more than just pets – they are essential.

And joining the ranks of the most accomplished is a Beaver County canine, Hank.

Hank, a German shepherd from Aliquippa, has garnered widespread attention for his remarkable accomplishments from the Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence by the American Kennel Club, being one of five dogs honored in the Service Dog category this year.

Hank, an Aliquippa service dog, is one of five dogs awarded for Canine Excellence in the category of Service Dog this year by the American Kennel Club.
Hank, an Aliquippa service dog, is one of five dogs awarded for Canine Excellence in the category of Service Dog this year by the American Kennel Club.

For 24 years, the ACE Awards has celebrated hard-working dogs that have significantly improved the lives of their owners and communities and have gone above and beyond in their service.

Hank has worked the last three years as a service dog for 8-year-old Harrison Brimner, who has nonfunctioning autism.

“From the moment he walked in our door, Hank just changed our lives,” says Megan Brimner, Harrison’s mother. ”What started in small ways, like Harrison being able to feed him and giving him new tasks and responsibilities, over the years, Harrison just blossomed into independence, able to tolerate changes of routine and just little things.”

Hank helping 8-year-old Harrison Brimner of Aliquippa, who has nonfunctioning autism. The service dog is one of five dogs awarded for Canine Excellence in the category of Service Dog this year by the American Kennel Club.
Hank helping 8-year-old Harrison Brimner of Aliquippa, who has nonfunctioning autism. The service dog is one of five dogs awarded for Canine Excellence in the category of Service Dog this year by the American Kennel Club.

AKC’s Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence honors five dogs in five categories: Uniformed Service K-9, Exemplary Companion, Search and Rescue, Therapy and Service. Hank was nominated for the service award by its service dog trainer.

According to his mother, Harrison struggled with car rides and changes in routine before Hank. He would often escape and show physical aggression due to his nonverbal nature. She said Hank has helped him become more adaptable and independent, improving his communication skills and developing a passion for the outdoors.

Brimner said Harrison struggled to tolerate the lights and sounds of everyday life, finding them overstimulating. However, with Hank's help, he has made significant progress and can now grocery shop with more autonomy by entrusting him with picking items off the shelves, loading up the cart and utilizing his mom’s credit card at checkout – skills he had not previously possessed.

“Harrison just couldn't tolerate the lights, the sounds like all the stimulation,” said Brimner. “However with Hank, we've been able, like, Harrison can go into a grocery store independently. I've been letting him do the shopping, picking stuff up off the shelves, putting in the buggy, running my credit card at the end, and teaching them how to do that where before he couldn't even tolerate being in the store at all.”

Brimner said she and her family needed to raise funds to adopt and train Hank to be a service dog for her son. The success of service dogs like Hank is made possible through generous donations from the community.

“We are so thankful and grateful because if it weren't for them, we wouldn't have been able to raise funds for things for Hank,” Brimner said. “They played a big part in us even being able to get Hank for Harrison, and everybody's so supportive, and we're fortunate in that sense .”

The Brimner family's next goal for Harrison is to help him command Hank through his speech. Currently, they are working on teaching Harrison obedience commands so that he can communicate better with his service dog. Harrison can already identify Hank and convey his needs to him, and the family is hopeful that this next step will further improve their communication.

Brimner voiced how parents should trust their instincts regarding their child's needs. She added she initially put off getting a service dog for her son but eventually realized it was their best decision.

“If you have a gut feeling, trust your gut,” Brimner said. “No one knows your child better than you, so trust your gut.”

Recipients of the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence are given $1,000 to donate to a pet-related charity of their preference, along with a personalized sterling silver medallion. While the awards initially aired on ESPN2’s website or app on Dec 10, the awarding ceremony special will re-air at 11 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, for anyone who wants to watch.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Service dog honored for changing life of Aliquippa boy