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Home / Feature Stories / Page 12

Feature Stories

Hearing Assist Dog Wrigley Learns “Intelligent Disobedience”

February 1, 2023

man sitting on front step with arm around Spaniel dog wearing Can Do Canines service cape

By Mary Gunderson Roy and his wife, Paula, started financially supporting Can Do Canines more than 20 years ago with no thought of becoming an assistance dog family. About two years ago, Roy noticed his hearing wasn’t as sharp. While it’s not unusual for a person in their 60s to lose some hearing ability, Roy’s loss was steep and fast. “I became quite limited without hearing aids,” Roy says. Last summer he was faithfully reading Can Do Canines’ quarterly Tails for You. The article “What are You Waiting For?“ stopped him. “I was reminded, if you qualify for an assistance …

Katherine and Bing Cherish Their Shared Care

January 25, 2023

Woman sitting in powerchair, with black Lab sitting on lawn beside her

Katherine describes herself as having been a “very, very active person,” sometimes having biked 100 miles in a day. So learning in 2004 that she had multiple sclerosis (MS) was a blow. “It was a difficult diagnosis for me,” she recalls.  Upon advice from the MS Society, Katherine applied with Can Do Canines in 2010 and was accepted as a client. She says, “I was just thrilled that they would consider me for a service dog.” That year, a black Lab named Summer became Katherine’s first Can Do Canine, and they had a wonderful 12-year partnership. After Summer passed away …

Ian and Dewey “Walk on” Toward Greater Security

January 19, 2023

Young boy holding an Oreo pack is stading with his yellow Lab service dog in a grocery aisle.

Ian, Autism Assist Dog Dewey, and Ian’s mom pose for a photo. Ian lives in a full house with a busy family, which includes his parents, an older brother, a younger sister, and several family pets. Yet making room for Autism Assist Dog Dewey was no problem for this 8 year old and his family. Ian’s parents, Laura and Chadd, heard about Can Do Canines from friends whose son received an Autism Assist Dog from us not long ago. They were excited, but the moment Ian met Dewey was even more thrilling than they expected. Laura says, “I knew that …

PAW Program is the “Best Buy” in Town

January 19, 2023

Group of volunteers and their dogs in training walking in a hallway.

“Let’s talk about what’s possible,” is the current slogan for Best Buy. So it was only fitting when Best Buy employee and long-time Can Do Canines volunteer Rebeca Sharpe approached us in Spring 2022 to talk about the possibility of a new program for fostering dogs. PAW Program participants work on loose-leash walking. Rebeca is a member of Best Buy’s disABILITIES Employee Resource Group, which was discussing having more assistance animals in training at their corporate headquarters in Richfield. She was already bringing Can Do Canine dog-in-training Waylon with her to work and recalls thinking, “What if we expand that …

Meet Client Services Coordinator Jen Gravrok

January 19, 2023

Can Do Canines staff member posing with a Golden Retriever.

As a dog lover growing up in Minnesota, Jen Gravrok wanted to be a veterinarian. While studying at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, her fascination with animal behavior—especially dogs’— surpassed that original interest. Jen recalls that as she was completing her undergraduate degree, she wanted to learn more. “I applied to study anthrozoology (human-animal interaction) with a professor who specialized in dog-human interaction. This professor was able to get me a full scholarship to study with her in Australia, so I packed my bags and moved down under for four years while I completed my Ph.D. under her supervision.” Jen Gravrok …

Abby’s World Opens up with Sonora by her Side

January 18, 2023

young woman sitting on outdoor sofa with black Lab service dog lying next to her

Just out of college at the age of 22, Abby went to the doctor thinking she had a common illness. What she didn’t expect was receiving a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. Once someone who traveled frequently and lived in Vietnam, Abby felt her world shrink significantly as she moved back in with her parents and began navigating her new reality. To complicate things more, a couple of years into her diagnosis, she developed an allergy to adhesives, which are used on more modern diabetes management devices such as wearable glucose monitors and pumps. Abby had to revert to using test …

Energy Conservation is Priority for Amy and Skilled Home Companion Jackson

January 11, 2023

woman sitting on outside porch swing with black Lab dog sitting in front of her

Amy has had multiple sclerosis since 2007, and in the past few years, her disability has become more progressive. “I get lightheaded sometimes when I bend to pick up things off the floor,” she explains. She also has difficult walking more than a few steps unassisted, and it’s not uncommon for her to fall or slip to the floor. “I did my best to keep my cell phone handy,” says Amy. While Amy was working with her occupational therapist in 2021, the therapist suggested that she consider an assistance dog. Amy remembers thinking, “I wonder what a dog could do …

A Diva with a Goofy Side

January 4, 2023

man sitting in rocker on porch with yellow Lab sitting in front of him wearing Can Do Canines service cape

By Mike Branch – Jeff describes his Mobility Assist Dog, Wendy, as “a diva with a goofy side.” She also likes attention, is eager to please, and wants to work. Jeff suffers from painful back problems, making it difficult to bend down and get up again without being in pain. He started experiencing back problems in his 30s after he fell on the ice. Arthritis has weakened his grip, and the pain from his back injury makes it difficult to pick things up off the ground. The pain has made life harder as he gets older. At age 51, even …

An Instant Connection

December 28, 2022

young woman sitting on front steps and hugging yellow Lab dog from behind

By Susan Byers – It’s easy to understand why Kaiya had an instant connection with her 3-year-old Mobility and Seizure Assist Dog, Fargo. Both have a strong work ethic, a steady demeanor, and a creative spirit. As an artist, Kaiya uses a steady hand to create intricate body art with henna. As a hard-working yellow Labrador Retriever, Fargo is always close at hand to support Kaiya in countless—and often playful—ways. Kaiya has Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a disorder of the autonomic nervous system that affects blood pressure, heart rate, and electrolyte balance. Kaiya’s symptoms include dizziness upon rising or …

Jon Embraces Life with a Hearing Assist Dog

December 14, 2022

man sitting on leather sofa with black Lab sitting on front in front of him

By Jessica Kellogg – For years, Jon struggled. Phone calls were missed; smoke detectors and doorbells were unnoticed; the voices of his wife and son were unheard. Jon and his family were living with the daily stress of a part of his world being inaccessible. Until Calla came into his life.    “My wife drove by the Can Do Canines sign countless times before thinking that an assistance dog might be able to help me,” he says. Jon had been aware of guide dogs for the blind and therapy dogs but did not realize the extensive capabilities of assistance dogs or …

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