WATCH: Rescue Dog Helps Disabled Boy Overcome Phobia - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

WATCH: Rescue Dog Helps Disabled Boy Overcome Phobia

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HUFFINGTONPOST.COM - A shy 7-year-old with a fear of open spaces has finally started venturing outside thanks to his beloved 3-legged-dog.

Owen Howkins was born with a rare genetic condition known as Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome, which causes his muscles to be permanently stiff. His condition left him scared to talk to people and afraid to leave his home in Basingstoke in the U.K.

"When he first started school, he became more aware of being different, and he became even more withdrawn," Colleen Drummond, Howkin's soon-to-be stepmother, told the Daily Mail. click here to read more