Boy with autism is overjoyed after being surprised with his very own puppy

There’s nothing sweeter than the bond between a boy and his dog. Dogs can be the best friends in the world for young kids, giving them unconditional love while also teaching them about responsibility.

Dogs can be especially beneficial for kids with autism or other disabilities. They provide love and companionship and can be an important part of a child’s development.

And in one sweet viral video, a boy with autism is overjoyed to meet his new best pal.

Peyton, a boy from Nevada, Missouri, has Autism, ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. And all his life, he’s wanted one thing more than anything: his own pet pug.

However, his parents decided to wait until he was a bit older before making such a decision, especially given all the challenges Peyton faces: “We knew we had some work to do before giving him a responsibility that big,” his parents told ViralHog.

But recently, Peyton returned home from school with a big surprise waiting for him.

His mom held something under a box. The parents told him that it was a bunny their dog had caught. “He knows Mommy doesn’t do well with wild critters, so he was more than happy to help,” the parents said.

But when the box was lifted, he was overjoyed to see that it wasn’t a wild bunny at all — it was the pet of his dreams: his very own pug puppy!

The parents say that Peyton proved himself trustworthy enough to have his own puppy.

“He’s been working so hard in school, therapy, and at home and the amount of love he has for all living creatures showed us it was time,” they told ViralHog.

His pure, gentle joy as he picks up his puppy for the first time, and thanks his parents, only proved they made the right decision.

“You can see his restraint and gentleness when the box is lifted and hear the sheer gratitude in his voice,” they said.

We’re sure that this boy and his puppy will be best friends for years to come. And hopefully, it will do wonders for Peyton’s development.

Research has shown that dogs can be very beneficial for children with autism.

“Children with autism may especially benefit from interacting with dogs, which can provide unconditional, nonjudgmental love and companionship,” said Dr. Gretchen Carlisle, a research fellow with the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine who authored a study on the subject.

The heartwarming video of Peyton and his new puppy has now gone viral, with over 1.3 million views on YouTube in just a few days.