Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home.
Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or low. He felt like life was closing in on him and he wasn’t confident going off into nature alone or working in his job as a carpenter.
That changed when the former Victoria man got Logan, a Dog Guides Canada yellow lab who’s trained to alert him when his levels are off.
When Hengen was 20, he was hospitalized after passing out after a lengthy hike. He knew he needed to make a change for his own safety.
“Had that event happened when I was still out in the woods, there’d be no saving grace for myself,” he said. He eventually decided to go the service-dog route and about a year later, he was on a plane to Oakville, Ont. to get Logan.
A month later, the two went on their first nature outing, a deer scouting trip near Mount Arrowsmith. That’s where Hengen saw Logan dive into his service dog responsibilities, but it was also where the two became extensions of one another. Logan’s natural hunting and tracking instincts made it as if their thoughts were picking up where the other’s left off while they ventured through the woods.
“The personality was an exact match for myself,” Hengen said. “That first summer spent with Logan was some of the most fun I think I’ve ever had.”
The connection is indescribable, Hengen says, and only by seeing the tandem in seamless action can one understand. They’re never far apart, whether that’s on the job site, as Logan’s fetching dropped tools and climbing ladders behind Hengen, or just relaxing after a long day.
“He’s sitting there on the couch snoring just as loud as I am, it’s really a perfect pairing,” he said.
But when Logan senses his owner’s levels are off, he’s on him like a “bad habit,” pestering Hengen and nipping at his heels until he corrects his blood sugar.
“The school trains him to raise a paw and just pat you, but Logan was never really good with that one so he just jumps full on me, springs right for the chest, letting me know ‘you’re dyin’ son.’”
Hengen used to worry about having a low-blood-sugar episode while working several stories up. But having Logan by his side and monitoring his levels, those job site worries that dogged him faded away.
“He was just flying, running across ladders, across joists, he’s a better carpenter than most I see on sites,” he said.
Students Get Therapy Dog
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy.
Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School.
The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog that can help students in multiple ways, Kreger said. She can be an incentive for students with attendance issues, offer a non-judgemental ear for struggling readers reading aloud, be a calming influence for students with social, emotional and behavioral issues, and provide comfort to students dealing with loss and sadness.
“I think it is especially important right now with kids going back and forth between school and remote,” Kreger said. “Basically, it’s like they’re starting school all over again every two weeks. We want students to have something to look forward to, to be comfortable walking in to school, being around myself and (Assistant Principal Ben) Miller and guidance counselors. We realize kids need some down time and something to look forward to.”
Since not every person is comfortable with animals, students and staff choose when to approach or receive her services, Kreger said. Alternate options will be available for students who have allergies to animals.
Her daily schedule includes being available at non-instructional times: during arrival and dismissal, and during clubs/outdoor activities/lunch periods. She’ll have time to herself, but be available if needed to de-escalate situations with students. She will enter a classroom only upon request of the faculty.
“She’s a great dog. She’s good at just being present,” Kreger said. “She will not seek out someone to pet her. She’s perfectly fine being in a room with people, laying on the floor by herself or having someone lay beside her and pet her.
“She’s a good animal around people,” he continued. “I know how comforting she is for me and my family. I wanted to bring that to our school family.”
Daisy can also be used at other school buildings to help if there’s a loss or during special events. She’ll be accompanied at all times by Kreger, her handler.
The district is sending a letter home to parents to explain Daisy’s presence and offer tips and guidelines on how students will interact with her. Kreger hopes to create a video that demonstrates the correct way to approach Daisy.
Kreger has plans on how to expand Daisy’s role. He hopes to get his wife certified as a handler and possibly other faculty members. He will also pursue therapy accreditation for Daisy.
“We understand that this is a very stressful time for our students, our staff, our parents, all of us,” Kreger said. “We’re trying to bring a bright spot in a dark time.”
Therapy Dogtor
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE.
Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a creative way to support their friends on the frontlines. She dressed up Loki in a lab coat and had the “Dogtor” deliver “hero healing kits” to nurses at their local University of Maryland Medical Center. The kits contain granola bars, moisturizers, lip balm, and other self-care items.
