Many dogs can be trained to assist people, but only a few breeds were born to do so. Several breeds have it in their nature; they have unconditional love and devotion for their owners, and some breeds can act as a medical alarm. Service dogs are a bit different than emotional support dogs and therapy dogs. The term service dog breeds might be familiar to you, but do you really know what it means? Some people think that service dogs are those breeds which can be with the police only; but in fact, a service dog is a working dog who got special training to assist people with disabilities, specific needs or mental issues.
Best Service dog Breeds
Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retriever is a very popular smart breed, also known as Labs. They make perfect service dogs as they can easily be trained. They are considered the best service dog breed for older people. Labs can help a person stand or walk. And they bond quickly with their owners and love to have a job to do. Labrador retrievers love to fetch and bring you whatever you’re asking for.
With minimum training, labs can be trained to grab you the remote control or water if you want to. They have a soft mouth and are very delicate when grabbing anything, which wouldn’t damage whatever they are fetching. Labradors are also one of the service dog breeds that can guide a blind owner and notify them if there’s any object in front of them.
German Shepherds
A German Shepherd is mainly linked to hard police work, but it can also make a great service dog. One of the reasons that makes them suitable as service dogs is that they have high stamina and willingness to accomplish any task given to them. They were born to lead the way and make sure that their pack is safely following them. German Shepherds are easily trained, intelligent, and well-behaved, which makes them the perfect companion. They are known for their powerful sense of smell, and they can smell and notify you if your blood sugar level is too high or too low. German Shepherds can be trained to do almost any kind of task you want.
Pomeranian
Pomeranians can be trained to be service dogs; in fact, when well-trained, Pomeranians are one of the best service dog breeds out there. It may come as a surprise to many people due to their small size. However, they make an incredible companion as well as a great service dog. They may not be as intelligent and obedient as other breeds, but they are very attentive to their owners. And they can sense if your blood pressure is dangerously high or too low. Pomeranian works best as a medical alert. If your blood sugar level is higher or lower than the average, they will notify you and will keep your company until the level is healthy again.
Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers are very similar to Labs in their nature, so they make a great service dog as well. They are super smart, friendly, easily trained, and just like Labs, they love having a job to do. Golden Retrievers are commonly known as babysitters, due to their calm nature around children and sick people. The make the best service dogs for people with PTSD and autistic children. They can help to guide blind owners and fetching items for those in wheelchairs. Golden Retrievers are friendly to everyone but won’t let any harm come to their owners.
Conclusion
Service dogs are different from therapy dogs because service dogs are trained and can perform a particular task during certain conditions. Most service dog breeds can be easily trained to help blind people, and take well-defined steps in stopping their owner’s anxiety attacks. And some of them can be the perfect fit to look after autistic children and monitor them.
They can also be trained to sit at their feet during meltdowns and help them to calm. An excellent service dog should be intelligent and not necessarily smart. High intelligent dog means they can obey orders and perform tasks given to them. They should also be calm in order not to cause any disturbance to their owner.
