Chad & Hazel pg. 3 Spring 2011 Terrie & Willow pg. 4 The Cool Kid with the Cool Dog pg. 6 Cyan & Lilly-hound pg. 5 Ben & Kipper pg. 6 Karen & Joy pg. 10 www.can-do-canines.org Volume 22 Issue 2 Freedom Independence Peace of Mind Our Dogs Fetch Amazing Things Volume 22 Issue 1 From the Executive Director We’re Growing Al with “Savannah” More Puppies and “Echo” Can Do CaninesTM is growing in leaps and bounds. We have more than 100 dogs and puppies in training right now and on April 22nd, Vi, one of our Labrador moms, had In 1988, Lucky, pictured above, was the first dog we her second litter—six healthy puppies, four adopted from an animal shelter. She was homeless and was scheduled to be euthanized that day. Lucky served girls and two boys! Join us for our first ever as our demonstration dog for 11 years. She is symbolic “puppy shower” on­ June 25, 2011. of our commitment to save homeless dogs while fulfilling our mission to serve people with disabilities. More Puppy Raisers In order to keep an increased level of Tails From Minnesota graduates moving forward we need to More Space Published quarterly for friends and supporters of increase the number of puppy raiser Thanks to continued fundraising support volunteers. Could being a puppy raiser be from the Lions in Minnesota and from the right volunteer activity for you? Attend a number of significant contributors to one of our facility tours or visit one of our our Capital Campaign, we are confident that we will have enough funding to move TM puppy raiser training sessions to watch and learn. Being a puppyraiser is one of the forward this summer with Phase Two most rewarding experiences you could ever of the construction project on our new Editor/Layout/Design have. building. We will complete work on the two Alan M. Peters Sue Schuster unfinished spaces in our building, producing Shelly Hiemer Allison Schildknecht As well as needing more puppyraisers additional office space, meeting space, locally, we are fortunate to have built a new and residences for a caretaker and visiting Can Do Canines is dedicated to enhancing clients. We will also add an additional bank the quality of life for people with disabilities relationship with the Federal Correctional by creating mutually beneficial partnerships Institution in Waseca. Twenty female of ten two-dog kennels. Finally, we will with specially trained dogs. inmates are working with 10 young Lab complete the outside renovation of the We envision a future in which every person who puppies. The puppies moved into prison at building including a new drive-through needs and wants an assistance dog can have one. entrance-way and additional handicap Assistance dogs provide the gifts of freedom, the end of January and they’re doing just independence, and peace of mind to our clients great! Waseca is the third prison location parking near our front door. We are thrilled and their families. Our fully trained dogs, often training dogs for Can Do Canines. to be able to complete this project! adopted from local animal shelters, are provided to our clients who live with disabilities that involve However, the Campaign is not mobility challenges, hearing loss or deafness, seizure disorders, autism, or diabetes complicated by hypo- done and we still need your help. glycemia unawareness. We need significant support from Dogs, training and supplies are provided our contributors to complete the to each client free of charge. funding needed. When asked, please generously support the Board of Directors: Len Washko President Campaign for Independence. MarySue Krueger Vice President Mike Branch Secretary Thanks for your continued Greg Stevens Treasurer support in 2011. Together, Dianne Astry Sara Braziller Can Do Canines is pleased to be providing a new we Can Do it! Y Marky Engler Kevin Florence vocational training program at the Federal Correctional Lisa Knazan Don Knutson Institution at Waseca Adrianna Shannon More Graduates To reach a staff member via phone, With all of these puppies being prepared, dial 763-331-3000. When you hear the greeting, we are in the unusual but wonderful press the extension number you need situation of having too many graduates to or press 3 for an employee directory. include in only two graduation ceremonies Can Do Canines per year! We want to be sure to honor 9440 Science Center Drive each of our graduates appropriately during New Hope, Minnesota 55428 graduation, so we do not want to try to e-mail [email protected] pack too many teams into a single event. We give them love, the time we can website www.can-do-canines.org Consequently we are adding an extra spare. In return, dogs have given us graduation this year, on Saturday August their absolute all. It is, without a 13, and expect to have three graduations during 2012 as well. Our next graduation doubt, the best deal man has will be Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 1:00pm. ever made. Please join us for both of these outstanding - Roger Caras celebrations. 