Jingle Joins the O’Neil Family

Once the money was raised for Riley’s service dog, the O’Neil family started checking out the dogs that were being trained by the service dog association. Riley fell in love at first sight with one adorable little puppy, while her parents worked hard to help her understand that the group would give her the dog that was best suited to her needs.

Then the eight-month wait began

Yes, once the O’Neils had raised the money to fund the dog, they had to wait for an opening in the program for them to be trained on how to handle a service dog.

In that time, a specific dog was being trained to deal with Riley’s anxiety issues. Riley’s mom supplied the organization with videos of Riley in states of high anxiety, showing her resistance to change, her difficulties with transitions and her inability to cope in a myriad of social and sensory situations.

As it would be for any family, the time was difficult for the O’Neils. They were quite certain that they had made the right decision; a service dog would help Riley. But with such a long waiting period, the doubts were bound to creep in. It was also difficult to capture Riley’s struggles on video – no one likes to document their child’s struggles.

Finally the day came when the family learned what dog would be coming home with them. As fate would have it, Riley’s wish came true. The dog she loved at first sight was to be her dog, and Jingle was the dog’s perfect name.

Stay tuned to find out more about what the O’Neils learned during their service dog training.