Walking along the street in downtown Rochester, Deb Nelson came across a woman with a service dog wearing a Can Do Canines cape. The graduate’s story about the ways her Diabetes Assist Dog improved her life left Deb wanting to learn more. Deb visited Can Do Canines website, attended a presentation, and toured the facility. “As I became more confident that Can Do Canines was an organization that I wanted to be a part of, I completed a volunteer application and went through the home visit to be approved. We were approved to be fosters in May of 2016,” Deb …
Dog Training
5 Winter Safety Tips for Dogs
Winter means holiday cheer and snowy landscapes, but along with hot chocolate there are less pleasant wintry associations, like icy sidewalks, dry skin, and windchill. These cold weather concerns can affect all members of your family, including the furry ones. A few precautions can go a long way in ensuring your dog stays happy and healthy in the winter months. 1. Protect the paws: Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into the paws before going outside helps protect against salt and other chemical agents. It also helps to moisturize pads that have become dry or cracked. Booties can provide …
Volunteer Spotlight: Ann Smetana
It was through an advertisement at her local library in Wisconsin that Ann Smetana first learned about Can Do Canines. It’s been almost two years and numerous weekend fosters since, and Ann will happily tell you she believes her family has become Weekend Puppy Raisers for life! In the spring of 2017, the Smetana family started their journey as Weekend Puppy Raisers for Polly, a Black Labrador Retriever being raised at Jackson Correctional Institution (JCI) in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Twice a month they ventured to JCI to pick up their pre-assigned puppy for a few days of socialization. Since …
5 Things I’ve Gained As A Volunteer
Volunteers are motivated to give of themselves for a variety of reasons—to help their community, to share their time and talent, or to learn a new skill. And volunteers gain different things from their experiences. When we interviewed a group of Can Do Canines volunteers about what they have gained from their time volunteering, here is what they shared. 1- Confidence “That I can do this [train a dog]. That I can raise a dog, and train a dog with the support that I have from Can Do Canines. And I really feel like I’m dong a wonderful job; the …
Cory Hepola with Kare 11 | Puppies Grow, Train
NEW HOPE, Minn. — “It’s like they’re coming to college and they’re going to find themselves here.” That’s how Shenna Lemche, program trainer at Can Do Canines, describes the training process for her non-profit’s assistance dogs. Although these special dogs are always learning, they usually arrive for this type of training when they are 15-months to 2 years old, and subsequently learn specific skills and discover what type of assistance dog they’ll be. Cory Hepola traveled to Can Do Canines to see these awesome dogs in action. Watch Cory’s video here.