A service dog is an indispensable assistant of a person in various spheres of activity. They are bred not only as pets but also as animals that can bring certain benefits. It should also be considered that any representative of this breed needs education. Training for them is as necessary as caress for cats.
Most members of these dogs are large, have good maleness, and are excellent trainers.
Service dog breeds are categorized into:
- Karaulnykh
- Search and Rescue
- Sledders
- Sports
That said, some breeds of herding dogs can also be used as service dogs.
Alabai
The second name of the breed is the Central Asian Sheepdog. It is one of the oldest and giant dogs, reaching 65-70 cm at the withers;
He is wrong if someone thinks the Alabai was bred as a fighting dog. It is a guard and herding dog with a relatively calm temperament and independent character.
His size allows the Alabai to be a fearless dog, but he is not inclined to lunge at anyone first. He will warn, and if it doesn’t work – measures will be applied;
The breed’s legendary aggression is the fault of negligent owners prioritizing the dog’s capabilities over its performance. The dog is also very resentful and vindictive, so punishing him is the same as chopping down the bough on which you are sitting.
Training should be approached wisely because Alabai will not follow orders as a robot; he must convey the need for specific actions. That’s why training should start almost from the very birth of the puppy. And if you can’t provide your dog with a decent upbringing, it’s better to entrust it to a professional because “three classes of parochial school” is not for such a severe breed.
Video: Alabai
Alaskan Malamute
This is also a very ancient breed that is regularly confused with the Husky. But the Malamute has a completely different build and coloring. It is a very hardy sled dog, whose place is in the Far North. The height at the withers is 63-58 cm.
Up to the age of three, malamutes are little devils with horns. Their restless character can never settle down even after a very long walk with loads. and they, like huskies, are also selflessly engaged in digging holes. Therefore, the owner needs to be constantly engaged in it. And only after three years the dog becomes more calm.
The Malamute is very sociable and good-natured. But at the same time it is very independent and sometimes decides how to act. Such a dominant needs strict training. If Malamute gets bored, he starts to destroy everything around, so it is necessary to load him well physically;
The breed gets along well with other pets, but outside the dwelling in them awakens hunting instinct, and the victim of the dog is often other animals.
Malamutes also have a great memory This is worth considering, especially if the pet has done something wrong and you want to punish him. The dog will definitely remember the offense, and if necessary, may even take revenge.
Video: Alaskan Malamute
American Staffordshire Terrier
The fame of this dog runs ahead of it. And all because Amstaffs can be both placid do-gooders and excellent companions, and warriors without fear and reproach.Â
The breed was bred as a protector for the family, but his intelligence and physical attributes have been judged a little in the wrong direction. That’s why the Staffordshire is a frequent participant in dog fights. The Staffie rushes at the opponent instantly, practically without barking and growling, and few people can stop him.
By the way, the Staff is excellent for keeping in an apartment. Its medium size and short hair usually do not cause much trouble for owners. Except that its mobility can sometimes be confusing: how can you move so quickly with such a build?
Amstaff training is not for amateurs. And although there are cases when the dog understands the owner without words, training such a serious dog requires a special approach. It is impossible to treat him roughly and cultivate anger in his character. At the same time, it is quite difficult to make a Staffordshire lose its temper, but if it happens, it will not be easy.
American Staffordshire Terrier will gladly take part in all games, he gets along well with children, but with a very young child it is still not worth leaving him.
Video: aAmerican Staffordshire Terrier
English Mastiff
A true giant in its class. The growth of dogs starts from 70-75 cm at the withers, but at the same time the breed is endowed with a very good-natured temperament, it is quite difficult to make them angry. And it does not fit with their glorious fighting past – mastiffs are not fools to lie on the sofa, and if together with the owner – it is wonderful. A real English aristocrat’s valiantness!
The most interesting thing is that mastiffs love to be close to their owners. It can be a powerful Herculean embrace, and sometimes the dog thinks he is a kitten and tries to climb on his lap. Needless to say, the worst punishment for this dog is loneliness?
