An “Angel’s” Four Paws Compensate for Two Hands

“He’s my right-hand man,” says Jan of his Mobility Assist Dog, Logan. Logan, however, compensates not only for Jan’s right hand, but also his left hand and more.

Jan developed type 2 diabetes at age 50. Shortly afterward, the condition led to diabetic neuropathy in his hands and feet and eventually, up to his knees and elbows. He explains, “I can't tell if I'm holding something when I put my hand on it. I know I'm touching it, but I can't feel how much pressure I'm putting on it, so I drop things a lot.”

Balance is also an issue for Jan. He has trouble bending over to pick up things because, as he says, “Where my head goes, my body goes.” He experienced a balance problem about five years ago when walking through a Cub Foods store. Someone knocked into him with a cart, and Jan ended up falling halfway into a display case. Though a shopper graciously helped him up, Jan reports, “That's the day I stopped going out because I realized I could really get hurt.” Although Jan wears a lifeline button that he can use to alert his wife, Penny, or sister-in-law if he falls, that realization of injuring himself, as well as fear of embarrassment, became overwhelming for him. So he began doing all of his grocery shopping online and admits, “I was pretty much a recluse.”

Needing a lifestyle change, Jan—a retired nurse—soon heard about Can Do Canines from a former co-worker—another nurse, and decided to apply. Jan remembers getting the news about Logan and seeing his photo for the first time. He shares, “When I was a student nurse doing my OBGYN rotation, I heard a mother make the comment, ‘How can you fall so deeply in love with someone you just met?’ Penny and I never had children, so I didn't understand that until I saw Logan's picture. I loved him the second I saw his picture.”

Since being matched with Logan, Jan’s adoration for his beloved partner has only grown. “He means the world to me.” Jan’s world has grown too. “Now I get to go grocery shopping, and I can actually pick my own fruit and compare prices.” Plus, Jan says, “I’m not worried about falling,” Jan says, “or if I do fall, he’s going to be there for me.”

Logan is trained to activate push plates, tug open doors, and get Jan’s cane, shoes, and other items, including the pencils Jan drops when doing grayscale drawing—a hobby he can now enjoy again, thanks to Logan.

He is also spending more time in the kitchen again. “I love to cook and bake. Before [Logan], I had curtailed that quite a bit.” Jan is especially impressed when Logan doesn’t even bother licking the spoons he retrieves off the floor.

Saying that his life is “one hundred percent better,” Jan gets tearful when expressing gratitude for his best buddy. “Saying ‘thank you; just isn’t enough to all the people who were involved with Logan from his birth to the day he came home to me … I really do want to let them know that when they work with these dogs and give them to people, they’re not only giving them an assistance dog, they’re giving them an angel.” Instead of wings, he clarifies, these angels have paws.

Thank you to all those who made this partnership possible:
Whelping Home — Sheryll Fonseth-Lais
Raisers — Pat and Marti Gerdes
Special Thanks — Jackson Correctional Institution, Stanley Correctional Institution