These 5 dog breeds make the best service dogs
Many people are dedicated to training and providing for service dogs, but which dog breeds are the best at guiding us?
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- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a law prohibiting landlords from discriminating against or charging extra fees for service dog training.
- Can Do Canine, an organization that trains service dogs with the help of volunteers and prison inmates, advocated for the legislation.
- The bill received bipartisan support in both the Minnesota House and Senate.
SAINT PAUL — Dogs made their way to the Minnesota Statehouse on Thursday, May 8.
This comes as Gov. Tim Walz signed a law that would prohibit landlords from discriminating against or charging fees to people training service dogs. The dog trainers would still be liable for damage caused while training the animal.
“They’re not pets. They’re super cute. We love them to death, but they change lives,” Walz said. “… These service dogs are the things that allow people to to do the work they want, to enjoy the entertainment they want (and) to interact with family that they want.”
Can Do Canine, an organization that helps train service dogs, helped push for the legislation. Its executive director, Jeff Johnson, said there’s been roughly eight to 10 times in the past four years when housing policies got in the way of finding trainers.
Johnson said Can Do Canine dogs are trained by volunteers to provide free training to those needing assistance. During 2025’s first bill signing ceremony, Johnson said prison inmates have also helped train the dogs.
“Our volunteers are amazing, and it the biggest challenge that we have is finding volunteers to do that for us because it’s not a small ask at all,” said Johnson, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2014 and 2018.
Lydia Roseth, a student at Hamline University studying public health, said her service dog helps her pick up items from her floor and monitor blood pressure. She said having her dog, Flint, enables her to take on more both academically and socially.
“He not only has changed my life, but he has saved my life,” Roseth said.
Minnesota Sen. Bonnie Westlin, DFL-Plymouth, and Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, sponsored the bill in their respective legislative bodies.
“With the enactment of this bill, we will be removing those barriers, and we will be affirming our commitment to inclusivity and support for both the volunteers and the future service dog users,” Westlin said.
In the Minnesota House of Representatives, St. Cloud area Reps. Dan Wolgamott, DFL-St. Cloud, and Bernie Perryman, R-St. Augusta, voted in favor of the legislation. Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, also voted affirmatively.
In the Minnesota Senate, Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud, also voted in favor of the newly-signed law.
Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@gannett.com.
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