Can Do Canines trains four types of assistance dogs:

Hearing Assist Dogs
We train these dogs to alert a deaf or

hard-of-hearing person by making physical contact and then leading the person to the source of the sound. Some of the sounds a Hearing Dog may be trained for include alerting the individual to a door knock or doorbell, an oven timer, a smoke detector, an alarm clock, the individual’s name being called, a phone ringing, the sound of an intruder, or a baby crying.

Mobility Assist Dogs
Service dogs assist people with physical disabilities (i.e., those who use wheelchairs, crutches or walkers). They are trained to pick up and carry objects, pull wheelchairs, retrieve a cordless phone, open doors and perform other daily tasks.

Special Skills Dogs
We train Special Skills Dogs who assist individuals who have physical disabilities, in addition to being deaf or hard-of-hearing.  These dogs combine the assistance of both a Hearing Dog and a Service Dog in one animal.

Autism Assist Dogs

In 2007, Can Do Canines began our Autism Assist Dog program. With autism more prevalent in U.S. born children and with no cure in sight, we began this program as a unique approach to help these families.

Our Autism Assist Dogs are trained as assistance dogs, with full public access rights. We train the dogs to provide safety, a calming influence and peace of mind for these families. We are currently accepting pre-applications for our waiting list from families who have a child with autism between two and seven years old and live in the seven-county Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The expected wait for placement of a dog is over two years.

For more information, access our Autism Assist Dog program FAQ.