→ Therapy Dogs
Therapy dogs are used to help reduce anxiety and fear in people who are typically coping with some type of trauma. This includes people who are dealing with relatively minor traumatic experiences or life-altering events.
For example, some therapy dogs work in airports where they allow weary or nervous travelers to spend a few minutes petting them. Others visit hospitals to help cheer up patients and frightened visitors who often have a lot on their minds.
Note that therapy dogs are usually not expected to help their owners feel better – they are primarily tasked with helping cheer up other people.
The Different Types of Service Dogs
Although the terms therapy dog, service dog, and emotional support dog are often used interchangeably, they do refer to different things. We’ve written about how to identify a service dog extensively before, but we’ll provide a quick synopsis below.
What Kind of Dogs Are Allowed to be Service Dogs?
According to the ADA, all breeds of domesticated dogs that have undergone training may legally be service dogs. There are no officially recognized service dog breeds.
However, you’re most likely to see one of a few specific breeds of dogs as service animals. This is not due to regulations, but because of those breeds’ characteristics and temperament.
While some cities, states, and local counties have laws banning particular breeds of dogs, these do not apply to service dogs. You are allowed to have any breed of service dog you want in any area of the US, even if a particular area has banned that breed as a pet.
Different physical, emotional, and mental conditions require different types of dogs. Not all dog breeds work well for all tasks. Psychiatric service dogs and physical service dogs need specific behavioral traits to do their best work, and only an elite few breeds are best at helping out.
Both golden and Labrador retrievers make great service dogs. In fact, retrievers are the most common breeds trained for service work, with Labs slightly outnumbering golden retrievers. People love how friendly and loving these dogs are and how well they get along with people and other animals.
Retrievers do well with both physical and emotional tasks. They can grab things with their teeth gently, lead their handlers around outside or inside, and retrieve items on command. Both Labs and goldens develop a strong bond with their handlers and love to have responsibilities.
Large and physically strong, German shepherds have a reputation as police dogs. However, the same qualities that make excellent police dogs make them great service dogs as well.
German shepherds are easily trainable, loyal, intelligent dogs that form a strong bond with their handlers. Many German shepherds enjoy their working life, as it keeps them moving and gives them the satisfaction of pleasing their owners.
One task German shepherds are well qualified for is blood sugar monitoring, because of their powerful sense of smell. Their large size is also great for mobility assistance, either serving as seeing-eye dogs or balance assistance dogs.
The best poodles for service work are full size, standard poodles. These dogs are large enough to help with many physical tasks, and their high intelligence makes them well-suited for working.
Poodles have a reputation for being easy to work with and easy to train. They love a challenge and enjoy working. Most poodles are passive dogs with a friendly nature. A unique benefit of owning a poodle as a service dog is its hypoallergenic fur. Poodles don’t shed as much fur and dander as other breeds.
While Pomeranians are very small dogs, their little size makes them great psychiatric service dogs. They’re probably not appropriate for leading or balance help, but they can do retrieve small items. Most Pomeranians are very attentive to the needs of their owners, which makes them a perfect choice for those with certain psychiatric conditions.
When you don’t need a large dog for physical help, a Pomeranian is a smart, teachable dog that does great with psychiatric help tasks. Their small size means they’re easy to keep with you at all times for emotional support.
Boxers can make good service dogs for a variety of disabilities. They’re generally good-natured dogs that are friendly and gentle with all age ranges. Most boxers are comfortable in large and small groups and can be taught to navigate through a crowd.
With the intelligence to learn many tasks, especially tasks associated with work as a psychiatric service dog, boxers are a good choice for many families with children or loud households. Their friendly and patient nature means that they’re unlikely to become frustrated.
If you’re not very physically mobile and you don’t have a way to exercise your service dog, owning a boxer can be difficult. They have a lot of energy and will need regular exercise to stay healthy.
Used as farm dogs around the world, border collies have been working alongside people for hundreds of years. They are among the smartest dog breeds in the world, making them a great choice for handlers who need help with multiple complex tasks.
In general, border collies are good-natured dogs that do well with individuals or families. While some service dogs need work to stay happy and stimulated, border collies are usually pretty good at directing their extra energy towards non-aggressive working behaviors.
Before you get a border collie, you need to be prepared to handle their mental and physical needs. As highly intelligent and energetic dogs, they need mental stimulation and daily exercise to stay happy.
An elegant, dutiful, and gentle breed, Bernese mountain dogs are large animals that take well to service work. They are extremely friendly, love to please, and are physically strong enough to help their handlers help with physical tasks.
Because of their gentle demeanor, this breed is good for families and can handle work in distracting, public spaces. Good for both those with physical disabilities and those in need of emotional support, Bernese mountain dogs are capable of learning complex tasks and love to work with their handlers.
While cavalier King Charles spaniels are not necessarily the best choice for physical tasks, dogs of this breed tend to be very attentive to the emotional state and needs of their handlers. They’re commonly trained as psychiatric service dogs to help with PTSD, OCD, depression, and anxiety.
King Charles spaniels are lap dogs that tend to be strongly emotionally bonded to their handlers and enjoy being around them all the time. For psychiatric service dogs, this is a great quality, especially for those who need emotional support on top of their service dog’s normal tasks. As lap dogs with a low need for exercise, they’re not as demanding or high-energy as some of the larger breeds.
These Are Top 10 Service Dog Breeds Ever
A service dog has been trained to perform tasks that assist a disabled person. This can be any task that helps those suffering from physical, mental, sensory, intellectual, or other disabilities. They allow their master to live and travel independently and with dignity, all while giving the best cuddles, too!
The first record of us humans utilizing service dogs is 74 CE, where a blind man in Pompeii is depicted walking around with a dog by his side. And day by day, we are still coming to realize how amazing dogs are in assisting us.
Here we have 14 of the best service dog breeds, all with pictures (because that’s why you’re here, right?). From guide dogs to hearing dogs and mobility assistance dogs. And autism support dogs to psychiatric service dogs, we found some of the best service dog breeds. And, in no particular order, here they are, including the best small service dog breeds and the best big service dog breeds.