News

Hello Volunteers! We’ve talked about how primates really like to use their hands, and even I can admit that you really hit the evolutionary jackpot with those opposable thumbs. Well, this week we’re leaving other primates in the dust and stepping into territory only humans occupy: spoken language. Humans say words. Like, a lot of words. LIKE, A LOT OF WORDS ALL THE TIME. Your human words are more than the sum of their parts, and interact with each other in dazzlingly infinite ways. And you know what? Good for you! That’s why you’re in charge and my kind is …

Hello again! My house didn’t get TP’d or egged over the weekend, so I seemed to have escaped punishment for last week’s downer of an article. Much obliged to you all! This week’s topic is The Crate. A crate or kennel is one of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll use as a Can Do Canines host, but it’s also one of the simplest and most straightforward. A real “set it and forget it” situation. Like a Crock Pot. Disclaimer: This article refers to my Canine Comrades who are able to tolerate their crate, even if they’re a bit …

Last week we talked about love in all its forms. One way a human may choose to show their love for a Can Do Canine is to bring them to dog playdates. So! Let’s talk about it. Sidenote: If any adolescent Labradors get wind that I wrote this, they’ll have my tail. Don’t tell them, Ok? What I have to say is for their own good, but you know teenagers… they’re never going to listen to an old man like me. Ok. Here goes: Dogs don’t NEED playtime with other dogs to be fulfilled in life. In fact, play time …

Hello everyone! Thanks for joining us this week. I want to give a huge shout out to my sister CC Qiwi who sent her regards after enjoying last week’s article with her mom. Much love to the CDC 2018 Q Litter. Aging like fine wine, we are! This week we’re going to talk about humans, dogs, and physical affection. The mushy stuff, if you will. See, we Can Do Canines inspire a lot of love – from our whelpers and raisers, to inmate handlers and CDC staff, and of course, the human partners we faithfully serve. Love is all around, …

To ensure your furry friends stay safe while exercising outdoors, here are some essential tips: Proper Cooldown: For every 5 minutes of active play outside (anything more than a slow walk), provide your dog with 5 minutes of cool down time. This involves enforced resting in a shady area and offering cool water for them to drink. Remember that a dog’s primary way of cooling down is through their paw pads. Even when playing on grass, if it’s in direct sunlight, it can become too warm for them to cool off effectively. Recognizing the Signs of Heat Exhaustion: Ladle Tongue …

As Can Do Canines volunteers, we get to host and work with amazing dogs. Because of their genetics and the care they receive, they are some of the easiest, gentlest and most resilient dogs you will ever meet! However, we have to remember that the human world is inherently stressful for ALL dogs, even our incredible Can Do Canines. Here’s why: Imagine you are staying with a host family in a foreign country. Their home is cozy, the food is amazing, and they welcome you in with open arms. However, your hosts don’t speak your primary language. During your time …

Can Do Canines Puppy Program is committed to enhancing the volunteer experience through education and engagement opportunities. As an organization, we are also dedicated to ensuring the dogs we place receive the highest quality of training. To help achieve these goals, we are excited to officially launch “Packs!” Packs are small volunteer groups, determined by geographic location, that will provide an additional support and training network for our Raisers. Packs will be led by a volunteer Pack Leader who will organize group activities, help to onboard new volunteers, answer basic program questions, and ensure appropriate dog care.  Dogs within each Pack …

Almost every dog in our program will need to be spayed/neutered. After their surgery, dogs might be more sleepy for about 24hrs. They are then prescribed medication to keep them a little lower energy for a few days. Ideally, for the majority of recovery, the dog will be spending time in their crate. This might tug at your heartstrings, but every time a dog gets up from a lying position they are putting stress/stretch on their incision. When a dog is in their crate they don’t have the same incentive to get up every time something exciting is happening around the home. Sleep …

When a dog leaves your care, we ask that you submit a feedback form. Your answers to the feedback questions provide us with detailed information about the dog’s behavior, ability to adjust to new environments, handlers, and routines, as well as the dog’s overall skills within a home and on outings (if applicable).   As staff, we are able to observe our dogs during appointments, classes, outings, events, etc., but the one place we cannot observe them is in your home. Your feedback provides a critical snapshot into a dog’s behavior within a home. If a dog has been in …

Many factors play a role in finding the best match for each dog and the speed at which it happens. A host request can be received up to many months in advance (for this, we thank you!). We also have host requests that arrive at the last minute. We know that plans change and emergencies arise. But, because not every host can be found in advance, this complicates the process. Once we receive a request, it is entered into a spreadsheet in order of start date. We try to focus our energy on the urgency of the request (next start …