The truth is, I wasn’t sure my heart had room for another dog. After losing my first service dog, Pico, everything got… quiet. Not peaceful quiet—more like echoey, empty-room quiet. We’d been matched for 11 years. He was my shadow, my rhythm, my freedom in a four-legged suit. As my dad, Craig Honick put it in the documentary, “Pico became synonymous with Ryan.” He wasn’t wrong.
But this May, something changed.
I met Lovey. Hardworking. Affectionate. Slightly obsessed with belly rubs and laser pointers. Also: a superstar.
We were matched through Canine Companions®, and our story was captured in a short documentary filmed during our two weeks of training at their Northeast Training Center in Medford, NY. Watching it back? It’s a front-row seat to how trust is built, one cue at a time—with equal parts skill, sweat, and soft ears.
Here’s the thing: the film is more than just a highlight reel of commands and cues. It’s a tribute to what real access looks like. It's the in-between moments—her curling up next to me after a tough day, or mastering a new task with her signature “I got this” tail wag. It’s also a love letter to everyone who made it possible: her puppy raiser, the trainers, the behind-the-scenes team, and the folks who saw something in me worth capturing.
Lovey lives up to her name. She’s my new shadow. A little different than Pico—more snuggles, slightly faster, more opinions about squirrels—but she’s teaching me just as much.
Being matched with a service dog isn’t just about tasks. It’s about agency. It’s about being able to show up—fully, confidently, and without apology. This is what Disability Pride Month is really about: visibility, independence, and the right to exist without barriers.
So yes, I’m grateful. I’m thrilled. And I’m ready for this next chapter.
Want to see what two weeks of transformation, laughter, learning, and a whole lot of fur looks like? I invite you to watch the full documentary and get a closer look at what service dog training truly entails. Spoiler: there are tissues involved.
To the incredible team at Canine Companions Northeast Region, the production crew, and everyone who helped share our story—thank you. It means more than you know.
Let’s talk about independence, access, and the joy of starting over—with paws.
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