LSU, Clemson Students Raise 20 Service-Dog Puppies as Football Rivals Open 2026 Season
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 4
LSU, Clemson Students Raise 20 Service-Dog Puppies as Football Rivals Open 2026 Season
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 4
Summary
LSU and Clemson students are using campus life to raise future service dogs for Canine Companions, with Clemson’s club having raised 15 dogs since 2021 and LSU’s four-year-old club handling about five a year.
The puppies arrive at about 8 weeks old and stay with student raisers for 14 to 16 months, learning commands, calm behavior and socialization in classes, libraries, quads and loud sporting events.
One Clemson dog, Vinny, recently moved into the final six- to nine-month professional-training phase, while LSU dog Loyal is already learning wheelchair-support skills after being returned in May.
Canine Companions, founded in 1975, has placed more than 8,500 dogs and is now working with over 2,800 active service dogs and more than 1,100 puppy raisers nationwide.