• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

Volunteer LoginClient Services LoginPuppy Program Login

Can Do Canines Assistance Dogs logo

Our Dogs Fetch Amazing Things

  • Our Dogs
          • Assistance Dogs
            • Mobility Assist Dogs
            • Autism Assist Dogs
            • Seizure Assist Dogs
            • Diabetes Assist Dogs
            • Hearing Assist Dogs
          • How to Apply
            • Assistance Dog FAQs
            • Is an Assistance Dog Right for You?
          • Journey of a Can Do Canine
          • Where Our Dogs Come From
          • Career-Changed Dogs
  • Get Involved
          • Volunteer
            • Foster Opportunities
            • Campus Opportunities
            • Puppy Program Portal
            • My Volunteer Page
          • Buy Merchandise
          • Donate
            • Sustaining Monthly Gifts
            • Estate and Planned Giving
            • Workplace Giving
            • More Ways to Give
            • Wish Lists
          • Events
            • Fetching Ball Gala
            • Can Do Woofaroo
            • Open House
            • Graduation
            • Tails of Independence
            • Corporate Partnerships
  • About
          • About Us
          • Our Humans
          • Our Story
          • Prison Puppy Program
          • Careers
          • Our Finances
            • Charitable Organization Registration Compliance
          • News
            • Newsletter Archive
          • FAQs for Medical Professionals
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Our Dogs
          • Assistance Dogs
            • Mobility Assist Dogs
            • Autism Assist Dogs
            • Seizure Assist Dogs
            • Diabetes Assist Dogs
            • Hearing Assist Dogs
          • How to Apply
            • Assistance Dog FAQs
            • Is an Assistance Dog Right for You?
          • Journey of a Can Do Canine
          • Where Our Dogs Come From
          • Career-Changed Dogs
  • Get Involved
          • Volunteer
            • Foster Opportunities
            • Campus Opportunities
            • Puppy Program Portal
            • My Volunteer Page
          • Buy Merchandise
          • Donate
            • Sustaining Monthly Gifts
            • Estate and Planned Giving
            • Workplace Giving
            • More Ways to Give
            • Wish Lists
          • Events
            • Fetching Ball Gala
            • Can Do Woofaroo
            • Open House
            • Graduation
            • Tails of Independence
            • Corporate Partnerships
  • About
          • About Us
          • Our Humans
          • Our Story
          • Prison Puppy Program
          • Careers
          • Our Finances
            • Charitable Organization Registration Compliance
          • News
            • Newsletter Archive
          • FAQs for Medical Professionals
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
Home / Feature Stories

Feature Stories

Bentley’s Touches Help Tim to Keep Touching Lives

May 18, 2022

man standing in front of classroom of kids with yellow Lab service dog sitting at his side

“To teach is to touch a life forever.” Most teachers are familiar with this quote by Jerry Whittle, and touching lives through teaching is something Tim seems to do without even trying. In his 53rd year as an anthropology professor at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Tim says of teaching, “That’s been my whole life.” Something that has occurred more recently in his life–approximately 15 years ago, is a loss of hearing. That’s why when Tim’s young granddaughter insisted he needed a service dog to help him, he looked into the concept. “It’s really difficult to argue with a 7-year-old granddaughter …

A Team of Two Makes for One Independent Life

May 11, 2022

young woman sitting in wheelchair with black Lab sitting on floor beside her

With three of her close friends already having Can Do Canine dogs of their own, Jessie was ready for her turn. She says of her friends’ assistance dogs, “I just saw how much they could help them in their everyday lives, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I want that!’” Diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at age 1, Jessie, who is now a sophomore at Century College, has always had to rely on other people to do things for her. She uses a wheelchair and has limited mobility in her arms. Typically a family member or friend is always within …

Whisper Provides Perfect Fit for Sue

May 4, 2022

woman sitting on couch with service dog wearing Can Do Canines cape sitting in front of her

