Can Do Canines would like to recognize volunteers Tiffany Hendrickson and Dana Kittok and their families for completing the first successful co puppy-raising of a Can Do Canine! Jimi, a 2 ½-year-old Labrador mix, shows us that this can be a great option for some volunteers and dogs. Typically, a single household commits to the puppy-raising journey, spending approximately two years teaching a dog good house manners, general obedience, and how to behave well in public. The Covid-19 pandemic led to many more Can Do Canine puppies requiring puppy raisers than normal due to a shortage of prison programs. This …
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Volunteer Helps Make Events a Success
Since 2016, Laurie Gillis has been an enthusiastic dynamo of a volunteer for Can Do Canines. She says, “I found out about Can Do Canines when I adopted my dog, Barkley, and was looking for somewhere to take him after doing obedience training to see if we could handle ourselves. I heard on the morning news that the Woofaroo was happening that day and came over.” Laurie learned that we train Diabetic Assist Dogs, and that struck a special chord with her; a childhood friend had recently died in her sleep from hypoglycemia. Laurie decided Can Do Canines was a …
Federal Medical Center-Rochester Resumes Prison Program
On Tuesday, August 30, Can Do Canines brought seven assistance dogs-in-training to their temporary training home at the Federal Medical Center, located in Rochester, Minn. This resumes this facility’s Prison Puppy Program that has been paused since the pandemic began. Can Do Canines are assistance dogs trained for clients who live with disabilities that involve mobility challenges, hearing loss or deafness, seizure disorders, diabetes complicated by hypoglycemia unawareness, or childhood autism. Being trained in a prison setting may be one stop on the journey for many of these dogs in training. While there, each dog will share a cell with …
Foster Volunteers Needed
With more people enjoying summer vacations and traveling, Can Do Canines currently has a greater need for foster volunteers. These Twin Cities volunteers will help care for a dog that is destined to be an assistance dog for a person with a disability. Volunteer experiences can be tailored to meet various commitment levels. Fosters who offer “Great Start Homes” take in a 10-week-old puppy for 2-3 months. Those in the Puppy-Raiser role may have a future assistance dog for 18-24 months. Additional long-term and short-term options are available, and Puppy Sitters may just get their “puppy fix” by hosting a …
Two Families Celebrating Two Decades of Service
We’d like to recognize two families celebrating 20 years of volunteering with Can Do Canines in 2022! Patty and Joe Van Landschoot joined us in June 2002 as volunteer Puppy Raisers. Their first dog was Yogi, a Golden Retriever. With daughter Alyssa, they’ve volunteered with our puppy program in many roles—as a Foster Home, Puppy Raiser, Whelping Home and a Breeder Host. Patty says “Thinking of the dogs brings back so many great memories. If I am correct in my count, we’ve had a dozen dogs, plus Hildie who had four litters of puppies with us.” Upon a well deserved …
Foster Homes Needed for Puppies
We need several people to help by fostering one of our lovable puppies in the coming weeks. These little bundles will be 10 weeks old at the time, and the commitment is about 10 weeks. However, if you are able to help out for half that, about 3-5 weeks, we are able to accommodate that as well. We have knowledgeable trainers on staff ready to equip you with the skills and information to set you up for success. Read more about the Great Start process here. If you have not gone through volunteer orientation yet, please contact our Volunteer Department …
Volunteer Spotlight: The Whitfield Family
The Whitfield family, composed of Erin, Jef and their daughter, Ella, first heard about Can Do Canines about five years ago. Erin recalls, “A friend from church told me about Can Do Canines. Her son used to work at the Stanley Prison. We started fostering in January of 2018.” In the four years that have passed since then, the Whitfields have volunteered in many different ways. “We have done Weekend Prison Fostering, Puppy Sitting, Short-Term Fostering, Great Starts, and Long-Term Fostering. I have also helped make phone calls for Can Do Canines after a fundraiser,” Erin reports. When asked about …
Volunteer Spotlight: Margo and Michael Barder
If you visit Can Do Canines on a Wednesday afternoon, you are bound to see long-time dog walkers Margo and Michael Barder providing exercise and attention to the dogs in final training. The Barders first heard of Can Do Canines about four years ago while watching the news, and they have been dedicated dog walkers since. When asked what they love about dog walking, they say, “We love the moments when we learn something from any one of the dogs. Each has their own way of trying to teach us. When the connection happens, it is magical. We’ve also been …
Attend an Open House February 5
We will be hosting an open house on Saturday, February 5, from Noon-2 p.m., at our campus. Potential clients, volunteers, or anyone who might be interested in supporting the organization is invited to attend to learn how an assistance dog changes the life of a person with a disability. We are especially excited to offer this open house, because there is currently a minimal wait list for some types of assistance dogs. All Can Do Canines dogs are provided to clients free of charge. There is no pre-registration for this event, so please join us on February 5. Take a …
Volunteer Spotlight: Susie Baker
Susie Baker first became a Puppy Raiser in 2013. Since then, 22 different Can Do Canines have made their way through the Baker home. She’s also helped put on the Gala, Woofaroo and graduation events and has contributed her creative talents making Name-a-Puppy cards and photo books for team donors. When asked how she first heard of Can Do Canines, Susie said, “When my daughter was in college, a friend’s family was very involved with Can Do Canines. Her friend used to bring the dogs over to play in our fenced-in yard and it was then that I learned about …