23 Can Do Canines www.can-do-canines.org 23 Freedom Independence Peace of Mind Our Dogs Fetch Amazing Things A New Sense of Independence New Teams Chad Engstrom and Hazel by Laurie Carlson Chad Engstrom of Star Prairie, Wisc. is a very busy man. He works as the Director of Human Resources at Westfields Hospital and is kept busy with family life, including his wife Linnea and children Kaisa, Mattios and Amalia. The Engstroms also train and show Quarter Horses. Chad lives with Type 1 diabetes, which he has had since he was six years old. He works diligently to maintain his blood glucose levels in the normal range but, despite his efforts, he struggles with hypoglycemic unawareness. He says, “I no longer feel my insulin reactions, and have had several bad Jean Lundquist reactions. I live in constant worry about having a severe drop in blood sugar and & Diabetes Assist Dog Juno being alone with no help. Right now, there “I am so thankful that Can Do Canines isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think does the work that they do every day. about managing my diabetes to try to avoid I know they must hear this all the time, the lows or being too high as well. I want to but it makes such a world of difference be around for my wife and children” Chad and Hazel to people like me.” Since Hazel has joined the Engstrom family, Thank You On one occasion, Chad’s blood sugar Dog Source - Julie Mach dropped dangerously low in the middle Chad reports “The kids refer to her as dad’s special dog. The transition has gone very Vet Services - Globe University - of the night. He was so weak he had to Rochester drag himself to the refrigerator and eat well.” He adds, “I’m still getting used to Puppy Raiser- Shirley Russo something before he passed out. As a result having a dog with me all the time. It’s a little Field Trainer - Pete Otterness of growing concern about his condition, different but it’s going fine.” Foster Home- Inmates at Minnesota Chad began researching Diabetes Assist Hazel was quickly accepted at work and Correctional Facility at Dogs and how they help people with around the community. “Most people Faribault diabetes. He was fascinated to find out dogs say ‘Hi Hazel’ before they say ‘Hi Chad,” See their full story at can smell a low blood sugar and wanted to he laughs. Hazel was greeted with great www.can-do-canines.org/newsletter learn more. He discovered Can Do Canines enthusiasm by hospital staff. Both the local online and sent for an application. newspaper and his Rotary Club announced Chad applied in May of 2010 and in her arrival and explained how she helps December he was matched with Hazel, a Chad. When they go to work at the two-year-old Labrador Retriever. Hazel is hospital, Hazel also sports her own personal trained to alert him to low blood sugars ID badge which reads “Hazel, Human by touching him in a specific way, which Resources”. lets him know to check his level. She can Chad and Hazel bonded quickly. She has retrieve a juice or snack if needed, get an been taking her job very seriously and doing emergency phone or go get help from it well. In the first 24 hours, she alerted Chad’s wife or another person in the house. him to a ‘low’ while he was running on While Hazel was growing up with her his treadmill. In just the first month since puppy raisers, she was exposed to many being placed with Chad, she has alerted different sights and sounds including horses him to low blood sugars six times. Chad and children. This made her a perfect match says “I would say that’s excellent. It usually Cyan Ogden & Autism for Chad, whose family has three young takes about three months for a dog to Assist Dog Lilly-hound transition, but she has picked it up very children, and competes and shows horses “The gift you gave us isn’t just for on a regular basis. quickly. I’m feeling a whole new sense of independence.” Cyan. Lilly-hound is an important part In an unusual twist, Can Do Canines of the whole family. We’re seeing trainer, Mona Elder, had to figure out a “Thank you to everyone who has been part more love and affection in our house way that Hazel could alert Chad even when of the process of training Hazel.” Chad because she is here.” he is riding a horse.