At Highland Canine Service Dogs, we are proud and privileged to be able to make a huge difference to the lives of families who receive our fully-trained service dogs. The positive feedback we receive from the families we work with is a testament to the hard work that our team puts in. Seeing, hearing and reading about the quality of life improvements as a result of a service dog we have trained is one of the most rewarding aspects of our work.
Recently, we received the feedback below from Joanna Flaherty – mother of Porter, who received a service dog, Boomer.
I think there are moments that change you quietly and then there are the ones where you feel it all at once. Before Boomer, the world could feel like too much for our son. Things that most consider simple things weren’t always simple. Leaving the house, moving from one place to another, walking into a busy space, everything carried a level of unpredictability. There was always this underlying question in the back of our minds: Will this go okay, or will it be too much today?
As a special needs parent, you learn to live in that space. You prepare, you adjust, you try to stay one step ahead, but you’re also always carrying the weight of wanting your child to feel safe, understood, and at ease in a world that doesn’t always offer that.
Then Boomer came into our lives. Nothing really changes all at once but everything started to change. Boomer is intuitive in a way that’s hard to put into words. There’s a steadiness to him, a quiet confidence, like he’s saying, I’ve got you, before anything even has a chance to escalate. His presence alone brings a sense of calm that we didn’t have before.
And for the first time in years, I watched my son begin to feel that calm again, not just in fleeting moments, but in a way that settled into him. But alongside that calm, something else has begun to grow. Joy. Real, unfiltered, childhood joy. Confidence.
Boomer doesn’t just work – he plays. And somehow, he knew exactly how to meet Porter there, too. It turns out Boomer loves being chased with balloons. Now, our home is filled with the sound of laughter as Porter runs after him, balloon in hand, the two of them sliding across the wood floors, tumbling onto the carpets, completely in sync with each other. There’s something almost magical about watching it – this effortless connection, this shared rhythm of play and trust.
Those moments feel big. Because it’s not just about the laughter – it’s about what that laughter represents. Our son has always wanted a friend. A real connection. Someone who understands him without needing explanations. Someone who meets him exactly where he is, without expectations or pressure. With Boomer, he has found that.
A companion. A constant. A best friend. A source of comfort and safety wrapped up in fur, patience, and unconditional love. There are moments now where I find myself just watching them together – quietly, from across the room – taking it in. And more than once, I’ve had tears in my eyes. Not from sadness. From something deeper. Relief. Gratitude.
And this overwhelming feeling of there it is… that’s what we’ve been hoping for. Because I’m watching my son feel happy in a way that once felt just out of reach. Boomer has changed the in-between moments too, the ones people don’t see, but the ones that shape everything. Walking into a store. Waiting in line. Moving through the world without it becoming overwhelming.
Where there used to be hesitation, there is now support. Where there used to be tension, there is now space. Where there used to be “maybe we can’t,” there is now “let’s try.”
It’s not that everything is suddenly easy. But it’s no longer impossible. And that shift – quiet as it may seem – has changed everything for our family.
Boomer isn’t just a service dog. He’s calm in the chaos. He’s laughter echoing through our home. He’s the steady presence beside our son when the world feels too big. He’s the friend our son has been waiting for.
And watching their bond grow, watching trust, joy, and connection take root where there used to be uncertainty, has been one of the most powerful, emotional, and beautiful experiences of our lives.
Some changes happen loudly. This one happened in quiet moments, soft landings, and bursts of laughter across the floor. And somehow, those are the ones that matter most.
I don’t have enough kind words for our trainer Trinity, the crew at Highland, and our newest family member Boomer, they’ve changed our lives.
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