Can Do Canines

01/16/2026

Exciting news! Last week, we launched the new 4-H Pups and Learning (PAL) Program, which is a partnership between Can Do Canines and the University of Minnesota's Youth Development Extension, which runs Minnesota's 4-H program.

The goal of this program is to expand our organization's reach in the community, engage youth, and offer a unique learning and growth opportunity for 4-H teens.

In the 4-H PAL Program, teens aged 14-18 will serve as the primary handlers of dogs in training. Each participant/family will host a dog moving out of a prison program and will raise and train the dog for 4 months. The program will focus on teaching participants the basics of dog handling, training, and husbandry. Specific elements will include lectures on positive reinforcement methods, dog behavior, grooming, the Americans with Disabilities Act, disability awareness/advocacy, and more.

The dogs this group will be working with include Toby, Turner, Talia, and Timber.

01/15/2026

Charlee is officially in for final training! Join us in welcoming her to the kennel.

01/15/2026

This we welcome our first litter of 2026. Ella birthed her first litter, our “H” litter puppies, on Friday, January 9. She had four puppies: one black male, one black female, and two yellow males. The sire is Woody, from Summit Assistance Dogs.

01/14/2026

This Teddy is showing us some Mobility Assist skills.

01/12/2026

We have many dogs joining us for final training this month! To kick things off, say hello to Yowza.

01/09/2026

Louie was born prematurely with cerebral palsy. He is unable to walk and uses a wheelchair. Prior to finding Can Do Canines and being matched with Harmony, Louie depended on his parents and personal care assistants for support. He says, “If I wanted to go outside, I needed help opening the doors. If I dropped something, I needed someone to pick it up for me. I needed help with getting my shoes and braces.” He mentions how limited this felt to him, adding, “I did not have the freedom to go for walks or sit outside by myself, in case I needed help.”

Getting Mobility Assist Dog Harmony struck a chord of new hope for Louie.

Life is better when everything is working together in harmony. Now that Mobility Assist Dog Harmony is helping Louie with daily activities, he finds his life better, too. Harmony, who is a cross between a Golden Retriever and a yellow Lab, is smart and playful, with beautiful eyes and long eyelashes...

01/08/2026

Happy National Labrador Retriever Day! Although we work with other dog breeds as well, today we want to give a special shout-out to this amazing breed and the way they can be trained so well to change lives.

01/06/2026

A family of three, themselves, Kim, Mark, and Emily Diekmann, feel that “being part of [Can Do Canines] means you are part of a big loving family,” says Kim.

The family began volunteering with us in 2017, but they were no strangers to dogs and their benefits. Kim shares, “As an elementary teacher, I was witness to how much a dog could impact kids with autism.” The Diekmanns had also trained a dog for another organization previously. After that dog was career-changed and became their pet, she performed therapy work that involved reading with kids and visiting hospitals, assisted living facilities, and high schools. Read about the ways this family gives back.

A family of three, themselves, Kim, Mark, and Emily Diekmann, feel that “being part of [Can Do Canines] means you are part of a big loving family,” says Kim. The family began volunteering with us in 2017, but they were no strangers to dogs and their benefits. Kim shares, “As an elementary teac...

01/02/2026

For years, Jenny was enveloped by silence once her hearing aids came out. At night, she missed texts and visitors at the door. The silence hit hardest one morning when her sister tried to reach her for a ride to the ER. “I did not hear it, slept through it,” Jenny recalls.

Now, Hearing Assist Dog Maury catches what Jenny can’t. Timers, doorbells, knocks—he nudges, taps, and guides, transforming silent signals into shared understanding.

By Hasini Guntipalli – When Maury, a scruffy, black Labradoodle, padded across the floor toward Jenny for the first time, she felt the shift instantly. His wagging tail and eager eyes carried a spark of mischief, but beneath it was a calm steadiness, the kind of presence that said, “I’m here, ...

12/31/2025

2025 was a year for the books! Here's a look back at some fun stats we collected from our programs. From all of us at Can Do Canines, humans and dogs alike, thank you for being part of this great year.

12/29/2025

Nick was born with cerebral palsy and several fused vertebrae, so he has limited mobility and navigates the world using a power wheelchair. When Nick was out of the house alone, his mom, Lisa, worried. A simple accident like a dropped phone could mean Nick couldn’t contact her, since he couldn’t bend down to pick it up. Before Nick was matched with his service dog, Lisa said she was always on edge.

Bosco the Mobility Assist Dog became Nick’s life-changing partner. Now Bosco can pick up a dropped phone and help if Nick gets stuck. Bosco can turn on and off lights and open doors, and now he’s opening the door to more independence for Nick.

Are you ready to be part of another story like Nick and Bosco? We now have an additional $45,000 in matching funds to use by December 31. Thanks to the Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation ($10,000), Tom & Marilyn Pike ($10,000), Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation ($10,000), and the shoppers at Frattallone's Home & Garden ($15,000), your impact will go twice as far by the end of the year.

Give today at 🔗 https://can-do.link/ye25.

12/27/2025

Sisters Emmanuelle and Kyrie visited our facility in New Hope to deliver donations from their annual family fundraiser for Can Do Canines. They offered hot cocoa to holiday shoppers who gave a gift of any size to support our assistance dogs. Graduate team Heather and Diabetes Assist Dog Franny happened to be shopping, too!

This marks the fourth consecutive year the sisters have organized a creative and festive fundraiser for us, and their efforts have raised thousands of dollars!

The yellow Labrador pictured is Trooper.