Weird, huh? It seems to be a service dog, not a sissy. But in the kind heart of a mastiff there is room for distrust of strangers. The dog is unlikely to attack first, but it is always welcome to corner the enemy.
Such qualities of a mastiff manifests in the right upbringing. If the owners inspire the dog with kindness and affection, it will be such a dog. But if you touch on the fighting past – you will have a fearless legionary at your disposal. Only you need such a dog?
Despite the fact that the Mastiff is an avid homebody, he still needs walks. He will not run after a stick like an eagle, but a leisurely, sedate stride is exactly his gait.
But training will bring many surprises. Mastiffs are solid “C’s”, but not because they lack intelligence. This is a big self-sufficient and stubborn dog and she’s like, “I don’t need training, I’d rather lie on the couch.” So you have to be persistent here.
It is not worth getting a Mastiff if the owners are away from home for long periods of time. And if there is a very young child in the family, it is better to think about another breed, because the imposing carcass of a Mastiff can become a source of injuries.Â
Belgian Shepherd
It is a beautiful and agile service dog, whose height ranges from 55-60 cm. There are 4 subspecies of Belgians, and all of them differ from each other, although in general it is impossible not to notice the general similarities.
Tervuren is impulsive. His lively nature requires constant interaction with one chosen master. Whatever idea you propose to your dog – the idea will be taken up with all readiness.
Lakenois are quite polar. Then they are cheerful and playful, then with an absent look can turn away and lie down to rest. But in case of need the dog shows excellent guarding qualities, and if it is necessary – bravely enters the battle. Lakenois needs walks with exercise.
Malinua is very fond of socializing with the owner, but at the same time is distinguished by a clear obedience among all Belgian sheepdogs. This is a very balanced dog for whom you will be the center of its universe.
Grünendal is characterized by remarkable guarding and herding qualities. Like other Belgians, he needs regular exercise.
The Belgian can make friends with other pets if he has grown up with them since puppyhood. Even then, it is best to keep all rodents and even cats away.
I can’t recommend the Belgian to a beginner, as his thirst for freedom is too indomitable, and a steady hand and considerable experience are needed.
Video: Belgian Shepherd
Bernese sennenhund
It is amazing how this breed was called a service dog, because it is a real “family” dog. Calm, imperturbable and good-natured, it gets along with everyone! And with cats it can be good friends.Â
Berns will never ask for affection from their owner, but will readily accept any tenderness. It doesn’t mean they are wooden – just a little out of this world. It’s just a great babysitter for children, which can be dragged by the ears, pull her tongue and pull her tail and hair. No one will ever expect any reciprocation! Zennen will just look patronizingly at her tormentor and go on her way.
However, the above does not mean that the Bernese sennenhund exists as consuming furniture. The animal, although endowed with wisdom, is not devoid of guarding qualities. The Bernese Sonnenhund is amazingly fearless. Sometimes in his actions you can not see the awareness of the situation – with such zeal he performs dangerous feats.
Training a Bernese Shepherd is not a difficult task. The dog quickly learns the material, although he is somewhat lazy. The Bernese grows up later than other breeds, and it is better to learn complex tricks after the age of two.
Video: Bernese sennenhund
Boxer
The German Boxer is a fearless dog with a balanced nervous system. And to call it only a guard dog would be rash. In the past, boxers have proven themselves as letter carriers, scouts, shepherds, guide dogs and even circus performers.
The array of abilities is certainly impressive. But sometimes the dog’s appearance is perceived as threatening. This is due to its unusual muzzle, behind which it is not easy to see the good-naturedness. In general, it is an agile, kind and somewhere cunning dog, which if you want to play will “box” in the air with his front paws.
The Boxer is a great guardian, a great dog to train and not very trusting of strangers. At the same time, the dog will play with children and pay attention to other household members and pets.
Video: boxer dog
Bullmastiff
The Bullmastiff is distinguished from the English Mastiff by its smaller stature, shorter muzzle, and rather muscular body.
Mastiffs are quite large and seemingly formidable dogs. And this is partly true. The breed is quite contradictory and combines guarding qualities and anger with a lazy relaxedness and good-naturedness that allows them to lie in the arms of cats.
