Jennifer Torres and Mobility Assist Dog Buzz by Susan Byers Jennifer Torres and her Mobility Assist Dog Buzz have quite a lot in common. They have both spent their lives, busy as bees, working in service to others. Jennifer got her start in the service as a member of the U.S. Navy. But after 13 years, she retired due to Ménière’s disease, a disorder of the inner ear that causes dizziness, imbalance, and some mild hearing loss. Undaunted, Jennifer went on to serve as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit of a Twin Cities hospital. There, she sustained …
puppy raising
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 …
Total Confidence in Bentley
Tim Roufs and HAD Bentley By Anonymous Tim Roufs’ 7-year-old granddaughter insisted he needed an assistance dog to save his life if the smoke alarm went off at night. “It took her about six months to convince me it was a good idea,” Tim admits. “What it boiled down to was I couldn’t come up with any good arguments for why I should ignore her advice. And, she was right, I do need a dog to save my life.” Tim is completely deaf, and although he uses cochlear implants, they can’t be worn all day and he doesn’t wear them …
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 …
Ike Makes Big Changes
Andy Anderson and MAD Ike Andy Anderson worked in a manufacturing plant in the 1980s. One day he was running a smelter, melting down die cast and filling up molds weighing more than 250 pounds. He picked up one of the filled molds to load it into a bucket. “I heard a noise and I twisted and there went my back,” Andy says. From there on, Andy became disabled and could not work. His back injury makes it difficult for him to bend over to pick up items and puts him at risk for falling when off balance. To stay …
The Joys of Living
Natalie Beazer and Mobility Assist Dog Sydney By Tammy Waibel Natalie Beazer suffered from chronic pain for years. After many unsuccessful attempts to find relief, she booked an appointment with an internist. He thoroughly asked questions and after a comprehensive analysis, she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. The disorder causes widespread musculoskeletal pain as well as fatigue and issues with sleep, memory, and mood. But Natalie also struggles with migraines and has chronic fatigue syndrome which further limit her ability to do the daily things she would like. Her life was being affected so much that she was unable to work …
Years of Doubt Leads to a Life Changing Decision
Amy Falk and Mobility Assist Dog Trackr By Amy Brown Back and forth. For years, Amy Falk of North Branch, Minnesota was on the fence about an assistance dog and originally decided against it because she wasn’t aware of what was available to her. Then a friend from high school told Amy about Can Do Canines and how her own Mobility Assist Dog helped change her life. Amy decided to do some research and soon applied for her own Mobility Assist Dog. Amy was born with cerebral palsy and has been using a wheelchair the majority of her life. She …
Patience Paid Off
Patience Paid Off By Sarah Schaff If you hear ‘Mobility Assist Dog’, you might assume the dog helps their handler move. However, for Mike Rowley of Eagan, Minnesota, an assistance dog means the ability to stand still anywhere and anytime. Mike has a form of muscular dystrophy called Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome, meaning the tendons in his legs and hands are shortened, making his leg muscles fatigue quickly. While Mike can walk without adaptive equipment, his main struggle is balance and coordination which puts him at a high risk of falling. His hope when applying for an assistance dog was to …
Newly Discovered Freedom
Kaitlyn Eliason and Autism Assist Dog Yummy By Caty Taborda-Whitt Seven-year-old Kaitlyn Eliason of Lakeville, Minnesota, loves the newly discovered freedom of putting her face in the water during swim lessons, something she wasn’t comfortable attempting just a few months ago before her Autism Assist Dog, Yummy, entered the picture. Kaitlyn has autism, and for years has struggled with anxiety, meltdowns, and trouble focusing on tasks. Her diagnosis came during a preschool evaluation when she was just over three years old, months after her parents Karen and Frederick first became concerned that some of Kaitlyn’s behaviors differed from those of her …
Every New Beginning Comes From Some Other Beginning’s End
Karen Glander and Mobility Assist Dog Austin By Winona Schultz When Karen Glander was just one year old, she was infected with the Polio virus which affected her right arm and left leg. Then at age 40, she was diagnosed with post-polio syndrome, meaning the earlier affected muscles began to further deteriorate She now only has the use of two fingers on her right hand and uses a full leg brace on her left leg at all times, as well as a power chair in public. Her doctors suggested an assistance dog to help her find more independence at home …