There are a few dog breeds that typically come to mind when thinking about the best service dog breed. These are breeds like the Labrador retriever, golden retriever, German shepherd, standard poodle, and border collie. However, as great as these dogs can be at assisting individuals with disabilities, the right breed for you might be an entirely different one. This all depends on your disability and life circumstances.
For example, while the border collie is a highly capable service dog for a variety of disabilities, the breed’s high exercise and mental stimulation needs pose difficulties for individuals who can’t meet them on a daily basis. It isn’t only about the disability-related capabilities of a service dog breed but also how well the breed aligns with your lifestyle, schedule, and preferences as a whole.
Below, we will share our expert tips for finding the best service dog breed for yourself (or a loved one).
Best Service Dog Breed for Different Disabilities
Since the nature of a disability has a direct impact on which type of breed would be the best service dog breed, it is our first category to look at. After all, different disabilities often require different service dog traits and abilities.
Physical Disabilities
Individuals with physical disabilities typically require dogs capable of performing mobility-related tasks like retrieving specific items, opening and closing doors, and providing balance support. Naturally, the best service dog breeds for physical disabilities are robust breeds, such as Labrador retrievers, Newfoundlands, and German shepherds.
However, being physically strong isn’t enough; service dogs trained to assist individuals with physical disabilities must also have a high trainability and calm temperament. For instance, the great Pyrenees is physically strong and capable, but their protective tendencies make them not an ideal fit for service dog work.
Psychiatric Disabilities
Psychiatric service dogs are commonly used by individuals struggling with mental health disabilities like post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorders, anxiety, and depression. They are typically trained to perform tasks that ease distressing emotional or mental symptoms. This often includes tasks related to grounding, interrupting, and guiding the handler away from stressful situations.
When it comes to the top psychiatric service dog breeds, golden retrievers, border collies, and smaller breeds like toy and miniature poodles are considered to be among the best. Unlike for physical disabilities, their work doesn’t always require sheer strength or size. This makes the types of service dogs for psychiatric disabilities more diverse compared to other disabilities.
Sensory Disabilities
Service dogs for sensory disabilities are commonly trained to assist individuals with vision or hearing impairments. The best dog breeds for sensory disabilities often come down to the tasks an individual needs. For example, if someone only needs to be alerted to specific sounds like doorbells, smoke alarms, or someone calling their name, any breed that can learn these tasks would be ideal, even miniature and toy breeds.
However, for guide work, such as guiding someone who’s visually impaired through obstacles on the street, a dog breed that can use their body to guide the handler when needed tends to be a better pick. For this reason, medium or large breeds are more commonly used for guiding people with visual impairments, such as the Labrador retriever and Great Dane.
Seizure Alert/Response
Seizure alert and response dogs assist individuals with seizure disorders by responding during or after a seizure. Similar to psychiatric service dogs, seizure alert and response dogs don’t always need to be physically strong. As long as the dog can detect changes before a seizure occurs and alert the handler or perform specific tasks, they can perform the role well. For this work, breeds like the cavalier King Charles spaniel, bichon frise, and poodle are highly respected.
However, some seizure response dogs may need to perform tasks to assist the handler during or after a seizure, such as retrieving items, providing balance support, or interrupting behaviors that may occur after a seizure. In these instances, a large breed like the Labrador retriever may be a better fit.
Other Factors to Consider When Finding the Best Service Dog Breed
For example, other than just wanting a smaller or a larger dog, allergies can play a role when selecting a service dog breed. Some individuals may find it intolerable to be near dogs that shed a lot and opt for hypoallergenic options like poodles and Portuguese water dogs.
Temperament is another important factor to consider. Calmer and easier to manage breeds are generally more suited to individuals welcoming a dog into their lives for the first time. Energy levels and drive are also just as critical. As mentioned above, a border collie can execute their service dog tasks flawlessly, but they still require a high amount of physical and mental enrichment to stay happy and healthy.
The cost of overall care is another factor. Larger dogs require more food and often have higher general care expenses. Other than size, grooming costs can add up to a significant amount. Keep this in mind if you think that the best service dog breed for you is a poodle, as the grooming cost of this breed alone can add up to hundreds of dollars annually.
By considering all these factors, in addition to your disability and what tasks you require, you can make an informed decision on which breed is the best service dog for you.
Best Service Dog Breed Next Steps: Training a Service Dog Yourself
After finding the best service dog breed for yourself (or a family member), you can have the dog trained by your own means. This includes hiring a dog trainer, enrolling in group classes, or following online courses, such as our psychiatric service dog training course.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the federal law that governs service animals, allows you to train them yourself. As long as your dog can perform a disability-related task and is calm and obedient in public, you can have them legally recognized as a service animal. This applies whether you register your service animal or not, though the additional documentation that comes with registration can help in public situations.