Do you Need a Service Dog?
Obviously you can’t just go to the corner store and pick up a service dog. How do you know what the best service dog breeds are?
There are so many things to carefully consider. Here are some of the most important.
Remember the Reason For Your Service Dog
The #1 reason for you to get a service dog is so he can help mitigate your disability. This means you must throw away any idea or temptation to get a dog based on superficial qualities.
This includes the way the dog looks, how cute/not cute or fluffy/not fluffy he is, or the kind of dog you’ve always dreamed about having (not to say you can’t necessarily get your dream dog, too).
How To Narrow Down The Best Service Dog Breeds
Consider the breed of the dog that would be most helpful to you. To do this, write a list, or consider your most disabling qualities and think about how a dog could help.
Consider what size of dog would be suitable for you. Some of the best service dog breeds for some people may be smaller dogs.
For example, if you need a dog to help with balance issues, then you’ll need a relatively large dog (at least 50 lbs).
Larger breeds are often used by professional service dog trainers and may be more accepted in public areas. More people are used to them.
You don’t have to have a certain kind of dog.
The benefit of small dogs are many…
Some benefits of small dogs include things like taking up less room, being less expensive to feed, & they tend to live longer.
Most importantly, they are just as competent.
Think About Your Personality and the Personality of Certain Dog Breeds
Some kinds of dogs are more independent, and others enjoy working with people. Dogs that are bred to chase game (like hounds and terriers) tend to be independent.
Some dog breeds that seem to enjoy working for people, are dogs that have traditionally been bred to retrieve game.
Dogs that are bred for guard work aren’t recommended for emotional or psychiatric work.
Toy breeds, which are often bred for companionship, tend to be very connected to their owner.
More Independent Types of Dogs Breeds
- English Bulldog
- Shih Tzu
- Chow Chow
- Basset Hound
- Miniature Pinscher
- Boston Terrier
- Bull Mastiff
- Tibetan Spaniel
Dog Breeds That Typically Love People
- French Bulldog
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Great Dane
- Collie
- Italian Greyhound
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Poodle
- Maltese
- Chihuahua
- German Shepherd Dog
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- Shiba Inu
- Pomeranian
Dog Match-Up Quiz
Check this out. Here you can find a dog match-up tool.
It will help point you in the right direction to find out which breeds and mixes of dogs would be good for you based on your personality and other needs and preferences.
Check it out:
Dog Breed Selector
Dog Time – Dog Matchup
You Can Talk to Dog Trainers To Determine the Best Service Dog Breeds For You
Dog trainers, if you can find one to chat with, can offer invaluable information. A service dog trainer would be ideal. There are many other types of trainers.
These would be people who train dogs for advanced competitions, obedience, other types of dog sports, search and rescue training, or even people who are evaluators for the Canine Good Citizen Test.
Think About Your Level of Activity and Energy to Determine the Best Service Dog Breeds For You
Service dogs are still dogs. They will require at least an hour of walking or other exercise each day. Can you commit to this basic need that your dog will have? If not, do you have a family member or friend that can help you out? Are you able to hire someone to do this for you?
Labradors need an hour of walking or exercise every day. High energy breeds will require 1-2 hours per day, plus additional activities to keep them busy. So, select a furry friend that has lower energy if you might encounter barriers to exercise.
Lower Energy Dogs
- Basset Hound
- Bulldog
- Bull Mastiff
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Chow Chow
- French Bulldog
- Great Dane
- Greyhound
- Old English Sheepdog
- Pekingese
- Pug
- Shih Tzu
Higher Energy Dogs
- Australian Shepherd
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- Weimaraner
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Dalmatian
- Border Collie
- Siberian Husky
- German Shepherd
- Boston Terrier
- Jack Russel Terrier
- Pointer
- Catahoula Leopard Dog
- Irish Setter
- Boxer
Activities You Can Do With Your Service Dog
Would a high-energy dog be a good fit for you?
