Worth the Wait

Lawrence Endres & Mobility Assist Dog Sierra

When Lawrence Endres began the application process with Can Do Canines for an assistance dog, he didn’t realize he would wait nearly two years to be partnered with Sierra. He so excited about the prospect, as his wife Joleen testifies, that he would call for a status update every month.

Lawrence’s excitement began when he personally witnessed how amazing a Can Do Canine can be. One day at the West St. Paul Library he saw a gentleman with an assistance dog in tow and was compelled to ask for more information. The man dropped a Can Do Canines business card on the floor and his canine helper quickly picked it up and handed it to Lawrence. With that, Lawrence knew his mobility could be significantly improved with help from Can Do Canines.

Lawrence, who lives in West St. Paul has cerebellar ataxia—damage to part of the brain responsible for muscle coordination. His mobility is limited due to unstable balance and he tires easily. Unable to stand without assistance for extended periods of time, he primarily uses a wheelchair to get around.

“I strongly feel an assistance dog would greatly increase my quality of life” Lawrence explained in his application. “I feel left out of life because I am not able to get out to work.”

Once he got the call he had been anxiously awaiting—that a two-year-old Goldadore named Sierra was ready—the two began training together. Lawrence says he looked forward to these training sessions each and every day as they both challenged him and brought him closer to a more independent and mobile life. Within the first two weeks, Mobility Assist Dog Sierra demonstrated her innate ability to help Lawrence when he fell one day. Sierra immediately went to seek out Joleen. As Joleen describes the event, she says that Sierra “just knew to alert her.”

In addition to more serious situations, Sierra assists Lawrence by opening doors, turning on light switches, and hauling the laundry basket. She even retrieves each piece of laundry and hands it to Lawrence to fold. The two go everywhere together and shop, eat in restaurants and spend time in the library. They also like hang out in the yard together, as Lawrence enjoys gardening and making bird houses.

When asked what the most significant thing Sierra does for him, Lawrence says that her retrieval skills are very helpful and her companionship is invaluable. Through tears, Joleen explains that she has seen major changes in Lawrence—that his “whole demeanor” has improved. He’s even developed a more loving and patient attitude toward others. She adds that Sierra has had an unexpected influence in her life as well.

Joleen has suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes and at her last doctor appointment, it was revealed that her blood pressure was at a normal level—something she hasn’t experienced in years. She attributes her improved health to Sierra as well as all the improvements in her husband’s life.

In closing, Lawrence added a heartfelt thank you to the Puppy Raisers that trained Sierra and would like to say that “Can Do Canines is an excellent cause for support” as they do a “wonderful job” in training assistance dogs and pairing them with those in need.

He offers advice to those who may be awaiting an assistance dog by saying “Be patient. It is well worth the wait!”

Thank you to all those who made this partnership possible:

Puppy Raiser—The Herr Family
Long-term Foster Homes—The Inmate Handlers at the Federal Correctional Institute at Sandstone