How an assistance dog changed everything for one family
Assistance dog Quelda has opened up the world for the O’Neills and their son Conor, who was diagnosed with autism aged two, writes Niamh Kane
Every parent wants their child to have the best start in life, and a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be frightening and life-changing. So when Trish O’Neill (38) and husband Eoin (42) had their first child, Conor (now aged seven), diagnosed with autism at two-and-a-half years of age, they knew they would have to overcome many challenges.
Closed doors and waiting lists, even finding a school for Conor became a battle because of his condition. But through it all his parents never stopped fighting to make Conor’s world a better place.
His mum Trish explains: “Autism makes Conor present with stimming (self-stimulatory behaviour) that includes jumping up and down and flapping his hands, and sometimes verbally stimming too.
“But one of our biggest concerns for Conor was his well-being when we were outside. He has no sense of danger, so for his own safety we believed an assistance dog would be the best chance for meeting his needs. And in 2017, we decided to apply for one from Irish Guide Dogs [IGD].”
Little did they know how much a working dog would soon change all their lives.
Now Trish, Eoin and their three children, Conor, Aoibhinn (4) and Ben (2) from Co Cork no longer stress about going out with Conor and are instead able to enjoy family days out, going for walks and doing everyday tasks that most people do without thinking — and it’s all thanks to a black lab called Quelda.
Trish recalls the first time the family saw Quelda. “Irish Guide Dogs pulled up to the house and out popped this black Labrador Retriever, she just ambled into the house and sat down. She loved the kids, but when we went for a walk, that’s when we knew it was meant to be,” says Trish.
“Quelda makes a huge impact in keeping Conor safe in public spaces. There is a handle which gives him the responsibility of walking his dog and a strap around his waist connected to the harness of Quelda. So if Conor does bolt, the strap gives us extra time to catch him and keep him out of harm’s way.” Quelda proved herself invaluable on her first day, when along their walk they were coming close to a nearby playground and Conor bolted. The black lab stood firm, allowing him to be secured by the attachment line around his waist. Trish reflects: “That was day one of our new life.”
Now that Quelda had proven to be the perfect match for Conor, Trish first had to attend residential training with IGD for five days before Quelda joined her new family. “The first two days I spent on site, training with three fellow classmates, all parents to children with autism, and their working dogs. “On the third and fourth day we were all brought into the city to navigate obstacles in real life with guidance from our instructor.
“We learned how to let others go ahead when hopping on a bus and how to educate people who may come over to pet the canine, which in turn could stress Conor out or distract Quelda from her priority, Conor,” explains Trish.
While most people are aware of guide dogs for helping people who are visually impaired, not everyone knows the term ‘assistance dog’. It’s a common name for service dogs trained to do more than one task which helps lighten the effects of a person living with a condition including sight, epilepsy and autism, to name