This year has been anything but normal, but the Can Do Canines community has stepped up to keep our mission moving forward despite unprecedented challenges. As we near the end of the year, we wanted to give an update on the state of the program and our mission to place these special dogs with the people who need them, perhaps now more than ever. After a brief pause on operations following the initial shutdown in March, Can Do Canines was quickly declared an essential service and allowed to continue operations. Since then, we have continued to train, place and certify …
Archives for December 2020
Gallagher Works to Minimize Seizure Effects for Ryan
When a grown man can finally celebrate being able to shop alone, rather than under the watchful eye of his wife, some type of special change has happened. That change for Ryan Braaten of Brainerd, MN, was Seizure Assist Dog Gallagher. In 2011, while in the military, Ryan was deployed to Iraq, where he suffered permanent brain damage from a suicide vehicle attack. That injury causes him to experience seizures every day, zapping him of his energy and often, his safety. Married, with two young children and one on the way, Ryan explains the difficulty of the past couple years …
Axl Receives Five-Star Safety Rating from Kim
Safety is what drove Kim to inquire about service dogs. “That was my biggest motivator,” she say. “I was looking for safety.” With a connective tissue disorder since about age 30, Kim has had nine spinal column fusions and is preparing to have both her knees replaced. Her limited and painful movement causes balance and mobility issues on a regular basis. “I did a lot of things that I shouldn’t have done,” she admits, explaining how she took risks and experienced some major falls as a result. Kim and her family knew she needed help. Another assistance dog organization recommended …
A Better Life with a Familiar Companion
People often say, “Everything happens for a reason.” What happened in Annika’s life the past few years, though, seemed without reason until she met a miracle with four paws. A few years ago, a unique form of diabetes caused Annika to experience life-threateningly low blood glucose levels without her feeling it. Diagnosed with advanced chronic pancreatitis at 19 years old, Annika had her entire pancreas and spleen removed, resulting in Type 3c diabetes. She has been insulin-dependent ever since, navigating additional health considerations as well as anxiety. Type 3c diabetes mimics Type 1 diabetes and includes hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) …
Collie Proves to Be Compassionate and Competent Successor
Upon learning that a Smooth Collie was going to be the breed of dog to succeed her beloved Labrador Retriever, Cali, Cheryl admitted, “I wasn’t sure.” Yet, she shares, “This successor dog and I became successor partners.” Cheryl laughs as she says, “I compare it to having a 2-year-old who follows you everywhere. I think she’s a lot like a cat, and she has an opinion about everything. But I love her.” That’s a good thing, because a literal love-at-first-sight response would not be easy for Cheryl. Learning to Accept Help Cheryl was born prematurely with no vision in her …
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