By Debbie Surman – Many of us take for granted what we think are small things in life like driving, picking up things we drop, or even doing laundry. Yes, laundry for most, is a chore, but what if doing it was not only a chore but dangerous too? Nineteen-year-old Emme has two genetic disorders: one affecting her mitochondria; the other, a connective tissue disorder, and just before eighth grade, she suffered a head injury, causing additional issues. By tenth grade, Emme began realizing the impact her disabilities would have on her life. By her second semester of college, she …
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Baby Shower Held for First-Time Mama Dog Dell
Daddy Dog Eiken lying next to a photo of pregnant Mama Dog Dell On Wednesday, March 22, we held a very special baby shower for a first-time expecting mother. However, this mom-to-be isn’t hoping for a healthy baby with 10 fingers and 10 toes. Instead, Mama Dell is hoping for her offspring to each have four furry paws and a wagging tail. Due April 2, Dell will give birth to puppies that will be raised and trained as assistance dogs to help people with disabilities. The baby shower was not only celebrating this miracle of birth, but also the many …
Seizure Assist Dog Gus Puts Anxiety to Rest
“Independence is really what it is.” That’s what Stephanie and Jason, parents to Owen, want for him. Stephanie explains, “We want him to be able to go out on his own and do things without Mom and Dad being there. He is 21 for goodness sake.” Getting to the point of potential independence has been a long road for Owen, though. As an infant, he was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a disorder that causes tumors to form in the body. For Owen, inoperable tumors happened to choose his brain as their nesting ground, resulting in his battle with epileptic seizures. Stephanie …
Autism Assist Dog Bonnie Brings Happiness and More to Ellie
Eleven-year-old Ellie loves stuffed animals. She has a sloth named Sunny, a penguin named Pip, a dog named Bluey, a shark named William, and many more. She says, “My stuffed animals make me feel happy.” Now Ellie has a new animal in her life: a black Lab Autism Assist Dog named Bonnie. Born with Cri du chat syndrome, a rare genetic disorder similar to autism, Ellie was not expected to walk, talk, or eat on her own. Her mom, Kari, says, “It was a pretty grim diagnosis, but, since day one, we’ve really done everything in our power just to …
Dogs’ Musical Preferences
It’s no secret that dogs have better hearing for certain sounds and pitches. But does it matter if you play Mozart, Bob Marley, or Metallica around your furry friend? Some say, “yes!” At Can Do Canines, we play classical music in our kennels. Executive Director Jeff Johnson was recently interviewed by Minnesota Public Radio to discuss how listening to MPR’s classical music station has been shown to have a calming effect on our dogs. In fact, research has been done to address how some sounds—particularly music—can affect dogs’ behavior. According to Cambridge University Press, a 2002 study by Wells et …
Integrating Breeze into his Life was a Breeze for Ridge
Ridge knows the drill. As a successor client, Ridge’s history with service dogs is extensive. Breeze is his third dog from Can Do Canines since becoming a client in 2006, and he trained a couple of dogs prior to that on his own. Despite having faced premature retirement with his 2019 Mobility and Hearing Assist Dog, Peggy, Ridge kept his heart open and ready to embrace a new partner. This summer, he was paired with Breeze, and says, “She is just perfect for me … She makes me be a better person.” Ridge has Multiple Sclerosis, hearing loss, and vision …
Puppy Program Volunteer Opportunities
Our Puppy Program is looking for volunteers to help with our more specialized foster opportunities. Whelping Homes: Volunteers in this role take a pregnant female dog into their home and, along with our Breeding Coordinator, help the dog give birth. They lovingly care for Mom and puppies for up to six weeks. This includes charting their growth, making sure they are developing appropriately, doing environmental enrichment exercises, socialization, and lots and lots of clean up! This role requires the volunteer to give 24/7 care to the mom and their puppies. Medical Recovery & Evaluation Homes: These volunteers are available on …
Tribute to Martha Venema
It’s with great sadness that we recognize the passing of Volunteer Martha Venema. Martha began volunteering with Can Do Canines in August 2019 and fostered her first dog, Xullia, with us in October 2019. When asked in the application why she wanted to volunteer, Martha replied, “I love dogs. Currently we have been without a dog for 3 years. I miss having one. I’m interested in helping out through this program to volunteer my services and love of animals. It will be exciting to see how far the dog goes and to whom the dog will eventually be fitted with. …
Volunteer Highlight: Beth Carlson
Beth Carlson just about does it all. Whelping, great starting, long-term fostering, short-term fostering, events, open houses … the list goes on. Whenever Can Do Canines has a need, Beth is there to take care of it! If you came to our Fetching Ball Gala last weekend, you probably saw Beth and her husband, Greg, there with Walker and Whim, two 9-week-old Labs that Beth helped whelp herself. Beth shared that she has enjoyed whelping the most of all her roles, “The birthing process can be stressful and things can happen, but the pluses outweigh the minuses and it’s so …
Olive Brings a New Sense of Adventure for Devin
Devin, who is in their mid-20s, sarcastically describes having “a fun mashup” of syndromes: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, and post-concussive syndrome. On any given day, they might use a combination of crutches, a walker and a wheelchair. However, when they drop something, difficulties can arise. “I can’t really bend over if I’m using my crutches or my walker. So I would just be stuck there waiting for someone to come get it, or I would have to climb all the way down to the ground, get it, and then figure out a way to climb back up while …
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