It's spring. Everybody is coming out of hibernation -- kids, dogs, moms, dads. I take our black lab Maggie out to the park with us, and she's an instant hit. Everybody in the spring says, "We're thinking about getting a dog."

"Your dog is so well-behaved," everyone says. "Where did you get her?"

The more important question they should be asking is how much time we invested in training her. And the answer is, "A lot."

Dogs are a lot of work. We enrolled her in the American Dog School and spent over a year taking her for private lessons, then group lessons.

Not everybody has the time to devote like that, so if you're looking to adopt a good tempered, already trained dog, check out Freedom Service Dogs.

They're a great organization that rescues dogs from shelters and custom trains them to assist people with disabilities.

Sometimes, however, their dogs are unable to resist chasing the occasional squirrel, and that means YOU can adopt them.

Just look at cute B-B-B-Bounder!


Plus, Freedom Service Dogs is a charity partner for the Colfax Marathon, so you can start a relay team and run for them. If you run for their team, you can ask to get the same t-shirt their dogs wear. It says, "Don't pet me, I'm working."

They'll have their dogs at the finish line to cheer you on.