Cogan and Canines with a Cause

Cogan (left) and Noah are featured on our Mambo Combo packages. The photo was sent to us by Miriam Mas, who is the founder of the charity Canines with a Cause.

Cogan was featured in today's Ottawa Citizen. Here is the article:

Couple lets Cogan do the walking
Among his duties, dog fetches, opens doors, turns on lights
By Ute Mikula, The Ottawa CitizenPublished: Friday, December 28, 2007

Bob Paynter has dropped his water bottle and is unable to retrieve it. "Take it, bring it here," he commands Cogan, a beautiful Labrador retriever, who is also known as Pillsbury Doughboy. Cogan picks up the bottle and places it with care on Mr. Paynter's lap.

The 48-year-old Mr. Paynter has used a wheelchair for 26 years. He has limited use of his hands, arms and legs as a result of Becker's muscular dystrophy, an inherited disease that causes slow, progressive muscle weakness.

Enter Cogan, a huge white bear of a dog. He's a graduate of Canines with a Cause, a non-profit organization that trains puppies to help people with mobility problems to live on their own.

Cogan, Mr. Paynter and his wife, Karen, live in Nepean along the Rideau River. Mrs. Paynter also uses a wheelchair due to renal failure and childhood encephalitis.

The couple can't imagine a life without their willing-to-please companion, who's been with them for the past four and a half years. "Cogan is one smart dog," says Mr. Paynter. "If he was any smarter, I could send him to work."

Cogan's household duties include opening doors by pulling on a rope that's attached to the handle. He also switches lights on and off and occasionally pulls Mr. Paynter's socks off at bedtime.

Mr. Paynter has a full-time government job and has, until recently, taken Cogan to work with him every day.

At first, Mr. Paynter relied on Para Transpo, but one day, Cogan was spooked by a loud noise, and he's refused to get back on the bus. There's a new solution in the works, however. A co-worker who plans to move nearby, will drive the two in the Paynters' specially outfitted van.
When Cogan goes to the office, he's busy, either retrieving items or opening doors by pressing the handicapped button. If the two are in an elevator alone, Mr. Paynter holds a laser pointer and Cogan knows what floor to press by following the laser's light ray. "Everyone at work is crazy about him."
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Canines with a Cause was founded in 2001 by Ottawa's Miriam Mas, after she had a near-death experience.

"You have to have a sense of humour when you are working with dogs," said Ms. Mas. "I think I would have been burned out if I had to work with people so closely."

The average cost for training, placing and certifying one service dog is about $14,000.
The organization relies on donations and holds various fundraisers such as silent auctions, trivia nights at Rideau- Carleton Raceway and Christmas craft shows. Singer Allison Crowe has performed three benefit concerts.

Canines with a Cause has seven graduates and several puppies-in-training. They are looking for two more volunteer puppy raisers to socialize and train future graduates.

They also have a wishlist of items including toys, nylon bones, leashes, baby gates and a projector. For more items, check the list at www.canineswithacause.org
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Service dogs are trained to be very obedient. At a fast-food restaurant recently, a friend of Mr. Paynter's tested Cogan's discipline by putting a hamburger on the floor in front of him. Cogan's mouth salivated, but he didn't budge.

© The Ottawa Citizen 2007

Some great coverage for my favourite dog charity.