“Autism affects every aspect of Norah’s life.” This statement, made by Norah’s mom, Kelly, sums up the challenges Norah faces. Kelly shares a few examples validating this, saying, “Norah has had problems sleeping since birth. Norah does not speak. She does repeat words. Norah has few self-care skills. She walks on her toes so she has AFOs (Ankle Foot Orthosis braces) to help with this.” These challenges, alone, are enough to create anxiety for any parent, and Kelly and her husband, Brian, are no exception. However, what concerned them the most was leaving the house with Norah. Kelly says, “Taking …
Archives for September 2024
Encountering Assistance Dogs in the Wild
Don’t be surprised the next time you are cruising through the produce department of the grocery store, picking up cleaning supplies in Target, or finding the perfect paint color in Menard’s if you see an assistance dog team stroll by. Can Do Canines has over 350 active teams out and about in the world, not to mention the dogs-in-training that might be practicing with a trained volunteer for their future role. That’s not including assistance dogs from other organizations. Most people understand that assistance dogs should not be petted when working. Etiquette for assistance dog teams goes beyond that, though. …
Even Better Than a “Teacher’s Pet”
Kelli was a second-grade teacher for her profession, but in her spare time, she loved to ride horses. A fall from a horse in 2020, though, changed her life. After an eight-day coma scare, Kelli began recovery from a traumatic brain injury that affected the function of the right side of her body. Her right eye no longer focuses correctly due to nerve damage; she is forced to use her left, non-dominant hand for many tasks; and she uses a cane to account for balance issues. The many adjustments in her life and the multiple therapies she regularly undergoes quickly …
Join us at the September 24th MN Twins game for free!
The Minnesota Twins, who have become a valuable partner with us over the past few years, have offered us 100 free tickets to the Tuesday, September 24, game against the Miami Marlins. This is also a Twins “Bark at the Park” experience, with game tickets available for dogs. A portion of all ticket sales related to this special promotion are being donated to Can Do Canines! The first 10 Puppy Program volunteers with a program dog that is at least 18 months old can sign up to bring that Can Do Canine along to the game. Of course, certified dogs …
Linda and Dean Wedul’s 19-Year Commitment is a Win-Win
It was Linda and Dean Wedul’s 15-year-old daughter who first introduced their family to Can Do Canines in 2005 after reading an article about someone who volunteered with service dogs. “I told her if she did the research and found an organization we could volunteer,” remembers Linda. “I honestly didn’t think she would follow up. About two weeks later we had an appointment for a house inspection with Julianne and within a week had a very large Labradoodle called Nike. When our daughter moved on to college, we weren’t sure if we could manage the time commitment with two people, …
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