Popular Service Dogs
A service dog is a type of assistance animal professionally trained to help individuals with a physical, mental, or emotional disability. Service dogs are brave individuals who dedicate themselves to helping their owners lead more independent lives. Any breed or size can become an effective service dog if they meet the temperament requirements and, most importantly, demonstrate eagerness for learning. Here is a look at some of the best breeds for service dogs. Labrador Retrievers are among the most popular service dog breeds due to their friendly and easygoing nature. Labs are gregarious but loyal and willing to please. This, coupled with their high level of intelligence, makes them easy to train and attentive to their owner’s needs. Physically, Labradors are hardy and athletic, capable of following their trainers all day. Since they are a larger breed and great for those needing mobility assistance, their innate search instinct makes it easy for their owner to help collect or retrieve items.
Like Labradors, Golden Retrievers are popular as service dogs for the same reason. Aside from the dense golden coat for which the breed is named, the Golden Retriever’s outgoing nature and easygoing temperament make their unruly dogs. The breed’s intelligence and eagerness to please mean they are easy to train for specific tasks. Goldens are an active breed that needs daily exercise, making them ideal for those constantly on the go and needing a second pair of eyes.
Regarding service dogs, German Shepherds are pretty much born for work. They are brilliant, but they love to work. Shepherds are easy to train, well-behaved, and love to help their owners. Many dogs of this breed are sized to help with different mobility issues. Unlike Labrador, German Shepard requires training to grab objects with soft mouths. One task that suits German Shepherds is monitoring blood sugar levels because of their strong sense of smell. Like Goldens, these dogs shed a lot. Also, many see these dogs only as police dogs, which can confuse people.