There is no doubt about the guarding abilities of Bullmastiffs. But the dog will not blindly rush at something unfriendly either. If there is a clear threat, it will first ask its master with a look as if to ask whether it is worth getting in touch with this little thing, and only then it will take action.
The Bullmastiff should not be trained until he is six months old. The maturation of this dog is quite slow, so earlier than the prescribed time to demand anything from it is not worth it. And later the pet will have no desire to work – except for a tasty treat.
There is no need to educate the dog in security qualities (if it is a domestic dog). Bull will protect the owner in case of danger without any tension and science. But if it is a service bullmastiff, it should be handled by a professional, because the dog is quite complex.
Doberman
If someone says that the Doberman is the most beautiful service dog, I would probably agree. This breed amazingly combines the strongest guarding qualities and intelligence with deer-like grace and strength.
If someone says that Dobermans are vicious and inadequate, you should first of all get acquainted with their owners (and maybe you don’t have to). An angry and crazy Doberman becomes when he is specially trained to do so. It is absolutely impossible to do such a thing, because the high intelligence of the dog will evaluate the situation in its own way, and it will be very difficult to cope with him.
With proper training, the Dober makes a wonderful friend for adults and a caring babysitter for children and other pets. The dog lends itself well to training (of course, it is one of the most intelligent breeds), but first it is necessary that the dog sees its master as an alpha. Only then can you guarantee unquestioning obedience.
A Doberman, especially a young one, is a mega-mobile dog. He needs long walks with a good load. But sometimes, even if from fatigue tongue on the shoulder, Dober, hearing the command “to me”, and realizing that he will be led home, with all his legs rushes away. And it is quite difficult to catch him. To avoid such excesses, during the walk regularly call him to himself. And this applies to all dogs with a hot temperament.
The Doberman is a wonderful companion and bodyguard who will be relentless in keeping you and your family safe.
Video: doberman
Caucasian Shepherd
This is a breed of large guard and herding dogs that are legendary. With a balanced psyche, the Caucasian is nevertheless quite severe, but loyal to his master.
The dog will easily make friends with another animal, but on the condition that it will be smaller than his height. The Caucasian Shepherd will inevitably see a rival in a commensurate dog. And if the shepherd is annoyed, no one will feel bad.
The Caucasian has a somewhat wary attitude towards strangers. Neither treats nor caresses will help to gain favor. This is really the best defender! At the same time, sheepdogs often remind respectful, especially when good-naturedly fiddling with children, participating in all their endeavors.
Since the Caucasian Shepherd belongs to the late maturing dogs, you can teach him serious commands from the age of 6 months. But before that age, the dog should know basic commands and be fully socialized.
Some people think that Caucasians are bad at training. This is true, but training does not work out not because the dog is dumb, but because it is just smart, stubborn and on its own mind. Well-trained Caucasian Shepherd is the result of hard work of the owner, to whom the dog fully trusted. And to deserve such an attitude, a person needs to be appropriate: strong in spirit, kind, but fair.
Video: Caucasian Shepherd
Cane corso
The Cane Corso is a large Italian mastiff whose history dates back to ancient Rome and even Antiquity. Mastiffs are very versatile dogs that are used as guards, shepherds, and are no stranger to dogfights.
In the house, the Cane Corso is a full-fledged protector of property and a very accommodating personality, from which even cats can twist ropes. The dog can only show open aggression if it feels threatened or if its master commands it to do so.
The Italians even care for their owner’s offspring. Perhaps the roots of this behavior originated from shepherd times, when dogs took care of calves and lambs and carried this feature through more than one millennium. In any case, you can leave a Cane Corso with your children and go about your business safely.
Dogs of this breed unconditionally love their master, so they are easy to train, but they grow up late. Therefore, socialization and basic commands should come first, and serious training will not run away.
Video: cane-corso
Komondor
This rather unusual breed of sheepdog comes from Hungary. The dogs are characterized by long white hair, which is rolled into “ropes”. The color is only white. Black “komondors” are mestizos that do not belong to the breed.
