Canine help gives woman piece of mind

Angela Soo

Friday, Nov. 2, 2001 | 5:18 a.m.

Bonnie Frimet worries about falling off her wheelchair and having no one there to help her.

She's been using an electric wheelchair since May after she had surgeries on both knees for her chronic rheumatoid arthritis. At 44 years old, she has difficulty performing everyday tasks, such as picking up anything she dropped on the floor or turning the lights on and off.

But her biggest fear of falling off her wheelchair and not being able to help herself up will soon be an afterthought when she becomes the second person in Nevada to receive a dog who has undergone $15,000 worth of training to provide assistance.

"I can't wait to get my dog," Frimet recently said. "They are like humans, only in dog clothes."

The organization providing the dog, Canine Assistants, is a nonprofit group based in Alpharetta, Ga., that trains dogs to assist physically disabled children and adults. They team up with corporate sponsors, such as Milk-Bone and Raley's, to pay for the intensive training.

"We survive completely on donations and private foundations so that our recipients do not have to pay," said Cynthia Craft, a spokeswoman for the group. "We also provide a lifetime worth of veterinary care and food."

The dogs are raised in Georgia and begin training when they are puppies, Craft said. They first learn basic commands, such as sit, down and shake. After learning about 90 commands, the dogs are taken to grocery stores, busy streets and other public places.

"We want the dogs to feel comfortable about being around a lot of people and a lot of activity," Craft said. "We've placed about 220 dogs since 1991 and we'll place an additional 42 this year through Milk-Bone sponsorships."

Once the dogs finish basic training, they are taught to turn on lights, open doors and other advanced commands. The entire training lasts 14 to 18 months, Craft said.

When the dogs are ready, Canine Assistants will fly the new dog owner to Georgia and pay for a two-week stay. The owner will learn how to handle the dog, and the trainer will address any additional needs.

Frimet will leave with her husband, Jeffrey Frimet, in March to meet her new dog. During a presentation ceremony at a Raley's supermarket near Sahara Avenue and Fort Apache Road in Summerlin last week, Canine Assistants participants gave Frimet a framed picture of two puppies, one of which will probably be hers.

"It's exactly the one I wanted," Frimet said of the golden Labrador puppies.

Barbara Brown, who works at Sunrise Hospital and is Frimet's physical therapist, said Frimet was the perfect candidate for a Canine Assistants dog.

"She's very social and is someone who learned to live with her disability," said Brown, who referred Frimet to the program. "A program like this will help her get out to socialize even more."

But Frimet said she is looking most forward to keeping her independence and living a life that isn't defined by her physical disabilities.

"Independence is very important," Frimet said. "If you take that away, that could take away a person's life."