Coming back to the U.S. as an injured military veteran is no easy road. But when a therapy dog is there to help ease the transition, the homecoming is all the better. In this recently posted video “By My Side” by Pedigree, United States Marine Corps veteran Dan Lasko shares his experience returning home after having his leg amputated.

“I didn’t come back the same as when I left,” Lasko says in the four-minute video. He talks about his anxiety, painful migraines, his unwillingness to be in crowded places, and how he worried about being judged for his prosthetic limb. Perhaps not surprisingly, he was told he has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Then, a gorgeous black pup named Wally entered his life, and everything changed — for the better. “Having him around has really helped me in the healing process,” says Lasko, who now runs marathons and triathlons. He takes Wally — a service dog given to him by Vet Dogs — everywhere with him. The pup was even in the hospital when Lasko’s son was born.

Feeling incredibly grateful for all that Wally has given him, Lasko and his family decided to pay it forward by rescuing a lovable pooch named Maggie.