Watch to follow the journey of Myles the service dog, from the origins of his name to his placement with his new best friend.
At W.A.G.S. 4 Kids, we take naming our service dogs very seriously. We take special care to choose the best puppies for our service dog prospects, and the names they are given are always significant and meaningful. Some of our dogs have been named by the companies who have sponsored us so that we may continue pursuing our mission. Some of our pups have been named by individuals who have donated an immense amount of time, talent, and effort to supporting our charity.
And some of our service dogs, like Myles, were named in memoriam of someone very special who is no longer with us.
The beautiful, smiling Golden Retriever in the above picture is Myles. Myles worked with our inmate trainers at Grafton Correctional Institution and has since been placed with his child partner. He was named after Myles K., the first child to ever receive a W.A.G.S. 4 Kids service dog. After Myles K. passed away in 2019, our team decided to name one of our service dogs in his memory.
The Legacy of Myles and AJ
Myles and his service dog, AJ.
Myles lived with Spastic Diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy (CP), and was paralyzed on his left side. Our team was introduced to Myles and his family when Myles was just 4-years-old, and he became the first child for which W.A.G.S. 4 Kids trained a service dog partner.
When we first met, Myles was non-verbal and only used simple Sign Language to communicate with others.
Our trainers worked with AJ, one of our sweet, eager-to-please Golden Retrievers, to ensure that he was task-trained to best serve Myles. This included teaching AJ to respond to hand signs so that Myles could communicate with his service dog using his right hand.
Not long after Myles and AJ were partnered, we received a tearful call from Myles' parents. Myles had said his first word. His first word was not “Mommy” or “Daddy,” as parents so often hope to hear. Rather, Myles’ first word was “Come,” because he wanted to talk to his service dog, AJ.
It's because of moments like these that we strive to partner as many children in need with service dogs as possible, because every family deserves to experience this kind of magic. And that's what these service dogs do for their children - provide them with magic, life-changing moments.
Myles and AJ's partnership continues to inspire and guide our team. Despite how challenging it can be to reimagine fundraising events during a global pandemic, no matter how difficult it is to adapt our training regimen after our prison systems were locked down, and no matter how challenging funding our day to day operations can be, none of that matters when we remember why we are here.
We are here to grow possibilities, one child at a time. We are here because of children like Myles.
Myles Meets The Ketterers
After Myles the service dog finished his training in prison, he entered into a period in his service dog career that we call "transition training." This is a period where our dogs stay with a foster family and work on skills they couldn't master during their time in prison, such as riding in cars.
Since Myles K.'s passing, we have kept in touch with his family. During Myles' transition training and before he was placed with his child partner, we introduced the pup to his late namesake's family.
Myles the dog met Myles K.'s mom and dad, as well as his younger sister and brother. This was an afternoon full of dog snuggles and wet puppy kisses. It was also an afternoon spent reminiscing about the late Myles and smiling at happy memories.
The Perfect Service Dog Placement
In early April of 2021, Myles was placed with his boy, Cole. Cole is a sweet, kind, and gentle soul who happens to have Autism; in fact, he is non-verbal. Myles will act as a constant in Cole's life, providing unwavering support and a lifetime of giggles, happiness, and friendship!
We can't wait to watch Cole and Myles' relationship grow! Follow us on social media @WAGS4Kids for updates on Cole and Myles and our other children and their service dogs.