This Winter Will Melt Your Heart

Jo Smith and Mobility Assist Dog Winter

By Emma Hage

Jo​ ​Smith​ ​of​ ​Cross​ ​Lake,​ ​Minnesota ​has ​mobility​ ​issues​ ​as​ ​a​ ​result​ ​of​ ​Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT)​,​ ​a​ ​heritable​ ​peripheral​ ​nerve​ ​disorder.​ ​She began to see her​ ​dexterity,​ ​balance,​ ​and​ ​ambulation decline,​ ​needing​ ​to​ ​wear​ ​braces​ ​on​ ​her​ ​legs​ ​for​ ​extra​ ​support. Getting​ ​around​ ​became ​a​ ​challenge.​ ​So when​ ​Jo​ ​realized​ ​that​ ​a​n assistance​ ​dog​ ​could​ ​be​ ​the help​ ​she​ ​needed,​ ​she​ reached out to ​Can​ ​Do​ ​Canines.

Her​ ​pet​ ​dog​ ​had passed​ ​away recently, and ​Jo​ ​was​ ​excited about the possibility that a new dog could provide her with companionship and mobility assistance.​ ​Jo decidedshe wanted ​the​ ​task​ ​of​ ​training​ ​a​ ​dog​ ​herself with Can Do Canines guidance.​ ​She felt​ ​she​ ​had​ ​found​ ​the​ ​perfect​ ​puppy​ ​for​ ​the​ ​task:​ ​a​ ​Labrador​ Retriever​ ​and​ ​Golden​ ​Retriever​ ​mix named​ ​Winter​, or Winnie as Jo calls her.

Jo​ ​began​ ​training​ ​Winnie​ ​herself, ​but​ ​had​ ​to​ ​make​ ​several​ ​sacrifices​ ​along​ ​the​ ​way​ ​in​ ​order to​ ​give​ ​Winnie​ ​the​ ​best​ ​training.​ ​This​ ​included​ ​cutting​ ​back​ ​on​ ​volunteer​ ​work,​ ​community involvement,​ ​and​ ​activities​ ​with​ ​her​ ​family. “It​ ​was​ ​more​ ​work​ ​than​ ​anticipated​,”​ ​said​ ​Jo.​ ​“But​ ​she’s​ ​done​ ​so​ ​well.”

After a year of extensive training and socialization, Jo and Winnie were able to apply for Can Do Canines owner-provided Mobility Assist Dog training. The training program included six months of training with Can Do Canines staff trainers as well as a Can Do Canines field trainer. Winnie​ ​is​ ​able to​ ​help​ ​Jo​ every day by​ ​picking​ ​up​ ​dropped​ ​items,​ ​opening​ ​the​ ​door, and​ ​supporting​ ​Jo​ ​as​ ​she​ ​moves​ ​around. “I’m​ ​just​ ​so​ ​impressed​ ​by​ ​what​ ​she​ ​can​ ​do.​ ​She’s​ ​a​ ​good​ ​girl,”​ ​said​ ​Jo.​ ​“Sometimes​ ​she​ ​just reads​ ​me.​ ​We’re​ ​becoming​ ​one!​ ​The​ ​[help and companionship]​ ​she​ ​offers​ ​is​ ​immeasurable.”

Winnie makes it possible for Jo to live​ ​an​ ​active life​ ​by providing her mobility assistance. Jo​ ​hopes​ ​to​ ​use​ ​this​ ​to​ ​show​ ​her​ ​family, especially​ ​those​ ​who​ ​are​ ​also​ ​affected​ ​by​ ​CMT,​ ​that​ ​disease​ ​shouldn’t​ ​stop​ ​them​ ​from​ ​doing​ ​the things​ ​that​ ​they​ ​want​ ​to​ ​do.

“It​ ​helps​ ​my​ ​grandkids​ ​see​ ​that​ ​Grandma​ ​doesn’t​ ​need​ ​a​ ​wheelchair​ ​because​ ​she’s​ ​got​ ​Winnie,” she​ ​said.​ ​“They’ll​ ​see​ ​they​ ​don’t​ ​just​ ​have​ ​to​ ​crawl​ ​into​ ​a​ ​shell​ ​and​ ​not​ ​be​ ​out​ ​in​ ​public.”

Jo​ ​is​ ​appreciative​ ​of​ ​the​ ​generous​ ​volunteers​ ​and​ ​donors​ ​who​ ​have​ ​played​ ​a​ ​role​ ​in​ ​her​ ​journey with​ ​Winnie. “They​ ​don’t​ ​realize​ ​how​ ​much​ ​they’re​ ​giving​ ​to​ ​people​ ​that​ ​have​ ​medical​ ​issues,”​ she says.​ ​“I’m​ ​so grateful​ ​that​ ​there​ ​are​ ​those​ ​people.​ ​I​ ​can’t​ ​thank​ ​all​ ​of​ ​Can​ ​Do​ ​Canines​ ​enough.”

Thank you to all those who made this partnership possible:

 Field Trainer: Barb Schilling

You: Thank you for your donations!