Cadence’s Journey

Meet Cadence and her partner Tara. Tara and Cadence successfully passed team training together in December of 2020 and are now taking on the world as a fully certified Service Dog Team. 

Cadence came to PADS through our partnership in the Assistance Dogs International Breeding Cooperative from Canine Partners for Life in Pennsylvania. She was then raised in the West Coast region by the Doherty-Dong Family (Tara, Brian, T’ea & Matthew) as well as a Liz and Alan on Vancouver Island. Cadence was sponsored by Lian Hui & Larry Wong. 

Cadence had her first career as a Breeding Dog with the Dong-Doherty family and had a total of 3 litters (US Parks, Ocean Waves & Story Litters) and 27 puppies. After she retired from breeding Cadence made it clear she wanted to continue on in her training to hone her skills for a new career. 

Cadence attended advanced training in the lower mainland where she worked to perfect her skills and with her trainers and her advanced sitter Emma. 

After completing Advanced Training it became clear to all that Cadence belonged back with Tara, this time as her service dog.

When Tara was asked about their partnership she writes: 

“Cadence is the perfect balance of joyous enthusiasm, gentle empathy and just enough silly and sass to keep me on my toes. She fills my life and the lives of those around me with so much joy.

She is my retrieving machine and I’m always in awe of the oddities she’ll retrieve: keys, phone, credit card, wet sponge, edge of a tarp, garbage can lid…awkward but ok?!”

It’s both crazy and awesome that she’s not only graduating for a second time, but doing so alongside her sons Swell and Drift. It never ceases to amaze me all the things this girl has done (and no doubt has yet to do) and I consider it one of the greatest unexpected privileges of my life that I’ve been able to enjoy each step in that journey with her…and that because of her I can face the future with confidence.

She keeps me from losing my balance and carries things or opens doors when I’m in my chair. Perhaps just as importantly as the skill itself, she does it all with a willing wag and I don’t feel that pit of guilt I do when I have to ask a human for help. She seems to think this is all just the best game ever. I’m so grateful to PADS – all the supporters, volunteers and staff – that made her possible.”