working dogs

Is That a Real Service Dog? (Or Is it Just Someone’s Pet?)

Looks can be deceiving—do you know how to spot a fake service dog? In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of “Assistance Animals” turning up in public places, helping their handlers who suffer from a wide variety of disabilities and afflictions. At the same time, unfortunately, there has also been an increase in confusion about these animals, which has sparked some controversy. This can be distressing to those who legitimately depend on a service dog to help cope with everyday life.

Read More

The Incredible Penguin-Protection Dogs of Australia


A tiny penguin greets his guardian on Australia’s Middle Island.
Photo via bbc.com

Middle Island, on the southern coast of Australia, is home to a colony of little penguins, the world’s smallest species of these flightless birds, which stand just about a foot tall. When foxes. . .

Read More

Video: Shelter Dogs Are Trained to Save Lives and Property


When Boomer finds something he’s searching for, he is rewarded with a ball. His handler,
Det. John Lewitt, says Boomer prefers tug-of-war over fetch.
Photo via KING

Dogs who are abandoned at shelters are often viewed as somehow flawed—to active, too unruly, untrainable—but a great program speaheaded by the Boeing Company in Washington is. . .

Read More