When Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union approached us in Spring 2022 with a generous donation and a desire to engage their employees with our mission, we put on our thinking caps to create the best experience to meet their goal. As Affinity Plus Chief Talent Officer Julie Cosgrove states, their company wanted to “partner together to impact the lives of people and families in communities across the state of Minnesota.” So, in response to a donation of $30,000 over the course of three years, Can Do Canines came up with the concept of allowing Affinity Plus to sponsor an entire …
News
Baby Shower Held for First-Time Mama Dog Dell
Daddy Dog Eiken lying next to a photo of pregnant Mama Dog Dell On Wednesday, March 22, we held a very special baby shower for a first-time expecting mother. However, this mom-to-be isn’t hoping for a healthy baby with 10 fingers and 10 toes. Instead, Mama Dell is hoping for her offspring to each have four furry paws and a wagging tail. Due April 2, Dell will give birth to puppies that will be raised and trained as assistance dogs to help people with disabilities. The baby shower was not only celebrating this miracle of birth, but also the many …
Tribute to Martha Venema
It’s with great sadness that we recognize the passing of Volunteer Martha Venema. Martha began volunteering with Can Do Canines in August 2019 and fostered her first dog, Xullia, with us in October 2019. When asked in the application why she wanted to volunteer, Martha replied, “I love dogs. Currently we have been without a dog for 3 years. I miss having one. I’m interested in helping out through this program to volunteer my services and love of animals. It will be exciting to see how far the dog goes and to whom the dog will eventually be fitted with. …
Meet Our New Board Members
Within the past couple of months, we have welcomed four new members to our Board of Directors: Gabrielle Anderson, Rebeca Sharpe, Drew Wineland, and Matthew Woods. These four are joining our other board members to bring the total number of board members to 14, not including Jeff Johnson. We are excited about the knowledge and experience they bring to the group! Gabrielle Anderson – Allegro Senior Living Gabbi has been in the senior living industry for almost 10 years, and she is currently the Vice President of Operations for Allegro Senior Living. She oversees a portfolio of senior living communities …
Winter Paw-Pad Care
It’s January, so as we take our beloved canines out for walks, they’re not exactly “walking on sunshine.” Keep these tips in mind to protect your pooch’s paws. Using “Musher’s Secret” or petroleum jelly on the dog’s feet can provide a protective layer to paws from ice and irritants. While ice salt is only mildly poisonous to dogs, it can cause irritation to the skin, paws, and gastrointestinal tract (when directly ingested). Make sure to use a damp cloth to wipe off your pet’s paws after coming into the house. When returning home, check for cracks in paw pads or …
First Co-Puppy-Raising Experience a Success!
Can Do Canines would like to recognize volunteers Tiffany Hendrickson and Dana Kittok and their families for completing the first successful co puppy-raising of a Can Do Canine! Jimi, a 2 ½-year-old Labrador mix, shows us that this can be a great option for some volunteers and dogs. Typically, a single household commits to the puppy-raising journey, spending approximately two years teaching a dog good house manners, general obedience, and how to behave well in public. The Covid-19 pandemic led to many more Can Do Canine puppies requiring puppy raisers than normal due to a shortage of prison programs. This …
Federal Medical Center-Rochester Resumes Prison Program
On Tuesday, August 30, Can Do Canines brought seven assistance dogs-in-training to their temporary training home at the Federal Medical Center, located in Rochester, Minn. This resumes this facility’s Prison Puppy Program that has been paused since the pandemic began. Can Do Canines are assistance dogs trained for clients who live with disabilities that involve mobility challenges, hearing loss or deafness, seizure disorders, diabetes complicated by hypoglycemia unawareness, or childhood autism. Being trained in a prison setting may be one stop on the journey for many of these dogs in training. While there, each dog will share a cell with …
Fosters Volunteers Needed
With more people enjoying summer vacations and traveling, Can Do Canines currently has a greater need for foster volunteers. These Twin Cities volunteers will help care for a dog that is destined to be an assistance dog for a person with a disability. Volunteer experiences can be tailored to meet various commitment levels. Fosters who offer “Great Start Homes” take in a 10-week-old puppy for 2-3 months. Those in the Puppy-Raiser role may have a future assistance dog for 18-24 months. Additional long-term and short-term options are available, and Puppy Sitters may just get their “puppy fix” by hosting a …
Two Can Do Canines Supporters to Bike Across Canada, Raising Funds for Can Do Canines
Peter Hilger is an architect, a Professor of Construction and Facility Management at the University of Minnesota and a longtime Can Do Canines supporter. Peter used his architectural skills to design the current Can Do Canines facility, having also advised on previous location plans. What he has designed for this summer, though, is completely different: a 5,700-mile bike route across Canada. This will be Hilger’s 21st lengthy summertime bike trip. However, upon encouragement from colleagues, he will use this 2022 trek to raise funds for Can Do Canines and two other nonprofit organizations that are close to his heart: NPH …
A Thundering Change
As the saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers.” However, April showers often include thunder, and your dog might suddenly be responding in a new way to this noise, among others. Casey O’Connell, our certified veterinarian technician, explains that as dogs age, their reactions to certain sounds might change. While thunder, for instance, might not have any effect on a dog for its first ten years or so, suddenly it might become an anxiety-producing experience, with symptoms of panting, shaking, etc. However, the reverse might also be true. Dogs who have anxiety to thunder for their younger life may stop …
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