At age 13, Preston is big for his age at 5 feet, 10 inches and 160 pounds. He’s also fast, being able to easily outrun at least his mom, if not his dad. In the past, Preston’s Autism Spectrum Disorder has caused him to bolt from his parents and to have emotional meltdowns in public. When he was a toddler, those situations weren’t nearly as dangerous and troublesome, but parents Nikki and Corey knew to get help for Preston before their situation got out of control. They applied with Can Do Canines when Preston was just 3 years old and …
News
Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah Bliss
Sarah has been involved in the Puppy Program in several different roles. Her most recent undertaking was as the rescue foster home for Edgar, a 1.5 year old Retriever Mix from the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley who became a Can Do Canine in April. “I grew up not far from Can Do Canines so I frequently would pass by the building while on the highway,” Sarah says. She continues, “My mom and I attended a graduation event when I was in high school and that’s really when I learned about the organization and all that they did. It …
Taking Independence to a Higher Level
Consider for a moment your dream home. Would it have an elevator? Fifteen-year-old Mike has an elevator that directly accesses his bedroom. But for Mike, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, having elevator access is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. When Mike and his family took the steps to receive a Mobility Assist Dog from Can Do Canines, a special dog needed to rise to the occasion. An intelligent, black Labrador Retriever named Maddox was down with the plan to perform the specific skills to help Mike navigate the world. Although ecstatic to welcome a new buddy, …
Federal Prison Camp-Duluth Resumes Prison Program with Can Do Canines
On Thursday, May 27, Can Do Canines brought seven puppies and their mom, Yoga, to their temporary weaning home at the Federal Prison Camp, located in Hermantown, Minn. This will resume this facility’s puppy prison program that has been paused since last spring due to the pandemic. Being weaned in a prison setting may be one stop on the journey for many of our dogs in training. Selected male inmates in the Duluth facility serve to wean 5-10-week old puppies from their mother, providing them with love, support and basic behavioral skills. After this weaning process, the puppies will return …
Escaping Into a World of Greater Freedom
What the term “eloping” means for one family may be entirely different for another. David and Stacey regularly worried that their daughter, Braylee, would elope. Braylee is 8 years old, so she’s not planning on getting married anytime soon. She is on the autism spectrum though, and has a tendency to flee the safety of her caregivers—or “elope”—when in public sometimes. To prevent this, Braylee’s parents had her ride in a shopping cart or a stroller when out and about. As David explains, “When she has her feet on solid ground, she’s fast. And we’re getting slower.” As Braylee’s interests …
Preparing Your Dog to be Home Alone More Again
As we prepare for our lives to return to “normal” our dogs may need some time to adjust. Many of them have grown accustomed to us being at home and mid-morning snuggles, lunch time potty breaks and afternoon walks have become the norm. They have grown accustomed to nearly 24-hour access to their humans. Some young puppies have probably never been alone for extended periods of time. Small changes now can set them up for future success with a new routine. Practice a leaving routine. Dress up as though you are going to work (yes, your dog will notice that …
Where Medicine Failed, a Dog Fit
Disabilities don’t play by rules or follow textbook criteria. They often show up and cause issues beyond anyone’s expectations. Hannah has lived with a unique disability and conditions that complicate numerous aspects of her health, and traditional treatments have not been able to offer as many resolutions. At 13 years old, she was training for a half marathon and developed a pain in her left leg. It was discovered to be caused by a bone cyst, but its removal triggered her immune system to attack her muscles. She was eventually diagnosed with the refractory form of juvenile myasthenia gravis, a …
Familiar with the Process; Still Delighted with the Results
Janet isn’t new to Can Do Canines, she’s an alumni! In 1997, Janet received her first Hearing Assist Dog from Can Do Canines (then Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota). Tiger, a Border Collie mix, was her faithful partner, alerting her to important sounds for 13 years until he passed away in 2010. Years passed, with work, family and friends keeping her busy. In 2019, Janet found herself alone more and felt insecure. Her husband, Pat, often worked nights, and now that her daughter, Angela, was grown and working as well, she felt vulnerable not being able to hear. Janet …
From Selling the Dream to Living it
An expert in business and beer, Dan steered his role as a leader in executive management to focus on his passion by opening a distillery several years ago. With a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and its progress of over 15 years, however, he went from managing a business to managing a disability. Experiencing tremors in his hands, stiff muscles, constant pain, and severe balance issues, Dan lost much of his independence. While his life shifted away from his regular adventures, he persevered in caring for himself and his family with the help of surgeries and new technology. Dan would go …
We’re Reopening June 1!
Long story short, we’ve missed you! While we know that keeping our campus closed to the public for over a year was of course the safe, lawful and correct action, we’re excited to announce that we are planning to open our Can Do Canines doors again. Beginning Tuesday, June 1 (the day after Memorial Day), we will be welcoming volunteers, visitors and yes, even our postal carrier back in the building. Marvin, one of our on-site cats, will be especially thrilled with the extra potential attention. And the dogs? Our trainee tenants will be beside themselves with all the new …
Contact Us
Location