“I wasn’t really sure how a dog would fit my needs,” remembers Sue, who was recently teamed with Mobility Assist Dog Whisper. “I thought there are others needing service dogs more than me.” Some people might wonder how Sue could think this, given her medical history, but her positive attitude keeps any self-pity at bay. In her 20s, Sue had a brain bleed and paralysis, which she overcame with physical therapy. However, she says, “As I got older, my body didn’t compensate for this and I have spasticity in my leg and weakness.” Later, a cancer diagnosis and the related …

Xander Gets Michael Up and Moving

April 27, 2022

man sitting in wheelchair with black Lab Can Do Canines service dog next to him on driveway

The singer Gloria Estefan released a song in the late 80s that contained the lyrics, “Get on your feet. Stand up and take some action.” That’s exactly what Mobility Assist Dog Xander is helping his partner, Michael, to do. Michael, who has lesions on his spine and was diagnosed with recurring/relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2016, says of Xander, “He keeps me on my feet.” Prior to having Xander, Michael admits he spent a lot of time in his living room chair. “I couldn’t stand in place for very long,” says Michael. Xander has changed that. In only their initial days …

Liv’s Life Improves with “Clark Care”

April 20, 2022

young woman sitting with face next to white poodle service dog

Imagine not knowing if you would pass out each time you bend over. That’s Olivia’s reality. Born three months premature, which led to hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy, and diagnosed at age 8 with a unique form of epilepsy, Liv has had over 150 surgeries in her 26 years of life so far. Yet, it wasn’t until college that she realized how desperately she needed a dog as part of her care team. “When I was a freshman,” she recalls, “I was alone in my dorm room, studying for midterms, and I had a seizure.” Luckily, she was able to get …

Viggo’s Dedication Reinforces Carden’s Dedication to Future Plan

April 14, 2022

black dog wearing Can Do Canines service dog cape pressing door pushplate for young man in wheelchair

Carden Olson Viggo Can Do Canines Service Dog by Liz Banfield Carden, who just became one half of Can Do Canines’ 800th team to certify, says of his desire to get an assistance dog, “I was just really hoping to have a companion to help me to do things that could enhance my daily life, that could make my disability less of a hindrance for me and have a partner to help me with things.” The disability Carden’s referring to is cerebral palsy. The partner, now helping him deal with it, is Viggo, a 3-year-old black Labrador Retriever. Now in …

Vino Helps Annabelle Conserve Energy and Reduce Fear

April 8, 2022

Young woman standing in kitchen with yellow Lab service dog in sitting in front of her

It wasn’t until Annabelle was in elementary school that she began exhibiting symptoms of Friedreich’s ataxia, a condition that affects some of the body’s nerves. For Annabelle, this meant she experienced difficulty walking and increasingly risked falling down and severely hurting herself. So when Annabelle and her mother heard of Can Do Canines from a social worker in their northern Minnesota town, they were excited to learn about the ways an assistance dog could help. That is where Mobility Assist Dog Vino enters the story. This 3-year old yellow Labrador is a constant companion that helps ease Annabelle’s fears of …

Boris and Isaac enjoy favorite activities together

March 29, 2022

young boy lying on bed with black Lab dog

Isaac loves to be on the move, but his quick feet and bolting tendencies had his mother, Celia, looking for other options to help keep him safe in public. When her doctor shared a packet of resources, one of which was about Can Do Canines, Celia applied for an Autism Assist Dog for Isaac in September 2017. While on the waitlist, the family experienced some challenging situations. When Isaac was 3 years old, he ran away and his family finally found him under a car, looking at his reflection on the chrome bumper. The fear of Isaac bolting in public …

Foster Homes Needed for Puppies

March 21, 2022

two yellow and two black Lab puppies, sitting in grass, wearing service vests

We need several people to help by fostering one of our lovable puppies in the coming weeks. These little bundles will be 10 weeks old at the time, and the commitment is about 10 weeks. However, if you are able to help out for half that, about 3-5 weeks, we are able to accommodate that as well. We have knowledgeable trainers on staff ready to equip you with the skills and information to set you up for success. Read more about the Great Start process here. If you have not gone through volunteer orientation yet, please contact our Volunteer Department …