“It’s really cute to watch them sit on the floor, compare their goodies, and exchange different things,” Benzel says. “It really brightens their day.”
The duo’s efforts took off on social media, and now Benzel and Loki – who Benzel describes as a “sweet, playful” pup — are using their resulting fame to inspire others to build and deliver their own healing kits.
Volunteers in California, New Jersey, Minnesota, and five more states have raised close to $100,000 and delivered thousands of kits in recent months. “It’s been such a positive experience during a tough time,’ says Benzel, who has raised $70,000 and delivered nearly 4,500 kits to date.
Dogtor Loki has earned her fair share of the credit as well, winning several awards including The Animal Medical Center of New York’s 2020 Top Dog Honoree and the American Kennel Club’s Paw of Courage award.
“She’s taking the fame in stride,” Benzel jokes. When Loki’s not visiting hospitals, she likes to take long walks around Baltimore’s inner harbor or nibble on some homemade pumpkin dog treats.
Benzel and Loki plan to deliver their hero healing kits for as long as the pandemic continues. “It’s totally worth it, I would go without sleep to make sure that these kits go out because it’s I think it’s important to show our healthcare workers support,” Benzel says.
People throughout the country have reached out to Benzel about how to train their own dogs as therapy dogs so they, too, can spread a little joy in their communities.
She adds: “Rottweilers are considered ‘big and scary,’ but Loki shows that anyone can be kind and make a difference.”
For even more Stories to Make You Smile, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
Therapy Dog Pups
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents.
After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to reduce anxiety and stress and provide companionship for people of all ages. Stanley brings much joy and pleasure to the men and women living at Carinity Cedarbrook, including going for outside walks with residents and their visiting family members.
“Residents always come back with a smile on their face and say it was like taking their own dog for a walk,” Julianne says.
“The conversations they have are marvellous and very stimulating, reminiscing about their own animals.”
Residents and staff have found Stanley, who is three years old, to be “very smart and intelligent” – and they greatly enjoy seeing a ‘fur-miliar’ face around.
“Our residents get so much pleasure just seeing Stanley. Everyone who sees him immediately falls in love with him,” Julianne says.
“He loves his cuddles and so do the residents. Stanley is very loyal and has gotten to know our residents well.”
Stanley is one of several dogs which visit Carinity residential aged care communities and special assistance schools across Queensland, helping to comfort residents and students.
A new face at Carinity Education Rockhampton this school year be a specially trained therapy dog called Maverick. Genetically designed to be an companion animal, tamaruke dog Maverick was donated to Carinity Education Rockhampton.
Maverick will provide the ‘paw-fect’ pick-me-up for students going through a rough patch: hugs and cuddles.
He was gifted to Carinity Education Rockhampton by Singleton dog breeder Tamaruke, which has genetically developed the breed over the past 30 years – specifically to be companion animals.
“They are smart and intuitive and easily trained. Their exceptional traits make them such wonderful therapy dogs, comfort dogs, assistance dogs, medic alert dogs and comfort dogs,” Tamaruke manager Monique Buckley says.
Not only will Maverick have new home at Carinity Education Rockhampton, he will visit residents of the Carinity Shalom seniors’ community and undertake other engagements in the community.
The puppy is currently undertaking six weeks of training to prepare him to work with school students and staff and other members of the Rockhampton community.
His training is being funded by a Community Recovery Challenge grant received by the school, which aids in building community capacity and resilience in the Livingstone Shire region.
Puppy Cams
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams!
“You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone.
Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps her temporarily escape the darkness of the COVID-19 crisis.
“It’s just been a moment of sunlight for us pretty much all year,” she said.
Lingg lagrone works an emotionally draining job inside in the acute respiratory care clinic at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado.
“It’s just isolating to be so alone,” she said. “It’s been a tough year.”
To help boost her and her co-workers moods, National Jewish Health recently started airing a puppy cam from Warrior Canine Connection on www.explore.org.
“The saying is, ‘we came for the puppies but we stayed for the mission,’” said Rick Yount, founder of Warrior Canine Connection, which breeds puppies to become service dogs for veterans.
