service dogs.

Good news for Scooter Givens of Hillsboro, Ore. -- the 10-year-old autistic boy no longer has to leave his service dog, Madison, at home when he goes to school. After a three-year battle with the Givens family, Hillsboro School District officials have decided to allow Scooter to bring Madison to class at Patterson Elementary for a trial period. According to KATU Hillsboro, the debate over this pup hinged on whether Madison was, in fact, a "service dog" or a "therapy dog." Though the distinction may seem minor from the outside looking in, the service dog factor is apparently no small issue in the eyes of the law. Though service dogs are covered by the Americans With Disabilities Act, ...

It's no wonder that Labrador retrievers have been the most popular dog breed in the United States for the past 19 years straight. They are sweet, family friendly and super trainable. To prove our point, here are videos of Labradors that have learned to perform common tricks, compete in athletic competitions, assist humans and even save lives. Gordon tears up the course in this agility competition. Too bad we can't crank the trance music at the actual agility events, since it certainly heightens the drama! ...

Billy Ma and Polar, David C. Scott for Canine Assistants In this special series, Paw Nation shadows Billy Ma as he attends the Canine Assistants Training Camp, meets his new service dog and learns how the dog can help him by turning on lights, pulling his wheelchair and, hopefully, becoming his best friend. To read part one click here. MILTON, GA. - It's the second day of camp. A dozen dogs are lined up in cages in the Canine Assistants classroom, waiting to get matched with the children they'll go home with at the end of two weeks. If all goes well, the dogs will love and protect these children for the rest of their lives. Ever since the dogs were 3-day-old puppies being carried around ...