Jensen and Xolia Embrace the Concept of Teamwork

March 15, 2022

young woman sitting on chair in front of fireplace with black Lab service dog lying next to her

“Creating mutually beneficial partnerships” is part of the mission statement for Can Do Canines. Jensen, who was paired with Mobility Assist Dog Xolia in October 2021, says, “I loved hearing that concept of [being] a team.” Jensen has a combination of diagnoses, including a neuromuscular disorder, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and a copper deficiency, and has had her share of frustrations recently, especially trying to understand her conditions. “It’s been very dark these last few years, not having answers.” She adds, “There are a lot of unknowns I face on a daily basis, and when new symptoms arise, it …

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Feature Stories (311)
  • News (130)
  • Uncategorized (2)

Archives

  • May 2022 (4)
  • April 2022 (7)
  • March 2022 (7)
  • February 2022 (8)
  • January 2022 (6)
  • December 2021 (4)
  • November 2021 (7)
  • October 2021 (5)
  • September 2021 (8)
  • August 2021 (6)
  • July 2021 (4)
  • June 2021 (8)
  • May 2021 (7)
  • April 2021 (5)
  • March 2021 (5)
  • February 2021 (6)
  • January 2021 (7)
  • December 2020 (5)
  • November 2020 (4)
  • October 2020 (6)
  • September 2020 (6)
  • August 2020 (8)
  • July 2020 (4)
  • June 2020 (3)
  • May 2020 (3)
  • April 2020 (3)
  • March 2020 (3)
  • February 2020 (3)
  • January 2020 (2)
  • December 2019 (3)
  • November 2019 (3)
  • October 2019 (1)
  • September 2019 (8)
  • August 2019 (2)
  • July 2019 (3)
  • June 2019 (2)
  • May 2019 (1)
  • April 2019 (2)
  • March 2019 (1)
  • February 2019 (3)
  • January 2019 (3)
  • November 2018 (5)
  • October 2018 (1)
  • September 2018 (4)
  • August 2018 (4)
  • July 2018 (5)
  • June 2018 (1)
  • May 2018 (2)
  • April 2018 (3)
  • March 2018 (1)
  • February 2018 (3)
  • January 2018 (2)
  • November 2017 (1)
  • October 2017 (10)
  • September 2017 (5)
  • August 2017 (2)
  • July 2017 (1)
  • June 2017 (7)
  • May 2017 (18)
  • April 2017 (2)
  • March 2017 (2)
  • February 2017 (11)
  • January 2017 (16)
  • December 2016 (5)
  • November 2016 (6)
  • October 2016 (20)
  • July 2016 (10)
  • June 2016 (2)
  • May 2016 (2)
  • April 2016 (2)
  • February 2016 (11)
  • January 2016 (1)
  • December 2015 (1)
  • October 2015 (15)
  • September 2015 (2)
  • August 2015 (1)
  • July 2015 (6)
  • May 2015 (1)
  • April 2015 (11)
  • March 2015 (1)
  • December 2014 (2)
  • November 2014 (2)
  • October 2014 (4)
  • September 2014 (4)
  • August 2014 (3)
  • July 2014 (2)
  • June 2014 (3)
  • May 2014 (3)
  • April 2014 (2)
  • November 2013 (1)
  • August 2013 (1)
  • June 2013 (1)
  • July 2012 (2)
  • April 2012 (1)
  • November 2011 (1)
  • October 2011 (1)
  • July 2011 (1)
  • March 2011 (2)

Footer

Can Do Canines Assistance Dogs oval logo

Phone iconContact Us

763-331-3000
info@candocanines.org

Map iconLocation

9440 Science Center Drive
New Hope, Minnesota 55428
Directions
Assistance Dogs International Accredited Member websiteGuidestar Platinum Transparency 2021 websiteCharities Review Council Meets Standards website

© 2022 Can Do Canines. All Rights Reserved.Contact Us  |  Careers  |  Accessibility Statement  |  Privacy Policy  |  Site Map