We will be hosting an open house on Tuesday, August 8, 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 8. You will be asked to share some contact information at our registration table upon arrival. Take a virtual tour of our campus. Through a self-guided tour, attendees can: Watch a trainer demonstrate some general skills an assistance …
Service Dog
High Fives for Dov Ber and Cinco
By Susan Byers – Meet Dov Ber, a young husband, father, and Jewish educator living in Milwaukee. Dov Ber was born without any hearing in one ear and limited hearing in the other. In his youth, he wore a hearing aid which enabled him to participate in mainstream education and social activities among the hearing community. “My parents always encouraged me to be a part of the hearing world,” he said. “As such, I never felt limited by hearing loss.” In adulthood, Dov Ber decided to get cochlear implants in both ears. Given his mainstream upbringing and newfound ability to …
Mobility Assist Dog Ion Brings a Positive Charge to Carrie’s Life
Carrie, who battles juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, first applied to Can Do Canines while in college in the early 2000s. She was accepted for a Mobility Assist Dog, but with the stress of graduating, moving, finding a job, etc., she decided to defer going through the process. In 2019, Carrie had a major neck surgery, which “really changed things for me,” she says. “Mobility has been getting harder the last few years.” She explains that with continual bone deterioration and the use of crutches, she has difficulty picking up items and performing other needed motions. Carrie lives alone and …
The Mighty Thor Takes on a New Role for Nancy
By Mary Gunderson – Nancy and her husband, Ed, brought Thor, the red Mini Poodle puppy, into their lives during the Covid isolation. Fortunately, Nancy had taken classes and trained the family’s previous dogs. “For Thor, I pushed dog socialization, especially, and had exchanges with friends and their dogs,” she says. “And, loose-leash walking.” Nancy’s commitment shows, but she credits Thor. “He’s a quick learner. He seems to say, ‘Tell me some more things to do,’” she says, adding with a smile, “His hardest task is to sit still.” Work friends told Nancy about Can Do Canines, how the organization …
Paul Grabs a Sense of Freedom with Cider
Paul describes himself as “naturally clumsy.” But clumsiness, alone, had nothing to do with the reason for him wanting to apply to Can Do Canines for a Mobility Assist Dog. In 2015, Paul started to feel ill and soon learned that his immune system was attacking his muscles and skin. Just as he was on the road to recovery, he caught fungal meningitis, putting him in a coma for 80 days. When he woke up, he learned the disease had invaded his spinal column, causing paralysis in his lower body. Then, in 2019, his wife was diagnosed with cancer and …
Dotty’s Deep Pressure Therapy Takes the Pressure off Meghan
People who need help regulating their blood pressure may wear compression gear, such as socks, shirts, and pants. For Meghan—who has a form of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS—part of her compression ensemble is now an assistance dog. Meghan was diagnosed a few years ago with hyperadrenergic POTS, which affects heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and stress hormone levels. Meghan explains, “It’s like I’m in fight or flight mode all the time.” But Meghan can’t “fight” or “flight” if she’s unconscious, which was happening quickly and frequently for her. She says, “I can be standing up for about …
Zeta Brings “Spark of Life” to Michelle
Michelle jokes that she collects “ologists”: neurologists, a cardiologist, a rheumatologist, etc. This type of collection is no laughing matter, though. Michelle was diagnosed with lupus nearly a decade ago. She explains, “The results of the lupus strain on my body brought about seizures, migraines, and a heart condition called Supraventricular tachycardia.” Experiencing seizures multiple times per week, Michelle couldn’t be left alone and says, “A typical day was kind of scary. It made me feel like I was trapped inside a body and trapped inside a house.” She adds, “My independence was being taken away from me, and I …
Mobility Assist Dog Elvis is No Impersonator Assistance Dog
“You just do what you have to do,” was Kevin’s mentality in dealing with pain and mobility issues related to failed back fusion surgeries. He says, “Bending down on the floors is hard for me.” He also reports having fallen asleep while driving–something he attributed to the many medications he needed to combat the pain. While it has been nearly 20 years since Kevin, a retired civil engineer, has considered himself disabled, it was more recently when a medical professional recommended Can Do Canines to him. Kevin applied and was matched with a yellow Lab named Elvis. He says, “I …
Hearing Assist Dog Alayna Offers Faithful Security to Hannah
Hannah was 3 years old when diagnosed with bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss. Now, as an adult, she admits, “I’ve lived a very typical life except for the fact that I can’t hear at night when I don’t have my hearing aids or if I’m in the shower.” Nighttime can be especially scary for Hannah because her husband, Kade, works overnight, leaving her to the possibility of important sounds left unheard. Yet, Hannah managed. That is, until they had their son, Jack. “Once I had a baby, it was more than my life that I was responsible for,” she …
Irwin Helps Emme Find Solace
By Debbie Surman – Many of us take for granted what we think are small things in life like driving, picking up things we drop, or even doing laundry. Yes, laundry for most, is a chore, but what if doing it was not only a chore but dangerous too? Nineteen-year-old Emme has two genetic disorders: one affecting her mitochondria; the other, a connective tissue disorder, and just before eighth grade, she suffered a head injury, causing additional issues. By tenth grade, Emme began realizing the impact her disabilities would have on her life. By her second semester of college, she …
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