10 Breeds that Make Excellent Service Dogs

Listed here are the ten of the best service dog breeds. Is your dog on this list?  

Golden Retriever

A Golden Retriever is likely what comes to mind when considering a service dog. This breed is most commonly used as a guide for the hearing and visually impaired, as well as for those with mobility disabilities.  

Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers are another popular service dog breed, due to their willingness to learn, trainability, and versatility. For these reasons, Labrador Retrievers serve in nearly every service dog capacity.

German Shepherd

German Shepherds are happiest when working and given a job to do. They thrive on attention from confident trainers, and bond strongly with a single individual. For these reasons, German Shepherds are often used for police, military, and search and rescue service.

American Staffordshire Terrier

American Staffordshire Terriers (commonly known as pit bulls) are among the most sensitive of dog breeds. Whether used as an emotional support animal, a search and rescue dog, or a dog trained to alert its owner to a specific medical need, such as epilepsy or diabetes, American Staffordshire Terriers are excellent service dogs.

Standard Poodle

One type of service dog is a Brace and Mobility Support animal. These dogs help owners who are in a wheelchair, have prosthetic limbs, or are unsteady on their feet. Any dog can be trained to be a Brace and Mobility Support Animal, although certain breeds are better for this job than others. The standard Poodle, thanks to their large size and vast intelligence, is one breed that is particularly well suited.  

Pomeranian

While a Pomeranian might not look like a typical service animal, this breed seems to have a natural talent for alerting owners to issues such as low blood sugar or an imminent seizure.  

Collie

Collies are another breed that excels at nearly everything they are asked. Since Collies rank in the top 10% for canine intelligence, they are frequently used as mobility and support service dogs.  

Bernese Mountain Dog

Service dogs can take all shapes and sizes, such as a Bernese Mountain Dog. These gentle giants have been known to pull wheelchairs or wagons while providing mobility and emotional support.

Newfoundland

The Newfoundland is the predecessor to the modern Labrador Retriever, so it is no surprise that this breed excels as a service dog. Whether providing mobility or emotional assistance, the Newfoundland does an excellent job attending to its human’s needs.

Bloodhound

A Bloodhound’s nose has 40x more scent receptors than humans, making this nose one of the most sensitive on the planet. Therefore, bloodhounds are one of the best dogs for a very important service: search and rescue.