Recently, his team transitioned to helping a different kind of hero – health care workers.
“We’re trying to just get every therapeutic drop from every puppy,” Yount said. “A lot of people have found solace and healing from watching these puppies.”
Millions of people from dozens of countries around the world are tuning into this puppy cam, which behavioral therapists say helps lower stress levels.
“You just feel that emotional and biological reaction when you see puppies,” said Patrick Griswold an associate professor with MSU Denver’s department of human services and counseling.
At first, Griswold was skeptical about what kind of impact looking at puppies online would have on someone’s well-being compared to seeing these puppies in person. After watching for himself, however, Griswold says this form of virtual animal therapy can help people better handle their emotions by releasing what he calls the love hormone.
“When humans look at their dogs, oxytocin levels rise in both the animal and in the human,” he said. “When you’re watching puppies play, it’s hard to also think about all the other stuff going on in your life.”
A much-needed emotional outlet from the daily grind of working on the front lines during the pandemic for people like Ling Lagrone.
“It’s been a really hard year and it’s just full of sadness.” she said. “It’s hard not to feel joy when you look at a puppy.”
Pet Committee
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders.
The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home learning plan for students and their families to access.
Over the course of 2020, the materials were improved, videos added and therapy dogs and their owners featured reading books. The books emphasize being kind, respectful and responsible pet owners and making a difference for the animals that share our lives.
“They absolutely loved it!!” she reports. “They really enjoyed the program. In fact, when it was done, they said ‘That’s it?’ and were sad that it was over.”
Earhart adapted the PRC plan to Google Classroom for use by other schools in Moore County.
While PRC volunteers wait to be reunited with fourth-graders in the schools, they are meeting the needs of pets in our county in other ways.
Realizing an increased need in the community, the PRC expanded its already existing Pet Pantry program, distributing repackaged pet food for the pets of families facing hardship.
Each pet food package also contains information about access to free or subsidized spay and neuter procedures.
Taking this a step further, the PRC organized Pet Care Days in November in both the Robbins and West Southern Pines areas.
Held at Tina’s Country Store on Spies Road, the Robbins event offered rabies shots, administered by Animal Services, pet food and information about subsidized spay and neuter services and transportation to the spay and neuter clinic in Vass.
The PRC built on the experience gained at the Robbins’ event and included a veterinarian at the West Southern Pines event.
The event was held in the parking lot of the Southern Pines Primary School. The PRC subsidized rabies vaccinations and the veterinarian offered complete physical exams and additional vaccinations at a reduced cost.
Dr Janice Baker and veterinary technician Trinity Maurer, from the Veterinary Tactical Group (VTG), a mobile veterinary practice out of Vass, enthusiastically teamed with the PRC for the event.
Participants were able to discuss their concerns with the veterinarian and were also able to talk with PRC volunteers about the availability of spay and neuter services. Pet food was also distributed.
“With our continual focus on prevention, these Pet Care Day events are a natural evolution for our organization,” says a PRC spokesperson. “We strive to give pet owners the information and access to resources they need to be responsible pet owners. For the most part, people want to do the right thing but often need advice and sometimes help to get it done.
“Our aim is to offer Pet Care Days in underserved communities in both the north and south of the county several times a year, becoming a ‘fixture’ event that people can count on. We are thrilled to be partnering with VTG for these efforts.”
The Right Rescue Dog
If your New Year’s resolution is to add a canine family member, good for you. Somewhere out there is the perfect puppy or adult dog for your family. You have a lot of things to think about when you begin to look for that new family member, puppy or dog? Large or small? Purebred or mixed breed? From a breeder or a shelter or rescue group?
