In case you need even more reasons to snuggle your dog, here are six scientifically proven ways dogs improve the health and well-being of those who love them. They relieve stress. Playing with your dog or even just petting a familiar dog lowers blood pressure and heart rate, slows breathing, and relaxes muscle tension, according to a 1980 study by Alan Beck of Purdue. They are good for heart health. Dog ownership is linked to lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol, and decreased triglyceride levels. And, dog owners who have heart attacks have better survival rates following the events, according to …
puppy raise
Volunteer Spotlight: Jackie Culver
Wisconsin resident Jackie Culver has found that being a Prison Foster with Can Do Canines allows her to have dogs in her life while still allowing her to travel in her retirement. “I first heard about Can Do Canines from my daughter Jamie Mueller,” Jackie says. “She knew the only reason I didn’t have my own dog was because I’m gone often. She had seen an article on the back of their newspaper about Can Do Canines and went online to find out more. She and her husband got into volunteering with their first Great Start. My first pup was …
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 …
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 …
Behind the Scenes: Wisconsin Prison Programs
In this article, we’ll venture across state lines and look into how three correctional institutions in Wisconsin are helping raise future assistance dogs. In February 2016, Can Do Canines began partnering with Stanley Correctional Institution (SCI) in Stanley, Wisconsin, to help raise and train our puppies. In May 2017, we expanded to the neighboring Jackson Correctional Institution (JCI) in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Most recently, we also partnered with a third Wisconsin institution, Chippewa Falls Correctional, to help with weaning new litters. Inmates who are interested in becoming a handler must complete an application, pass a background screening, and have …
Volunteer Spotlight – Sue FitzGerald
Raising and training an assistance dog truly requires the efforts of many, and it wouldn’t be possible without people like Sue FitzGerald, a Can Do Canines volunteer helping with our Wisconsin programs. Sue first heard of Can Do Canines at a Twin Cities dog show eight years ago and knew immediately that she wanted to get involved. After relocating from Minnesota to Wisconsin, she wasn’t sure how she could participate, but as fate would have it she learned we were starting a program in Wisconsin. “One of the best days ever was seeing a local news segment indicating that Can …