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Labrador Retrievers are the most common breed people think of when they picture the best service dogs. But, as you will see, many other breeds are equally capable.
A well-trained service dog can increase ease and safety in day-to-day life for people living with disabilities.
Specific breeds are generally more popular for specific service roles due to differences in size, structure, and personality.
Guide dogs generally need to be large and powerful enough to guide safely, and must be highly motivated and able to take regular, ongoing training.
Hearing dogs can be smaller and can even tend to be more independent, while still being highly responsive to their handler’s needs.
In this article, we have compiled a list of 15 best service dog breeds that are often chosen for different roles.
What Are Service Dogs?
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the term service dog means a dog that has been trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability.
The dog’s work must be directly related to the person’s physical or mental disability, and they must have the dog because of the disability.
It’s important to know the difference between the common types of service and therapy dogs.
The primary therapy dog roles involve providing comfort in settings like hospitals. Not performing disability-related tasks.
Understanding therapy dog benefits shows that while they are valuable, they are not the same as service dogs.
A person may get a professionally trained service dog that comes from a breeding program. They may also start with a new puppy and provide the training.
In either case, training a service dog breed will cost more than a basic obedience-training program.
For example, handlers may need specific service dog gear for school or know the regulations for having a service dog on plane.
Examples of Service Dog Tasks
The tasks of a service dog are varied, based on the needs of the handler. Here are some of the common ones according to ADA:
- A person using a wheelchair might use a service dog trained to retrieve dropped objects.
- A person with depression might use a dog trained to remind them to take their daily medication.
- Veterans or others who experience PTSD might use a dog to nudge or lick their hand to warn of a panic attack.
- A person with epilepsy might use a dog trained to sense an impending seizure and aid in the person’s safety during a seizure.
What Are the Different Types of Service Dogs?
1. Labrador Retriever
Breed overview
- Group: Sporting Group
- Height: 21.5 – 24.5 inches
- Weight: 55 – 80 lbs.
- Coat and color: Short, dense double coat in yellow, black, or chocolate
- Temperament: Friendly, steady, eager to please
- Energy level: Moderate to high
- Average life span: 11 – 13 years
Labradors are one of the most popular service dog breeds because they have the best combination of size, temperament, and trainability.
They are strong enough to be a mobility dog but are easygoing enough not to sway as a guide dog in busy areas.
Labs are great for medical alert/response tasks because they love to bond with their handlers. They are also easy to train to pick up on more minute variations in behavior and scent.
Their friendly, approachable appearance also tends to make the general public more comfortable, making everyday outings less stressful.
The biggest issue with Labs is the shedding. You should expect to brush them often for hair control.
2. Golden Retriever
Breed overview
- Group: Sporting Group
- Height: 21.5 – 24 inches
- Weight: 55 – 75 lbs.
- Coat and color: Medium double coat in shades of gold
- Temperament: Gentle, reliable, eager to please
- Energy level: Moderate
- Average life span: 10 – 12 years
Golden Retrievers are patient, easygoing, and cooperative dogs, which makes them reliable in public.
Their size is good for the mobility assistance role, and they are naturally calm and focused, a good match for guide dog work.
Many are also trained as autism support and medical alert service dogs, because they are attentive to their handlers and confident in crowded, unpredictable places.
Goldens’ affectionate nature allows for a trusting relationship to develop quickly. This is necessary in the partnership.
3. German Shepherd Dog
Breed overview
- Group: Herding Group
- Height: 22–26 inches
- Weight: 50 – 90 lbs.
- Coat and color: Medium double coat; black and tan is the most common, also sable, and solid black
- Temperament: Confident, loyal, intelligent
- Energy level: Moderate to high
- Average life span: 7 – 10 years
German Shepherd Dogs are intelligent and affectionate. Due to their focus, GSDs are also good candidates as service dogs and for other types of mobility work.
The size and body structure of the German Shepherd Dogs also allow them to perform balance-related tasks.
They can easily understand more complex cues due to their fast-learning skills.
GSDs are also often used as psychiatric support dogs due to their attentiveness and protective nature.
With proper socialization, they are also known to be calm in public places and easily follow instructions.
It’s interesting that some police/military dogs also happen to be skilled service dogs. It must be related to intelligence, sense of responsibility, size, and strength.
4. Poodle (Standard)
Breed overview
- Group: Non-Sporting Group
- Height: Over 15 inches
- Weight: 40 – 70 lbs.
- Coat and color: Curly, low-shedding coat in many solid colors
- Temperament: Alert, intelligent, eager to learn
- Energy level: Moderate
- Average life span: 10 – 18 years
Standard Poodles are the ideal fit for handlers with allergies. While their low-shedding coats are a big help, the reason they are a great service dog breed is their keen intelligence.
These fast learners can master the complicated, multi-step commands needed to assist with mobility or medical tasks.
With their fluid movement and strong powers of observation, poodles are poised and graceful in new surroundings, too.
This breed has an excellent sense of smell. This is one reason they can be used to assist people with diabetes or those prone to allergic reactions.