It is essentially a shepherd dog, but nowadays it is bred as a guard dog and it does its job by five points. It is connected with the fact that, guarding sheep, komondors were suspicious of any stranger who dared to alight near the flock;
The dog protects the house perfectly, but with the owners and other pets it behaves kindly and will never be the first to conflict. Children of the owners can endlessly pull the Komondor’s “dreadlocks”, ride him on horseback and put their hands in his mouth – for the dog it is just an innocent “lambs”, so let them have fun.
Seeing this friendliness, some owners try to introduce their dog to their friends’ children. But it is not worth it, because the sheepdog has a clear distinction between “friend and foe”.
What about training? It is possible and necessary to teach the four-legged basic commands, but it is not worth it to tire him with serious work. And not everyone can do it. The reason – the ancestors of the Komondor for too long were left to themselves, they had to make their own decisions to find a way out of the situation. And it has to be said, they succeeded.
If the Komondor did not follow your command, it does not mean that it is time to go to the ENT. It means that the dog “digested” the information, but did not consider it necessary to fulfill the installation. Therefore, to bring up an obedient dog, you will have to sweat a lot and, of course, enter into his trust.
Video: comondor
Moscow watchdog
As is clear from the name, the breed belongs to the category of guard dogs. Its ancestors – Caucasian sheepdogs and St. Bernards – cannot be called unbalanced, and the “Muscovite” is exactly the same.Â
However, the greater the proportion of St. Bernard blood, the calmer and more relaxed the dog will be. Conversely, if the blood is dominated by Caucasian Shepherd, the dog will be more alert and distrustful.Â
The guard dog gets along well with children and pets, and is at least indifferent to strangers, at most disapproving. Since the dog is large, it should not be left with very young children, as their weight categories are incompatible;
Training of the Moscow Watchdog should begin from the first days of appearance in the house. Even a small puppy will not mind to test your authority, so it is necessary to bring up the dog in a strict measurement of “can-not” and never deviate from the chosen course. Teenagers, on the other hand, can show off and deliberately disobey commands. It is necessary to prove your authority to the dog, otherwise it is the “Muscovite” who will be the master.
Video: Moscow watchdog
German Shepherd
One of the most recognizable and popular breeds of working dogs. Germans are characterized by their great intelligence (they are in the top three with poodle and Border Collie) and stable psyche. They are easy to train, are not stubborn like mastiffs, the shepherd can be taught anything.Â
They are great companions, always waiting patiently for their owner to return. The dog will enjoy playing with children and will readily make friends with other pets.
But at the same time, the dog’s instincts have not gone anywhere: the German will always be suspicious of strangers, and if one of them dares to step on his territory, the violator will not be happy.
German Shepherd Dogs are used in many sectors: in police, search and rescue operations, at the border and customs, in search service.
It should be noted that Germans reach maturity quite late. Therefore, even a two-year old, seemingly mature dog is still a puppy at heart, who needs your love and approval.
Video: German Shepherd
Newfoundland
The breed’s homeland is an island of the same name belonging to Canada. It was there that it was formed, and later in England the selection was made and the standard was derived;
In the former USSR, too, did not ignore the beautiful dogs and tried to create their own breed called diver. The idea failed: attempts to give the dog maliciousness did not lead to anything good: Newfs did not see the difference between the stranger and their own and treated the owner aggressively. From the breed remained only the name, which is still in use.
The Newfoundland has a truly golden character: he is kind, loyal, patient and completely free of aggression. He is eager to serve man, giving himself wholeheartedly to his work.
Just like a comondor, a newf can sometimes ignore an order if he finds it inappropriate. Therefore, it is not a good idea to pull a diver without a good reason. But if the dog sees that a person is in trouble, he will not need any instructions: he will make his own decision and act accordingly to the situation.
This breed has a real passion for water. Therefore, trips to various bodies of water are a real joy for the dog. This breed is happy to make friends with other pets from cats and rats to birds and reptiles.
The inborn tactfulness and super intelligence allows the Diver to understand exactly in what mood the owner is. And if the person is not in a social mood, the dog will not bore him.
