Summer Time

Dennis Prothero & Mobility Assist Dog Summer

Summer came early this year for Dennis Prothero.

In March Dennis officially welcomed Mobility Assist Dog Summer to his home in Stillwater, Minn. Since then, Summer—a two-year-old yellow Labrador retriever—has been a bright spot in Dennis’ life.

After a car accident rendered him fully disabled with quadriplegia Dennis retained a personal care attendant (PCA) to assist with basic care at home. However, when the PCA isn’t on hand Dennis struggles with opening doors and retrieving dropped items.

“Generally, when you’re in my kind of condition, anything that you drop on the floor—stays on the floor,” Dennis says.

Yet despite limitations Dennis has a positive attitude and an active lifestyle. He relies on a wheelchair and a handicap accessible van to get around town for car shows, concerts and other outings. He is also turning his love of photography into a small in-home business. Although new to Can Do Canines Dennis understands the transformative power of a service animal.  His previous dog (from a different organization) died of cancer a little over a year ago.  Good friends recommended Can Do Canines.

 “When the time came I didn’t hesitate to contact Can Do Canines,” he says.  “Once you’ve had a Mobility Assist Dog you just don’t know what to do without them.”

Dennis still remembers the first time he met Summer. “I was meeting with Can Do Canines staff and when they brought her into the room, she laid down next to my chair,” Dennis recalls. “I knew instantly she had picked me.”  Soon after they began training together.

Summer quickly lived up to her name providing a breath of fresh air for Dennis. He liked how their training—at the facility and at his home—focused on his specific needs. “It’s hard work, like learning a second language,” he says. “But it’s so rewarding when your dog responds to your commands and bonds with you.”

One of Summer’s foster home volunteers agrees. “As a puppy Summer loved to play, but she was also a very disciplined worker; she would even resist tempting toys in order to follow commands.”

Since moving in with Dennis Summer assists him by opening doors, pulling on drawers and retrieving needed items. “Thinking back to when I didn’t have a dog, it was so much work to get things off the floor. Now, with Summer, it’s easy,” he says.

Best of all, Summer provides Dennis with constant companionship, unconditional love and a sense of purpose.  “I’m responsible for feeding her, taking her out, spending time with her, and she makes sure I stay active—and off the computer,” he says with a smile.

Dennis is grateful to all the Can Do Canines Puppy Raisers, trainers, staff, volunteers and donors who generously give their time, money and equipment. He is committed to returning the favor and paying it forward by spreading the word about the organization and how assistance dogs can change lives.

Like the song says … “it’s Summer time and the livin’ is (definitely) easier!”

Thank you to all those who made this partnership possible:

Puppy Raiser—The Merkel Family
Special Thanks—Erin Janke & Mike Kaufman; The Inmate Handlers at the Federal Correctional Institute at Waseca;
The Merkel Family
Name-A-Puppy Donor—Mike Branch