JD,
I was so distressed to read about the loss of your lab service dog. We used to have a Rottie/Boxer mix named Kayla, who we rescued from the HUmane Society. She was 125 lbs of pure love. She had no tail, whoever had docked it got carried away and she didn't even have a stump. She would get excited and she wagged her whole body. She finally developed dysplasia, as large breeds so often do, and it got to me to see her get up and yelp in pain at the effort, or she would try to scratch and couldn't raise her hind leg high enough to do it.

We now have two Chihuahuas (Chihuahua/Mexican Hairless Mix) who are 15 months old, and in training as Hearing Assist dogs. They are brother and sister, named BearBear and Munchkin. Bear is black and tan, and Munchie is blonde and white. They are smart as a whip and have been partially training themselves. I have the worst hearing, as I have only less than 30% in the left ear, and totally deaf in the right ear. The wife is hard of hearing, but not as bad as I. When the pups are two years old, we will be able to get them certified. They are very well received everywhere we go, because they are so well behaved. When their harnesses are put on, there is a total transformation in their personalities. It is as if they consider their harness their uniform and that when they are on, they are all business, working dogs.
When we get back home and take the harnesses off, they play-fight like any siblings will do, and have a ball/