Poodles enjoy mental stimulation and physical work out, so working for their handlers is something rewarding for them.
5. Border Collie
Breed overview
- Group: Herding
- Height: 18 – 22 inches
- Weight: 30 – 55 lbs.
- Coat and color: Coat can be smooth or rough, often in black and white
- Temperament: Brilliant, energetic, tenacious
- Energy level: High
- Average life span: 12 – 15 years
Border collies have many skills that make them great support dogs. They are also highly intelligent.
These canines can learn new verbal commands five times faster than other breeds. They can be trained to understand hand signals and body language.
They are medium-sized, which can be a help with light mobility support. They are also even-tempered and resilient in public settings.
Collies’ sensitivity is appreciated by many handlers because they will often detect changes in mood and behavior.
They also tend to move courteously in public. This makes daily outings less of a hassle for many handlers.
6. Australian Shepherd
Breed overview
- Group: Herding Group
- Height: 18 – 23 inches
- Weight: 40 – 65 lbs.
- Coat and color: Medium double coat; black, red, blue merle, or red merle, often with white or copper
- Temperament: Smart, loyal, energetic
- Energy level: High
- Average life span: 12 – 15 years
Australian Shepherds are intelligent, particularly in learning to work for their handler, and are also good students.
This, combined with their focus on public, means that they often do a task after only a few repetitions and tend to respond very dependably once trained.
This has made them a popular breed for medical alert work and psychiatric service. They are also vigilant and tend to form close bonds with their handlers.
Their size also makes them appropriate for many urban areas and open spaces, and their physical endurance means they can handle light mobility work as well.
7. Bernese Mountain Dog
Breed overview
- Group: Working Group
- Height: 23 – 27.5 inches
- Weight: 70 – 115 lbs.
- Coat and color: Thick, moderately long double coat; tricolor (black, rust, and white)
- Temperament: Calm, affectionate, steady
- Energy level: Moderate
- Average life span: 7 – 10 years
The Bernese Mountain Dog is yet another gentle giant that does wonders as a service dog. They are loyal, gentle, smart, trainable, and friendly.
Due to their size, Berners can apply deep pressure therapy to comfort their people and stop panic attacks, PTSD symptoms, etc.
They do advanced tasks as well and can be trained to monitor high or low blood sugar or an oncoming seizure.
Bernese mountain dogs can be very helpful if an individual needs help with a mobility service or balance.
They can even pull a wheelchair. Berners are good service animals and can be trained to do specific tasks.
8. Great Dane
Breed overview
- Group: Working Group
- Height: 28 – 32 inches
- Weight: 110 – 175 lbs.
- Coat and color: Short, smooth coat; fawn, brindle, blue, black, harlequin, or mantle
- Temperament: Gentle, patient, dependable
- Energy level: Moderate
- Average life span: 7 – 10 years
A Great Dane’s size is its most apparent attribute for handlers who need assistance with mobility and balance.
They can offer a solid presence for someone who needs support in standing or walking. Not just any dog can do this work. Doing it safely will also require a dog of both height and weight.
Despite their formidable appearance, Great Danes are well-known for their patience and gentleness.
These gentle giants are surprisingly easy-going and exhibit a leisurely confidence in how they move that makes them very dependable in public.
Any dog that’s used for such mobility assistance must have a healthy structure as determined by a vet and trainer.
Great Dane’ major con is also in their large size. This makes it more difficult to house and move with them in constricting spaces.
9. Boxer
Breed overview
- Group: Working Group
- Height: 21.5 – 25 inches
- Weight: 50 – 80 lbs.
- Coat and color: Short, smooth coat; fawn or brindle, often with white markings
- Temperament: Playful, people-oriented, courageous
- Energy level: High
- Average life span: 10 – 12 years
The boxer is a great psychiatric service dog because they offers companionship and emotional support. They are also sensitive and alert.
This breed is muscular and very trainable, in addition to its friendly temperament. Boxers can perform physical tasks like opening doors, getting things, and helping people get around.
They do require frequent exercise and playtime to meet their daily physical/mental stimulation needs. Boxers assist people who have panic or anxiety attacks, and they can give deep pressure therapy.
Their short coat makes them a good breed for people with allergies. Boxers can also serve as K9 police dogs.
10. Doberman Pinscher
Breed overview
- Group: Working Group
- Height: 24 – 28 inches
- Weight: 60 – 100 lbs.
- Coat and color: Short, sleek coat; black, red, blue, or fawn with rust markings
- Temperament: Intelligent, alert, loyal
- Energy level: High
- Average life span: 10 – 12 years
Dobermans are another army dogs that are resistant enough for the armed forces and gentle enough to be military service dogs.
Dobies make excellent psychiatric service dogs because they are attentive and eager to please their people. They can pick up right away if something is off.
They’re protective and form strong bonds with their handlers. They can also move quickly to prevent an individual from acting on a self-injurious thought.
Dobies are working dogs, so they love roles. They don’t shed too much, are calm, and easy to train.
11. Collie
Breed overview
- Group: Herding Group
- Height: 22 – 26 inches
- Weight: 50 – 75 lbs.
