The Mission of Paws'itive Teams is to train service dogs to assist mobility-limited persons in achieving greater independence and, through educational presentations and animal assisted therapy, enhance the lives of persons in San Diego County.

In January of 2012 Paws�itive Teams purchased an affordable, 5,000 square foot centrally located building that contains: A Boardroom for Board and Committee meetings; Classroom space for training classes, Therapy Prep School classes, and other educational sessions; A large indoor training space for training Service and Facility Dogs and their partners; Office space (equipped for computer use, internet, printing, faxing, phone/phone answering, etc); An ADA accessible bathroom; Storage space for training equipment and supplies; Ample on-site parking; Space directly behind the facility for toileting the dogs; and 650 sq ft of extra office space and a full bathroom that can be leased to help pay utility costs. This great facility will allow Paws�itive Teams to expand our programs to better fulfill our goal of improving the quality of life for many disabledSan DiegoCountyadults and children. Paws�itive Teams currently has 6 Service Dog pups in training, and will add two more pups in the training program before the end of 2012. In 2011 and the first part of 2012 we added two new certified volunteer trainers to our Service Dog Training Team. Paws�itive Teams PAAT (Paws�itive Animal-Assisted Therapy) Program grew in 2011 to nearly 50 Certified PAAT teams and we have recently added two new venues to our PAAT Program: 1) The use of Paws�itive Teams certified PAAT Therapy Dog Teams in the San Diego County Victim Advocate Program. These teams will be active in Courthouses inChula Vista,El Cajon,Vista, and Downtown San Diego to offer comfort and support to individuals (primarily children) who have been molested or abused and who must appear in Court to testify against the accused. 2) In a new program, calledCanine Inspired Community Reintegration, PAAT Therapy Dog Teams are teaming with professional therapists to work with wounded men and service women to bring them the support, encouragement, and confidence to enable them to reintegrate into civilian life.