“Persistent” is one way Deanna describes her canine partner, Gracie. Since that trait is especially desirable for a Diabetes Assist Dog, Gracie was cast in the perfect role. Certified in 2014, this team has become completely in tune with each other. One way they’ve done this is through dog agility training—something they began within the first year together. Deanna says she started agility work with Gracie so the two of them could become more cohesive. “The stronger the bond, the better the alerting,” she asserts. “I had to learn her language and she had to learn my language.” The two …
assistance dogs
Hearing Assist Dog Raven is Music to Megan’s Ears
By: Erin Reyes A ringing doorbell. A dinging oven timer. A chirping smoke alarm. Someone calling our name. These are sounds many of us take for granted every day – sometimes, we even treat them as a nuisance. But for Megan, a 27-year-old student at UW-Oshkosh, they are mostly a non-issue…because she can’t hear them. Megan was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, a craniofacial birth defect in which some facial features – in Megan’s case, her ear canals – never fully develop. As a result, Megan has grown up with profound hearing loss. She first learned about Can Do Canines …
Fern Pours Whole Heart Into Facility Dog Role at Children’s Hospital
It’s commonly believed that dogs have a calming effect on people. At M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, there is proof. Fern, who began as one of two facility dogs there this spring can lower a child’s stress level just with her presence. Fern’s primary handler, Phylicia Petit, explains, “The nurses noticed every time Fern would walk by [one particular patient’s room, that patient’s] heart rate would change.” Little changes like that can be a big deal when a child is in the hospital, especially on the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) where Fern spends most of her working time. …
Yasmin’s Voice Helps Nyleve be a Voice for the Voiceless
Born profoundly deaf in both ears, Nyleve grew up relying on hearing aids to hear sounds. However, considering the variety of noises hearing aids take in, the devices can easily cause a person to feel overwhelmed. Nyleve often took them out at times throughout the day, and then during the night. But even with her hearing aids in, she sometimes had to strain to try to make sense of sounds. Relief for these feelings of insecurity recently came wagging her way through a yellow Lab named Yasmin. Now it’s Yasmin who sounds the alarm when Nyleve needs to be aware …
Just a Boy and His Dog…but More
By Mary Gunderson The minute Nathan met a Can Do Canine assistance team during a family outing to a Green Lake, WI, park, he wanted that team relationship for Brendan, his son. Brendan stopped walking at age 8 due to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a severe muscle-wasting disease. Nathan and Kat, his wife, applied in mid-2021, just after Brendan’s 10th birthday, the minimum age for a Can Do Canines Mobility Assist Dog match. Even as Nathan’s enthusiasm rose, Brendan reserved judgment. Reserved, that is, until he met Harley, the beautiful, 2 ½-year-old, female yellow Lab. “When Harley jumped up and hit …
Foster 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 …
Sage’s Future Spins Into a New, Hopeful Direction
In 2018, while in high school, Sage’s life began to spin out of control. That’s when a neurological disorder surfaced, causing issues with balance and body-movement control. Her mom, Lisa, explains, “She went from having a job and going to school, and then she fell, and within two weeks, she was using a wheelchair.” Although Sage jokes that when she isn’t using her wheelchair, “I walk like a drunk person,” her new normal is no laughing matter. Her fears are all too real, as she recalls falling in the tub once and sustaining a head injury. Those same fears have …
Autism Assist Dog Basil Alleviates Family’s Worries
By Sarah Lennander Sandra and Chris had concerns when applying for an assistance dog for their now 11-year-old daughter, Briella, who has autism spectrum disorder. Their biggest worry? “The dog being able to cope with Briella,” says mom Sandra. “She can get pretty aggressive when she gets upset, so could a dog be able to handle being with her?” Briella has increased sensory sensitivities and is particularly bothered by sound. In addition, she doesn’t understand the concept of danger and will run away when a situation becomes overwhelming, potentially putting herself in harm’s way. “We were at a Burger King …
Nicole and Astro Create Joyful Partnership
Nicole, who has spastic cerebral palsy and uses a power wheelchair, says, “I may have wheels, but that’s just a part of me.” Another part of her life these days is Astro, her Mobility Assist Dog. Nicole originally became aware of Can Do Canines when she saw another resident in her apartment building teamed with one of our service dogs. Shortly after that, in 2017, she was paired with Mac, who recently had to retire. Nicole explains, “He let me know that he was done. He just wanted to be a dog, and I respected that, because that’s what he …
Harry is Allowing Sadie to Paint a New Picture of her Future
Sadie is in her third year at St. Cloud State University, studying to receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in 2D Media. Getting to this point, though, has not been easy. She recalls, “When I was 8 years old, I woke up with a migraine and haven’t gone a day without since.” Four years later, she contracted mononucleosis, which caused her to develop Dysautonomia, a condition that may lie dormant until an illness prompts it to emerge. More recently, she received a diagnosis for MASS Phenotype, a connective tissue disorder. She explains, “These conditions cause pain, fatigue, …
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