Think about whether this is something that would potentially fit with your lifestyle and energy level. Just a few examples of sports and activities you may be able to do with your dog include:
- Agility
- Backpacking
- Day trips
- Dog parks
- Freestyle musical dance
- Flyball
- Frisbee
- Hiking
- Obedience training
- Vacations
Think About the Coat of the Dog
The coat of your dog is very important.
Coats That Don’t Shed
Dogs who don’t shed are recommended for people who suffer from allergies. The most popular dog breeds that don’t shed include:
- Affenpinscher
- Poodle
- Bichon
- Frise
- Schnauzer
- Airedale Terrier
- Bedlington Terrier
- Bichons
- Border Terrier
- Chinese Crested
- Chinese Shar-Pei
- Coton de Tulear
- Greyhound
- Boxer
- Ibizan hound dog
- Komondor
- Manchester Terrier
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Old English Sheepdog
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Hungarian Puli
- Shih Tzu
- Silky Terrier
- Welsh Terrier
Consider Dog Coats That Are Known To Shed
Labradors, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers have short or medium coats. These shed.
And, they need to be bushed several times per week. Some dog breeds that are well known to shed the most include:
- Akita
- Alaskan Malamute
- American Eskimo
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Chow Chow
- Great Pyrenees
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Siberian Husky
- Beagle
- Dalmatian
- German Shorthair Pointer
- Newfoundland
- Pug
- Rottweiler
- St. Bernard
Think About Work and Home Considerations
- Consider things like family members who might have allergies
- is a dog who might snore in a quiet environment a problem?
- some types of dogs might slobber a lot
- certain dogs are sensitive to hot or cold weather situations
- consider the size of doggy that you may have to travel with and whether that will be convenient
Here Are Some Dog Breeds That Are Known to Snore:
- Pekingese
- Pug
- Boston Terrier
- Bulldog
- Boxer
- Shih Tzus
- English Toy Spaniel
- Chow Chow
Dogs Suitable For Apartments or Small Spaces:
- Basenji
- Bichon Frise
- Boston Terrier
- Brussels Griffon
- Bulldog
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Chihuahua
- Chinese Crested
- Coton de Tulear
- Dachshund
- French Bulldog
- Havanese
- Greyhound
- Japanese Chin
- Lhasa Apso
- Lowchen
- Maltese
- Manchester Terrier
- Miniature Pinscher
- Pekinese
- Pomeranian
- Poodle
- Pug
- Schipperke
- Shiba Inu
- Shih Tzu
- Silky Terrier
- Toy Fox Terrier
- Yorkshire Terrier
The Top 7 Best Service Dog Breeds
These are for sure the most popular service dog breeds on planet Earth!
Labrador Retriever
Labradors are the most popular breed in the USA. They make great service dogs. They are smart and highly trainable.
Greyhound
These dogs are highly sensitive and love to spend time with people.
They are quiet and affectionate, and can pick up on very subtle cues if something is not right.
They make a great companion for people suffering from PTSD or other health issues that limit mobility.
German Shepherd
German Shepherds are highly intelligent, highly trainable, and highly versatile.
They are naturally protective. They are loyal and gentle, and make good seizure alert or guide dogs.
Pomeranian
These dogs are excellent and can be trained to alert people of impending effects brought on by chronic medical illness.
They can help people who are hard of hearing, and can alert people to sirens, fire alarms and door bells and things like that.
Border Collie
These dogs are well known as one of the most intelligent breeds. They are great as Seizure alert dogs, and for PTSD and anxiety disorders.
Poodle
Poodle dogs have great temperaments and are willing to learn. They feature a wonderful hypoallergenic coat.
Poodles can help with mobility issues. They can warn people about emergencies before they happen. Amazing!
Golden Retriever
These dogs are natural at helping others. They are gentle and great with kids.
They are great for many tasks including seeing-eye and hearing dogs.
Keep Researching The Best Service Dog Breeds
Continue to research and find out everything and anything you can about the breeds.
- Research Pros and Cons of each breed
- Make sure to consider lifespan and health concerns of the breeds
- If you can, go to a dog show and meet people who work with or represent the breeds
- Remember that in the end, there may not be a perfect dog breed for you and you may have to compromise on some area
- Do your best & consider what is important to you
