“We discovered Can Do Canines by way of an internet search,” Betsy says. “After stumbling upon and watching the documentary film Pick of the Litter, we were inspired to find out about local organizations engaged in this important work. The time was right: our beloved 15-year-old pet Black Lab had passed a few months earlier, so we were keenly aware of the void felt in our household – now pet-less for the first time in 37 years! – and, we were newly retired from full-time work. The opportunity to volunteer with Can Do Canines Puppy Program offered us a focused purpose, …
training
The Gift of a Great Start: The Cerar Family
Puppy Program volunteers are involved in every stage of a future assistance dog’s journey. When the puppies reach 10-weeks of age they take one of two paths through the remainder of the program—either Puppy Raised in prison or Puppy Raised in one of our volunteer’s homes. Before pups go into the Prison Program they get a jump start on the basics in a Great Start Home. From 10–20 weeks of age these pups will continue work on potty and crate training, and focus on basic obedience, house manners, and social exposure. We caught up with the Cerar Family as they …
Tips from our Trainers, Keeping Your Dog Safe this Holiday Season.
Holiday and Winter Safety Tips We all want what’s best for our dogs this time of year. The weather and family gatherings can prove to be a challenge. We’ve asked our experts, what steps we can all take to keep our furry friends comfortable and safe. Here are a few tips from our training department. Venturing outdoors… General rule of thumb: If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for them. Dogs can get frostbite too. Please keep them indoors during inclement weather conditions. Keep walks short, but try to provide them more frequently so they still get proper …
Volunteer Spotlight: Barb Verhage
Barb Verhage began volunteering for Can Do Canines in 2012 after entering retirement. Her first volunteer role was as a Puppy Socializer. She was tasked with engaging and socializing the puppies in the kennel. Quick to take on more responsibility, Barb then became an outing volunteer, a role she continues to do every Wednesday alongside Joanne Nichols and Lisa Hathy. This trio brings dogs in training into the community for extra socialization and to work on obedience skills in new environments. “It’s fun to go out with three dogs because people notice you more. You get a little more attention …
A Custom Approach
Can Do Canines knows that each person with a disability has unique needs. Our philosophy is that their assistance dogs should be trained to meet their needs, and the client’s training process should be tailored to their abilities. This is why Can Do Canines custom trains each dog for a particular client and offers individual training for every team. Custom Training Many organizations train each dog the same way. For example, a future Mobility Assist Dog will learn countless tasks, but he will not end up needing all those tasks for his partner. This method is inefficient, as it trains …
Truly Amazing
In 2016 when he was 10 years old, Nicholas was matched with Autism Assist Dog Truly. His family wanted a dog that would help Nicholas from wandering, ease his anxiety, and comfort him at night. Truly has been … truly amazing. Recently, Nicholas asked his mom, Paula, “When can I go to Can Do Canines and tell them how much I love Truly and how much she helps me?” “Being a mom of a child with autism and a pediatrician, this is huge,” explains Paula. “People with autism have a hard time expressing feelings, verbalizing feelings, and a tremendously hard …
A Different World
Kyle and Mobility Assist Dog Igor The summer before his senior year of high school, Kyle was in an ATV accident. He was riding along the North Shore when he lost control of the vehicle. It skidded off the road and into two trees. Kyle was flung forward, hitting each of his shoulders onto a tree, causing his helmet to come loose. The result was a broken C5 and C6 vertebrae in Kyle’s neck, paralyzing him from the chest down. “That, of course, flipped my world upside down,” says Kyle. Having been the captain of the football team, his senior …
Volunteer Spotlight: Diana Adamson and Paul Oberhaus
If you attended the graduation ceremony last month, you would have seen graduate Greg Landeen and Mobility Assist Dog Nellie take center stage. And alongside them the volunteers who made Nellie possible: Puppy Raisers Diana Adamson and Paul Oberhaus. Vocalizing what a lot of us are thinking, graduate Greg says, “It’s amazing that people are doing this on a volunteer basis. I can’t imagine what it’s like to have a dog that’s this awesome and then have to say goodbye to her. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Throughout their 17 years of service, Diana and Paul have given much …
Volunteer Spotlight: Deb Nelson
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 …
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 …