- Coat and color: Rough or Smooth double coat; sable, tricolor, blue merle, or white
- Temperament: Devoted, responsive, sensitive
- Energy level: Moderate
- Average life span: 12 – 14 years
Collies have many of the characteristics that make them a good choice for service dog work.
Their attentiveness and meekness also make them well-suited for medical alert and psychiatric service. This breed is often trained to anticipate seizures and make great epileptic service dogs.
They have a satisfactory size for light mobility service, and due to their steady disposition, they are often cooperative with public access training.
Handlers often remark on their dogs’ ability to establish a close and trusting relationship and their relative comfort in crowded areas.
Smooth Collies are generally low maintenance. The thick double coat of the rough-coated Collie requires regular grooming. This may be a drawback to handlers with physical disabilities.
12. Pomeranian
Breed overview
- Group: Toy Group
- Height: 6 – 7 inches
- Weight: Up to 7 lbs.
- Coat and color: Thick double coat; orange, black, cream, and sable
- Temperament: Alert, lively, confident
- Energy level: Moderate
- Average life span: 12 – 16 years
Possibly the most unexpected breed on this list! Pomeranians are capable of alerting their owners to symptoms and complications of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, or asthma.
These fluffy dogs are Smart and vigilant. Poms also serve well as service dogs for the hearing-impaired or mentally disabled.
Their compact size makes them easily portable and able to enter spaces that large dogs have difficulty with.
Pomeranians can form a strong bond with their handlers as well. This makes them dependable as assistance dogs.
The only downside is their excessive barking in public and the fluffy coat, which requires meticulous grooming.
13. American Staffordshire Terrier
Breed overview
- Group: Terrier Group
- Height: 17 – 19 inches
- Weight: 40 – 70 lbs.
- Coat and color: Short, smooth coat; many solid and patterned colors
- Temperament: Confident, loyal, people-focused
- Energy level: Moderate to high
- Average life span: 12 – 16 years
The American Staffordshire Terrier is powerful, attentive, and eager to please. These qualities can make them useful for psychiatric support and medical response work.
Am Staffs can stay close to their handler and help with consistent task work. They can be useful for light mobility tasks because of their stocky build.
Am Staffs can be very calm in public areas if they are well socialized. They are very dependable in crowded spaces when well-trained.
The major downside is that they require consistent training and responsible ownership. Their energy and strength can be difficult to manage without it.
14. Dalmatian
Breed overview
- Group: Non-Sporting Group
- Height: 19 – 24 inches
- Weight: 45 – 70 lbs.
- Coat and color: Short, dense coat; white with black or liver spots
- Temperament: Active, intelligent, loyal
- Energy level: High
- Average life span: 11 – 13 years
Dalmatians are watchful and responsive, qualities that equip them for medical alert work and psychiatric service.
An attachment to their handlers means Dalmatians stay alert to the handler’s signals. A day’s work of long distances and vigorous activity will not exhaust a Dalmatian.
If well-trained, a Dalmatian will be calm in public and a reliable companion. However, many of this breed are better kept as household companions.
15. Miniature Schnauzer
Breed overview
- Group: Terrier Group
- Height: 12 – 14 inches
- Weight: 11 – 20 lbs.
- Coat and color: Wiry double coat; salt and pepper, black, or black and silver
- Temperament: Alert, spirited, affectionate
- Energy level: Moderate
- Average life span: 12 – 15 years
Giant Schnauzers are best known for military and police work, but their small cousins can be service dogs too.
Miniature Schnauzers are intelligent, energetic, and affectionate. They’re eager to learn and quick to obey, plus they naturally love to make their handlers happy.
This means they are easy to train for service work. In addition, their cheerful and playful disposition gives support to people with emotional needs.
Mini Schnauzers have a playful spirit that helps raise a person’s mood. These loyal dogs do well as mental health service dogs.
Their small size also makes them very easy to handle in apartments, on public transportation and when traveling. Plus, their love of playing and walking each day keeps their people active too.
The negative side of the breed is that the wiry coat must be maintained regularly to keep it in good condition.
Conclusion
Choosing a service dog should not be based on the breed’s appearance or popularity. Check their strengths weighed against the cons.
Ideal outcomes are achieved when the dog’s overall health, temperament, and physical build are aligned with the required tasks.
While the best service dogs possess traits long valued by programs and trainers, we strongly recommend doing an individual assessment.
Handlers must also plan for continued training, veterinary support, and regular practice to maintain proficiency.
From the different types of service dogs above, we still advise you to check with accredited organizations before making a choice.
Understanding service dog needs is crucial for a successful partnership. Take a look at our buying guide on the best service dog gear to help you get started.
Laura is the founder of Furs'n'Paws. She is a also a pet writer and expert with more than 20 years of experience of working with dogs and cats. She developed a very strong love for animals at a young age. Her passion led her to establish a thriving pet sitting and dog walking business in Dubai. As an expert in pet training, behavior, and nutrition, Laura is committed to helping pet owners and pet lovers by offering high-quality information on a wide range of topics.
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