Picking the puppy or dog that is the right fit for your family may seem like a gamble, but there are considerations to help you make a good decision. “The next Pet Page in February 2021” will discuss purchasing a puppy from a responsible breeder. This article will offer suggestions on how to find the right rescue dog for your family. If you have very small children, under the age of 10 or so, your decision for adoption carries an extra need for caution. Many dogs, especially those not raised around young children, are frightened by the sudden movements, squeals, and unpredictable (in the dog’s eyes) actions. For families with young children, an adult dog whose temperament is already established may be the best fit. A puppy can be raised with the children, but for a busy, overworked family with young children, adding a young puppy also needing constant supervision and crate and housetraining may be overwhelming. It’s like adding another toddler to the household. A small dog can easily be injured by very young children. An energetic larger adolescent dog can too easily knock over young children or older adults in his or her enthusiasm, but training, guidance, and management can help the dog mature out of the adolescent phase. Adult dogs, three years old and older, have usually calmed down and a temperament evaluation can help determine whether they would be comfortable in a home with small children. A senior dog could be the perfect fit for a quiet household or a senior person. If you are single and work or are a student and are gone frequently, adopting a puppy or dog means you will need to consider how to adequately provide mental and physical enrichment for the dog. Additionally, puppies must be taken outside frequently to be housetrained. If you are gone for long hours, this means you will need to get a friend to help or hire a daily pet sitter.
After you decide the size, age, and type of dog most likely the best fit for your family and lifestyle, you are ready to begin your search.
When you begin to check out the dogs in person, here are a few general guidelines to identify a friendly, stable dog.
Remember the shelter or kennel environment is stressful for most dogs. Once your dog has settled into a quiet environment his real personality will emerge. The steps below will give you an idea of the general temperament of the puppy or dog.
If you are looking for a family dog in a home with children, do not bring the children with you on the first visit. It’s hard to do an unbiased evaluation once children are around that long-awaited potential pet.
Take the dog to a quiet room or put him on a long leash outside. Don’t say anything to him. Does he try to engage you and solicit petting without encouragement. This dog would have a high sociability score. If the dog does not solicit your attention when you are quiet, try talking to him in a quiet calm voice. Will he orient to you and approach then? If he continues to ignore you or actively tries to keep away from you, look for another dog. While there is a chance he may warm up in a home environment, your better chance for a successful dog is the one that is social from the beginning.
When the dog is not looking and is preferably at least five or six feet away, drop something that will make a noise such as your keys or clap your hands. If the dog startles, but then comes over to evaluate the sound, he is resilient to the unexpected which is another good indication of a stable temperament. Dogs or puppies that don’t recover may not be able to handle the rowdy sounds of children, normal household activity, or sounds from cars or other daily life activities. The puppy or dog that huddles at the back of the kennel may or may not come out of its shell, even with time, love, or behavior modification.
Test the dog’s reaction to fast movement and excitement. Move quickly around the room, either jogging or skipping with arm movements and vocalizations. What you want to see is a playful reaction like a play bow or gentle jumping, not a fearful reaction, growling, or rough mouthing and jumping.
If the dog has appeared to be sociable in the earlier tests, try handling him with gentle strokes down the back, gently pulling his tail and ears. Be alert to his body language indicating he is not comfortable with more intense handling. These signs include stiffening of the body, closed mouth, turning his head away, or pulling away, licking his lips, yawning, or growling. You can tell he enjoys handling if his body is loose and wiggly, he leans into the contact, and seeks more if you stop.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the rescue volunteers, shelter staff, or foster home, but understand they may not have spent much individual time with the dog or the dog may act differently in your home. Find out what medical examinations have been performed and the results.
Be prepared to give your newly adopted puppy or dog time to adjust in his new home. As soon as possible enroll your adopted dog in an obedience class or lessons. A knowledgeable positive trainer can help you and your dog build a loving, trusting relationship.
Police Dog Attack
A resolution headed to the Duluth City Council on Monday could put to rest a lawsuit filed by Teri Lynn Ehlers, an employee of the Patch Motel, who was bitten by a Duluth police dog named Oakley. Former Duluth Police Officer Marc Johnson was a registered guest of the Warroad establishment May 28, 2018, when his K-9 partner, a German shepherd, bit Ehlers in the leg.
According to the suit, Johnson was staying at the motel with his father, Richard Johnson, who had booked the room, indicating that they would be accompanied by a “service dog.” The Patch Motel has a no-pet policy but provides an exception for dogs that are trained to help people with disabilities. The suit said Oakley was not identified as a K-9 police dog.
The complaint said that around checkout time, “Ehlers was making the rounds on housekeeping duty with her supervisor, and the pair approached Room 144.”
