By Beth Billstrom – Addie Swensen laughs as Kip, her Mobility Assist Dog, joyfully jumps into her lap and snuggles. Their bond is apparent. Missy, Addie’s mom, laughs and says, “He’s such a lover!” “Yes, yes, he is!” Addie agrees. Addie was born 16 years ago with spina bifida. Spina bifida is a condition that affects the backbone when the neural tube does not close. Addie uses a wheelchair or crutches to get around, but that doesn’t stop her. She attends school, works at Caribou, and is the manager of her school’s wrestling team. Like many teenagers, she thinks about …
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Jiff Brings Independence, Responsibility, and Companionship to Tyler
By Mike Branch – Twenty-seven-year-old Tyler lives with his parents and sister. He has cerebral palsy, which affects his muscles and motor skills. Because of that, he uses a wheelchair. Occasionally, Tyler drops things, and it can be difficult to pick them up. In 2013, Tyler certified with Can Do Canine Geena, a Mobility Assist Dog. Prior to having an assistance dog, when Tyler would drop something, he would have to wait for someone to come home and help him. He couldn’t be left alone for more than a couple hours. Geena was a wonderful partner to Tyler until retiring …
Deano’s Benefits are Beyond the Burden of Proof
Facility Dog Deano doesn’t have to raise his right hand—or, in his case, paw—and solemnly swear to tell the whole truth, but he is committed to helping humans who do have to do this. This spring, Deano was placed with two Victim Witness Specialists for the Anoka County Attorney’s Office. In this role, the women meet with those who may have to take the witness stand in a courtroom for any type of felony case, ranging from theft to homicides. One explains that they “help victims and witnesses through the court process. It’s a scary time for a lot of …
What if my dog eats grass, sticks, or leaves?
With fall approaching, leaves will soon be on our lawns. What might the additional foliage mean for your dog? Although some canines might be content to just enjoy jumping in the leaves with you, others might be inclined to dine on them, as well as grass and sticks. So, should you be concerned if your canine companion is getting their snacks from out back? Dogs often eat grass and/or leaves simply to alleviate an upset stomach. If they vomit a bit sometime after doing so, it shouldn’t be cause for alarm, as long as this is not something that happens …
One Assistance Dog, Murphy’s Law, Keeps Everything From Going Wrong
By Jessica Kellogg – Imagine for a moment that the seemingly simple act of bending down to pick up a dropped item could stop your breathing. This is the reality for Tabitha Althoff, whose Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) can cause her ribs to interlock and block her lungs from inflating any time she bends down. “You don’t realize how much you drop until someone is there nudging you with it.” EDS is a condition that affects the body’s connective tissue and can cause joints to dislocate for no reason. However, Tabitha also has Ankylosing Spondylitis, which causes the bones in the …
Hearing Assist Dog Jacqui Brings Natalie From Isolation to Independence
By Susan Byers – Out of the shadows and into the light. That’s how Natalie describes the impact of a Hearing Assist Dog on her life. Natalie was born with severe to profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, but it wasn’t diagnosed until she was 2 years old. She began wearing hearing aids at age 3. Her mother helped her catch up with language development and American Sign Language (ASL) classes, and at school, she had an ASL interpreter. But Natalie resisted using ASL and struggled to fit into the hearing world. By young adulthood, her hearing had declined, and she …
Are You Using the Right Equipment to Walk Your Dog?
Most people think that when getting a new dog, they buy a collar, maybe add a fancy nametag or other important tags to it, and they’re all set to clip a leash to that collar for walks. A standard collar may not be the best solution for some dogs, though. Maybe you have a dog that is notorious for slipping out of its collar when it really wants to get to something. Or perhaps you have a strong dog that can sometimes be hard to control on walks. Let’s break down some great options for dog-walking equipment. HumaneSociety.org explains three …
It takes a team – and tools – to manage diabetes
By Susan Byers – At work, Gretchen manages a program that helps nurses access the right tools to serve elderly patients. In her personal life, she also relies on important tools to help manage her Type 1 diabetes. Gretchen developed Type 1 diabetes 13 years ago. Even though there was a history of diabetes in her family, the disease came on unexpectedly for her. She dismissed early symptoms as merely stress or a hormone imbalance. But once she was officially diagnosed, Gretchen was a fast learner. With minimal diabetes management education, she quickly learned to use short-term and long-term insulins, …
Myth Busting: Seven Excuses for not Becoming an Assistance Dog Volunteer, and Seven Reasons to Ignore Them
We all lead busy, stressful lives. Kids, work, money—the list of things to worry about seems endless. Little wonder there’s no time for volunteering, right? Wrong! Volunteers who care for puppies and assistance dogs in training are doing something amazing for other people—but they’re also doing something amazing for themselves and their families. Research shows that volunteer hosts benefit physically and mentally from their experience, with improved companionship, exercise, well-being, and social life all reported by people who care for assistance dog puppies and dogs in training. Frequent reasons given for not volunteering are time, money, and commitment. Let’s bust …
Jersey Balances Work and Play to Benefit Others
At M Health Fairview’s Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIBD), some patients can now touch a dog while on site. This dog, though, is doing more than simply touching them back; she is touching countless lives. Ann, Jersey, and Cala Facility Dog Jersey joined Child Life Specialists Cala and Ann at MIBD early in 2023. “She’s just a blessing,” says Cala. Not only can Jersey perform retrieving, snuggling, and “visiting” (lying her head on a lap) skills on command, she also engages in “medical play.” One example is how she shows young patients—using a mock MRI scanner—what a real …
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