Newfoundlands are sometimes called human dogs. They also take offense and shut themselves in for a while until the offense passes. Therefore, you should only punish a diver if there are good reasons, and you may not find them at times.
Training this good-natured bear is a simple enough task. Just remember that it is not necessary to give orders without reason, for the sake of interest or in a raised tone of voice. The Newfoundland is a dog with high intelligence and it needs a calm and reasonable owner.
Video: Newfoundland
Rottweiler
One of the most famous and beautiful breeds of service dogs is the Rottweiler. This natural watchman and bodyguard is unquestionably loyal to his master and his family. The change of owner is difficult to bear, they get depressed and show unmotivated aggression.
For the same reason, this dog needs a family where there is peace and tranquility. If you often find out the relationship on high tones, and God forbid, throw something, then this dog is not for you. Rottweiler in an atmosphere of constant stress will grow nervous, with an unstable psyche and can be a danger not only to others, but also to their own masters.
Training of this serious breed should begin from the first days of the puppy’s presence in the house. Growing up Rottweilers tend to dominate the owner, so don’t be surprised if the puppy growls at you and even “tries to get a tooth”. Punishment should be immediate, but it can’t be brute physical force. You can pull the puppy by the scruff of the neck, pinch its nose, etc. – all the things a dog mom would do in such cases.
Raising a Rottweiler should be handled by someone who has dealt with difficult dogs before. Don’t let the puppy’s upbringing go to waste, or you’ll be in trouble later.
Video: Rottweiler
Samoyed dog
The Samoyed is a good-natured companion, its vocation is to work in a team of similarly cheerful and powerful dogs. The centuries-long cultivation of the breed has practically nullified the aggressiveness of the Samoyed: it had to get along with numerous sled dogs. So don’t expect guarding qualities from this service dog.
This polar bear is not much of a hunter either. Its main calling is sledding and sporting events. It is not a chain dog and not even an aviary dog. Samoyed must move freely in space and the area of your house to the fence will be quite enough;
The Samoyed’s second name is Arctic Spitz, which does not suggest keeping the dog in warm lands. Unlike other breeds, Spitzes are very fond of fish. And there is an explanation for this. In the Far North has always been tight with game and the owners stocked up on fish, which is abundant in the rivers. If they fed themselves, they also fed it to their dogs. Fresh or dried fish – it makes no difference to the Samoyed. He will eat both with pleasure.
A Samoyed is not the right dog for you if you just want to get a beautiful dog, let it run around the perimeter of the property and forget about its needs. The dog will express its needs in a way that will wreak havoc on your life and property;
Like huskies and malamutes, representatives of this northern breed are real bullies, especially in childhood and adolescence. They just need somewhere to put their beating energy. Therefore, constant physical activity should become a routine for the Samoyed and then he will be happy and docile.
Video: Samoyed
Siberian Husky
The Husky closes our list of the best service dog breeds. It is the closest relative of the Samoyed and Malamute. Just like them, the husky is characterized by irrepressible energy, the ability to make independent decisions and beauty.
It is not a guard dog, and especially not a hunter. The dog will still catch the prey, but will not bring it to the owner, but will eat it himself. Why? Because in the old days sled dogs were fed only in winter, when they worked in a sled. In the warm season huskies were left to their own devices and found their own food.
The Husky’s remarkable working qualities make it an excellent sledding and sporting dog. The attitude to children is reverent and even unrecognized pain caused by a child will never cause a response.
At the same time, huskies are excellent draggers – digging a hole is no problem for them. And by digging a hole under a fence, the dog can escape. Outside the house, the dog will prey on other animals. All of this can be a real problem. Of course, it is not a fact that your husky will be exactly like this, but you should not forget about his instincts.
Training should be done in a playful manner. This breed is characterized by intelligence and intelligence, but will not accept rough treatment or a harsh voice. A rambunctious puppy should not be physically punished. He should be taught from a young age that you are the alpha and should not be allowed to indulge.
Video: husky
This post is also available in ru_RU.