Ehlers reportedly found the door ajar with no “Do Not Disturb” sign displayed. Ehlers said she knocked on the door, received no response and then proceeded to open it.
The lawsuit asserts that Ehlers did nothing to provoke Oakley, but said that “in an instant, K-9 Oakley attacked Ehlers, who was still standing in the hallway of the motel.”
The dog allegedly lunged, latched onto her upper-right thigh with its jaws and would not release her, despite her cries of pain, until Johnson intervened.
Ehlers’ supervisor used a pillowcase to staunch the bleeding, and she was then taken to LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau for treatment of two open wounds — “one approximately 3 centimeters in length and the other approximately 2.5 centimeters in length, as well as multiple puncture wounds” — the complaint said.
Ehlers sued the city of Duluth and Officer Johnson on two counts of strict liability. For each of the counts, she sought at least $50,000, plus expenses.
In a legal answer to the complaint, the city acknowledged the dog bite but alleged that Ehlers provoked the dog and that her “own negligence, acts or omissions caused or contributed” to her injury. The answer also maintained that the city and Officer Johnson were protected by “the doctrine of vicarious official immunity.”
The pending settlement agreement contains a disclaimer saying that it “is in compromise of doubtful and disputed claims.” It also says the payment “is not to be construed as an admission of liability on the part of the persons and entities hereby released, by whom liability is expressly denied.”
After 12 years of service, Johnson left the Duluth Police Department on May 9, 2019, and his K-9 partner, Oakley, was retired from service as well.
PAWS With A Cause
Pebble Hill Plantation and the Thomas County Public Library are pleased to announce the upcoming Enlightening Bites program, “PAWS With a Cause,” on Friday, January 8, 2021 at noon in the Flipper Room of the Library. The program is being presented by Jeri Anderson, field representative.
Anderson is recently retired from the City of Monticello, Florida. Her days are now devoted to running a boarding and dog training business from her home. In addition, she is a field representative for PAWS With a Cause and has worked for PAWS for 15 years.
PAWS is a national non-profit organization that places service dogs with individuals who need assistance. The mission of PAWS is to enhance the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities nationally, through custom-trained Assistance Dogs. PAWS increases awareness of the rights and roles of Assistance Dog Teams through education and advocacy.
Her program will focus on how service dogs assist people, the process for applicants who need an assistance dog, and the process of raising puppies in foster homes until they are ready for training.
The Enlightening Bites Lecture Series is co-sponsored by Pebble Hill Plantation and the Thomas County Public Library. Attendees are invited to bring their lunch. Drinks are provided. The series is free and open to the public.
Police Canine Team
Kingston Police revealed in a news release late Wednesday afternoon that they’ve been keeping a four-legged secret for roughly three months.
The force announced it added a second canine unit, with the arrival of police service dog Dak this past October. He is working with Const. Jeff Dickson, while police service dog Bask is working with Sgt. Paul Doak, another veteran canine handler with Kingston Police.
Dak comes from the same breeder in Slovakia that bred Dickson’s former dog, Zeus. Zeus worked successfully on the force for nine years, “and therefore comes from a strong, proven pedigree,” police said.
Dak was born on May 8, 2019, and is a German shepherd and Belgium Malinois mix. He started his training with the Ottawa Police Service in August 2020 before coming to Kingston.
“Dak officially started his service with Kingston Police in December and is trained in tracking, article searches, apprehension/handler protection and building searches,” police said. “He will be trained in drug and firearm detection this coming year.
“Kingston Police is pleased to welcome Dak to our Kingston Police family and look forward to the continued success of the canine unit program.”
Before Bask, Doak, most recently sergeant on the patrol unit, worked with four police service dogs — Scout, Bodey, Indy and Knox — between 2002 and 2014.
Dak’s arrival comes as a surprise as the second canine unit was put on hold during Kingston Police Services Board budget discussions in November 2019. Neither of the new dog purchases were discussed in open session during Kingston Police Services Board meetings.
The force was left with one team following the retirement of Const. Mark McCreary and police service dog Titan in the summer of 2019.
