Can Do Canines would like to recognize volunteers Tiffany Hendrickson and Dana Kittok and their families for completing the first successful co puppy-raising of a Can Do Canine! Jimi, a 2 ½-year-old Labrador mix, shows us that this can be a great option for some volunteers and dogs. Typically, a single household commits to the puppy-raising journey, spending approximately two years teaching a dog good house manners, general obedience, and how to behave well in public. The Covid-19 pandemic led to many more Can Do Canine puppies requiring puppy raisers than normal due to a shortage of prison programs. This …
Archives for November 2022
A Lab to Calm the Storms
When Kim and Eric began considering an Autism Assist Dog for their son, Noah, they were hoping not only for a wonderful companion Noah could have growing up, but also a calming presence in his life. Noah’s autistic tendencies caused him to have what Kim describes as regular, lengthy meltdowns multiple times each day. Can Do Canines knew that Xavi, a 3 ½-year-old black Lab, could be the perfect calm within any storm. So when Xavi entered Noah’s life, the change was sudden and dramatic. Noah’s meltdowns have drastically decreased and are shorter in duration. Kim says, “I won’t even …
Grady’s At-home Skills are a True Gift for Steve
Steve and Sherry were no strangers to Can Do Canines. Steve had Can Do Canine Rhett, a Golden Retriever, as a Mobility Assist Dog from 2007 until early 2021 when Rhett passed. Rhett had helped Steve with various tasks, both at home and out in the community. However, with the pandemic in effect, Steve was realizing that staying mostly at home was becoming his new way of life. He didn’t feel he needed a true mobility dog again, but having a certified dog that could help with tasks around the house was necessary. So when he and Sherry attended a …
Allie and Finley’s Joint Partnership Creates Independence
Allie first knew something was wrong when she was in seventh grade. While in gym class, she was walking to pick up a volleyball. She says, “The next thing I knew, I was on the ground and in more pain than I’d ever been in.” Her knee would not straighten until her dad helped release it later. Allie explains, “It popped, and that’s when we realized that it had dislocated.” The incident wasn’t an isolated one, and Allie kept experiencing joint dislocations, only to receive no helpful diagnoses. At age 16, she says she gave up, thinking, “I guess I’ll …
Mobility Assist Dog Molly Helps Ema Regain her Freedom
By Debbie Surman Many of us enjoy a good mystery, but sometimes that mystery can become a life-changing event leading us in a direction we never thought possible. Not long ago, Ema experienced one such conundrum that would have her feeling like her life would never be the same. Ema is a graduate school student, single mom, homeowner, soccer player, artist, and founding board member of an organization focused on empowering women and non-binary individuals through woodworking. For reasons unknown, she had an attack in 2021 that brought to light some underlying symptoms of vestibulopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome, and foraminal …
Contact Us
Location
