Carrie, who battles juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, first applied to Can Do Canines while in college in the early 2000s. She was accepted for a Mobility Assist Dog, but with the stress of graduating, moving, finding a job, etc., she decided to defer going through the process. In 2019, Carrie had a major neck surgery, which “really changed things for me,” she says. “Mobility has been getting harder the last few years.” She explains that with continual bone deterioration and the use of crutches, she has difficulty picking up items and performing other needed motions. Carrie lives alone and …
Feature Stories
The Mighty Thor Takes on a New Role for Nancy
By Mary Gunderson – Nancy and her husband, Ed, brought Thor, the red Mini Poodle puppy, into their lives during the Covid isolation. Fortunately, Nancy had taken classes and trained the family’s previous dogs. “For Thor, I pushed dog socialization, especially, and had exchanges with friends and their dogs,” she says. “And, loose-leash walking.” Nancy’s commitment shows, but she credits Thor. “He’s a quick learner. He seems to say, ‘Tell me some more things to do,’” she says, adding with a smile, “His hardest task is to sit still.” Work friends told Nancy about Can Do Canines, how the organization …
Paul Grabs a Sense of Freedom with Cider
Paul describes himself as “naturally clumsy.” But clumsiness, alone, had nothing to do with the reason for him wanting to apply to Can Do Canines for a Mobility Assist Dog. In 2015, Paul started to feel ill and soon learned that his immune system was attacking his muscles and skin. Just as he was on the road to recovery, he caught fungal meningitis, putting him in a coma for 80 days. When he woke up, he learned the disease had invaded his spinal column, causing paralysis in his lower body. Then, in 2019, his wife was diagnosed with cancer and …
Dotty’s Deep Pressure Therapy Takes the Pressure off Meghan
People who need help regulating their blood pressure may wear compression gear, such as socks, shirts, and pants. For Meghan—who has a form of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS—part of her compression ensemble is now an assistance dog. Meghan was diagnosed a few years ago with hyperadrenergic POTS, which affects heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and stress hormone levels. Meghan explains, “It’s like I’m in fight or flight mode all the time.” But Meghan can’t “fight” or “flight” if she’s unconscious, which was happening quickly and frequently for her. She says, “I can be standing up for about …
Volunteer Marilyn Lingard Finds Joy in the Many Ways to be Involved
The saying “Time flies when you’re having fun,” aptly describes Can Do Canines Volunteer Marilyn Lingard’s 10-year experience with us. In 2013, she attended a presentation at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. There, a speaker shared some research about dogs and referenced some work in Washington, D.C. she was doing with service dogs. Her curiosity piqued, Marilyn researched similar organizations in the Twin Cities and stumbled upon Can Do Canines. Since then, she has helped at nearly every type of event we offer, hosted dogs of various ages and for varying amounts of time in her home, made phone calls to …
Zeta Brings “Spark of Life” to Michelle
Michelle jokes that she collects “ologists”: neurologists, a cardiologist, a rheumatologist, etc. This type of collection is no laughing matter, though. Michelle was diagnosed with lupus nearly a decade ago. She explains, “The results of the lupus strain on my body brought about seizures, migraines, and a heart condition called Supraventricular tachycardia.” Experiencing seizures multiple times per week, Michelle couldn’t be left alone and says, “A typical day was kind of scary. It made me feel like I was trapped inside a body and trapped inside a house.” She adds, “My independence was being taken away from me, and I …
Mobility Assist Dog Elvis is No Impersonator Assistance Dog
“You just do what you have to do,” was Kevin’s mentality in dealing with pain and mobility issues related to failed back fusion surgeries. He says, “Bending down on the floors is hard for me.” He also reports having fallen asleep while driving–something he attributed to the many medications he needed to combat the pain. While it has been nearly 20 years since Kevin, a retired civil engineer, has considered himself disabled, it was more recently when a medical professional recommended Can Do Canines to him. Kevin applied and was matched with a yellow Lab named Elvis. He says, “I …
Hearing Assist Dog Alayna Offers Faithful Security to Hannah
Hannah was 3 years old when diagnosed with bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss. Now, as an adult, she admits, “I’ve lived a very typical life except for the fact that I can’t hear at night when I don’t have my hearing aids or if I’m in the shower.” Nighttime can be especially scary for Hannah because her husband, Kade, works overnight, leaving her to the possibility of important sounds left unheard. Yet, Hannah managed. That is, until they had their son, Jack. “Once I had a baby, it was more than my life that I was responsible for,” she …
Irwin Helps Emme Find Solace
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 …
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 …
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