Zet, a black Labrador Retriever, snores. He tends to splay his hind legs, making him look “like a car with a bent chassis,” according to his partner, Davis. But ever since the first moment these two met, when Zet put his sweet face on Davis’s knee, Davis knew they were a perfect match. Davis has Parkinson’s disease and dealt with the symptoms as best as he could before discovering Can Do Canines online. He explains, “I have difficulty using my hands with limited dexterity. I also find it difficult to carry certain items, such as my laundry. My balance is …
assistance dogs
Gwyn and Hearing Assist Dog Anton Share Lessons in Empathy and Independence
By Jorae DuPont – Gwyn, an elementary school teacher, began losing her hearing in her 30s. Though hearing aids help her a great deal, they can’t stop her hearing loss, which continues to deteriorate. That’s why, when she returned to her classroom this fall, Gwyn had a new helper, Hearing Assist Dog Anton. Anton could not have been a more welcome addition. He walks around the room, nose sniffing, tail swishing, and often leaves the kids giggling—and their teacher feeling grateful. “Having Anton in class with me is a blessing,” Gwyn says. “He’s helped me to be open and honest …
Deavan’s Diabetes Management is Fresh as a Daisy
Upon seeing a daisy, many people succumb to the temptation of pressing their nose to it and engaging their sense of smell. Upon seeing Diabetes Assist Dog Daisy, Deavan remembers, “It was love at first sight.” By engaging her sense of smell and pressing her nose against Deavan to alert him of blood sugar lows, Daisy is bringing a fresh sense of safety to him. He says, “There has never been anything in the world that could alert me of a low blood sugar before I realized it, until I met Daisy. Her nose knows!” At 28 years old, he …
Terry and Kirby Take Living Positively to a New Level
In 2007, Terry took a downward tumble, literally. While at work as a welder, he says, “I fell backwards inside of a stainless steel tank. It was about a 12-foot drop. I woke up four days later at HCMC, and they told me I wasn’t able to walk again. I severed my spinal cord.” Despite the devastating injury, Terry opted to keep channeling a positive attitude. “ You only have a few choices in life, you know, and something like that happens. So then, I decided to go upward instead of downward.” Just one year later, Terry stepped up to become …
Echo’s Help Reverberates Throughout Mary’s Life
An echo is based on repetition. The repetition Mary needed in her life when she started researching assistance dogs was for successful movement. So, she got herself an Echo … Mobility Assist Dog Echo, that is! Mary says, “I was diagnosed with a rare genetic neuromuscular disease in early May 2023. This disease affects my muscles and causes severe weakness, mainly in my legs, and is a slow, progressive disease.” For Mary, that means difficulty walking, standing, bending, lifting, and climbing stairs. “Walking any kind of distance was a big risk for me. I would trip and fall a lot.” …
Open House: August 19, 2025
We will be hosting an open house on Tuesday, August 19, from 6-8 p.m., at our campus. Potential clients, volunteers, or anyone who might be interested in supporting the organization is invited to attend to learn how an assistance dog changes the life of a person with a disability. There is no pre-registration for this event, so please join us on August 19. You will be asked to share some contact information at our registration table upon arrival. To request a sign language interpreter for the Open House, please contact Laurie at lcarlson@candocanines.org or call 763-331-3000 at least two weeks in advance. We’ll do …
Autism Assist Dog Arlo Comes Fully Prepared
Stacy only took her eyes off her young son, Owen, for a few seconds while she grabbed something out of her bag. When she looked back at where he had been at a museum play area in a mall, he was gone. While this is a scenario many parents have fearfully encountered, the fact that Owen has autism compounded the threat. Fortunately, another parent helped with a safe and speedy reunion, but Stacy says, “That was the very first time that I thought ‘This is going to be a forever thing for us. He has no idea what safety is.’” …
Open House: May 17, 2025
We will be hosting an open house on Saturday, May 17, from noon to 2 p.m., at our campus. Potential clients, volunteers, or anyone who might be interested in supporting the organization is invited to attend to learn how an assistance dog changes the life of a person with a disability. There is no pre-registration for this event, so please join us on May 17. You will be asked to share some contact information at our registration table upon arrival. The two presentations are each repeated and offered three times throughout the event. The later sessions tend to be a …
Collin’s Gratitude for Assistance Dogs is All-encompassing
2013 was a devastating year for Collin. Her first Can Do Canine, Cher, a Diabetes Assist Dog, died that June from lymphoma at only 5 years old. Two days later, Collin’s mom died, and the following month, both her aunt and her best friend died on the same day. However, in July, Collin received Giles, her second Can Do Canine. “Giles was great comfort,” says Collin. Giles was also a Diabetes Assist Dog, and Collin remembers, “He would alert me. And so then I’d look at my meter, and it showed that it was going down fast. He was helpful …
Abbi Finds Peace and Safety with Lucy in her Life
When Abbi started to have focus and memory problems in 2018, she was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain. Abbi explains the effects, saying, “I drop so many things like my phone, stylus, remote, medicine bottles, etc.” That is a common problem when Abbi tries to cook because food items and knives fall out of her hands, and she can end up with cuts and burns. Other symptoms affect her too. “Bending down and stooping for me is hard because I either fall or hit my head or body.” Additionally, Abbi has “chorea” from her …
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