Welcome to the memorial page for Sean Mueller, recently deceased husband of Canine Companions puppy raiser Mandy Mueller.
Sean loved dogs his whole life. Mandy’s family affectionately referred to him as The Dog Man. He enjoyed and excelled in a variety of canine pursuits.
Sean’s love affair with dogs began as a toddler in Alaska where his family lived on an Army base. Sean watched with fascination the sled dogs in the base kennel beside his home.
As a young boy in South Dakota, Sean gathered the neighborhood dogs and went exploring in the Black Hills for days at a time.
In his teens, Sean scaled a barbed wire fence to rescue a German Shepherd who became his beloved companion. They dove off ledges and swam together in a local quarry.
During young adulthood, Sean showed Malamutes in AKC conformation and obedience classes as well as weight pull competitions.
Sean especially loved his 20 years as a sled dog musher and found great satisfaction in being part of a team working together. Mushing became a lifestyle in which the whole family participated. Sean raised and raced Alaskan Huskies earning many medals, including a gold medal in the world-standings.
When Mandy embarked on her long-awaited dream of being a puppy raiser for Canine Companions, Sean began a whole new adventure in the world of working dogs. He grew to appreciate the temperament and unique offerings of Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. Sean supported Mandy’s mission in a variety of ways from installing fencing to helping care for and train the dogs. Together, they raised six puppies for Canine Companions.
Sean knew the importance of the human-canine bond and the richness it brings to one’s life on a deeply personal level. He believed in the mission of Canine Companions - To empower children, adults, and veterans with disabilities to live with greater independence through partnerships with expertly trained service dogs.
While Mandy paused her puppy-raising during the last few years of Sean’s illnesses, Sean continued to enjoy visits with Canine Companions puppies and their raisers. He spent many an evening snuggling with the Canine Companions release dog he and Mandy adopted.
A few days before he died, Sean told Mandy, “I was thinking we should get you a new puppy.” Life goes on. The need for expertly trained service dogs goes on. The mission of Canine Companions to provide those dogs to individuals with disabilities goes on. And, yes, Mandy will get a new puppy and carry on Sean’s legacy, his love of dogs, and the joy of the human-canine bond.
Thank you for your thoughtful donation in Sean’s memory. Your kind support will help provide individuals greater independence, joy, and unconditional love through Canine Companions’ very special dogs.
--The Mueller Family