Mobility Assist Dog Beau Brings Security and Independence to Jason

By Jessica Kellogg - 

Since the age of 3, Jason has been dealing with the effects of a progressive muscular disease.  He would often overexert himself trying to “just deal with” the pain, discomfort, and limited mobility caused by his condition and his experience as a wheelchair user. “I struggled on a daily basis without having the ability to grab dropped items off my floor or activate push plates for doors. I just had to deal with it no matter how much pain and discomfort it caused.”

And then, a mild-mannered yellow Labrador who loves belly rubs entered his life. “I searched online for assistance dogs, hoping that one could help me in my daily living.” Through that Internet search, Jason found Can Do Canines, and was eventually matched with Beau. From their very first meeting, “Beau and I clicked right away, and it’s been great ever since.”

For Jason and Beau, the training process has been very smooth; the best part has been just learning to work as a team. “Beau does a great job of retrieving items I drop on the floor. As soon as he hears them drop, he shows up and waits for the command to pick them up. He also gets really excited to go to work with me.”  

With Beau in his life, Jason feels like his life is a lot calmer and relaxed. “Just having him there offers me a real sense of security and comfort.” Beau has provided Jason with an increased sense of independence and has allowed him to do things like plan a cross-country trip with his family.

Jason says, “I would like to sincerely thank all those involved with raising and training Beau, you all did an amazing job and words cannot describe how truly grateful I am to all of you. I look forward to many years with Beau and I know he looks forward to the same.”

 

Thank you to all those who made this partnership possible:

Whelping Home — Rick and Patti Dougherty
Raisers — Heather Moussette, Peter Olson, Rebecca Reinemann
Special Thanks — Jackson Correctional Institution, Stanley Correctional Institution, University of Minnesota FETCH Program (Carlie Buck)