Emotional support dogs are pets that provide comfort and support to help people deal with life challenges, especially for people with a disability or disorder. Unlike service dogs, emotional support animals (ESAs) are not working or service dogs but pets that get to live with the
owner even where pets aren’t allowed. ESA dogs do not require training or registration and include several small breeds. Dogs make the best emotional support animals due to their loyalty, affection, trainability, confidence, gentleness, and calmness, and certain breeds are better emotional support dogs than others.
You are reading: Types Of Emotional Support Dogs
In this article, we will explore the different types of emotional support dogs and which breeds are best suited for each type.
Types Of Emotional Support Dogs
Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are one of the best breeds for emotional support dogs. They are intelligent, gentle, loving, and ideal emotional support animals. Labs are well-known for their calm demeanor, ability to sense human emotions, and responsive and obedient nature. They are highly trainable, making them well-behaved in the home and able to learn specific techniques associated with emotional support.
When struggling with emotional issues, you want a dog that will respond quickly to commands such as sit and stay, rather than ignoring you or causing further frustration.
Labrador Retrievers are popular as pets and assistance animals because they’re reliable, laid-back, and responsive to their owner’s emotions. Their temperament is even-keeled and not easily ruffled.
This breed also likes to be petted and doesn’t mind prolonged periods of physical closeness. All of these traits make Labrador Retrievers an ideal emotional support companion.
Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers are a popular breed of dog that are known for their friendly and gentle nature. They are intelligent, loyal, and make excellent family pets.
Golden Retrievers are highly trainable and eager to please their owners, making them ideal for emotional support work. They are also versatile and adaptable, excelling in a variety of roles such as retrieving game, tracking, and as therapy and service dogs.
Golden Retrievers are natural athletes and do well in dog sports such as agility and competitive obedience. They are also excellent swimmers and have a thick coat that is long on the neck, thighs, tail, and back of the legs and may be any shade of golden brown.
The breed is generally calm and biddable, being very easy to train and extremely keen to please their master. Golden Retrievers are often among the top ten dog breeds by number of registrations in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Canada.
The Golden Retriever Club of America is responsible for promoting the temperament, appearance, soundness, natural retrieving, and hunting abilities of the breed.
Poodle
Poodles are a popular breed of dog that are known for their intelligence, loyalty, and versatility. They are highly trainable and make excellent service dogs and emotional support animals.
Poodles come in three sizes: standard, miniature, and toy, and are easily adaptable to different environments. They are great for mobility work and rarely have health problems.
Poodles are incredible problem solvers and have no problem figuring things out for themselves, making them ideal for service work. They are also instinctual, energetic, loyal, and alert, and are people-oriented and like to please.
Poodles are highly obedient, which can make it easier during training for emotional support. They are also independent and not emotionally reactive, making them ideal for psychiatric work.
Poodles are great at retrieving and eager to learn new tasks, making them ideal for service work. However, daily physical and mental stimulation is key to keeping a Poodle happy and healthy.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
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The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a British breed of toy dog of spaniel type. This small but sturdy dog stands 12 to 13 inches at the shoulder and weighs 13 to 18 pounds.
The breed comes in four colors: Blenheim, tricolor, black and tan, and ruby, and the coat is smooth and silky. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is an eager, affectionate, and happy dog, always seeming to be wagging its tail. They are outgoing, sportive, fearless, lively, and willing to please.
They are intelligent enough to understand what you want and therefore are usually easy to train and respond well to gentle obedience training.
Cavaliers are said to be naturally well-behaved and get along well with other dogs and non-canine pets. They are renowned for their affectionate and loving personalities and thrive on human interaction, making them excellent companions for individuals and families alike.
Cavaliers have a beautiful appearance, with their expressive eyes, long, silky ears, and soft, wavy coats, which possess an undeniable charm that captures hearts.
They have a natural curiosity and love exploring their surroundings, which can provide endless entertainment. The breed is generally healthy, with a lifespan of 8 to 12 years.
Corgi
Corgis are a popular breed of dog that are known for their friendly and even-tempered nature. They are playful, affectionate, and eager to please, making them excellent emotional support animals.
Originally bred to be herding dogs, Corgis are also known for being easy to train and obedient. They are loyal to their owners and rarely whine or growl, making them ideal for emotional support work.
Corgis are happy to receive and give affection, and they grow strong bonds with their owners. They are also known for their adorable fluffy butts and larger-than-expected personalities. Corgis are a stable, obedient, and loyal breed, making them an excellent choice for an emotional support dog.
Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terriers, or Yorkies, are a small breed of dog that are known for their loyalty, affection, and intelligence. Due to their small size, Yorkies are not suitable for tasks that require physical strength, such as pulling a wheelchair or providing balance support.
However, their small size makes them ideal for emotional support work, especially for people with psychiatric disorders such as autism and social anxiety disorders.
Yorkies are known for their attachment to their owners and can become perfect Psychiatric Service Dogs and be trained to provide tactile support. Their small size allows them to be easily transported and to fit into small spaces, making them ideal for people who live in apartments or have limited mobility.
Yorkies are also known for their silky coat and adorable appearance, which can provide comfort and joy to their owners. While Yorkies are not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), they can still be declared as emotional support animals (ESAs) and provide emotional support to their owners. Overall, Yorkies can make great emotional support dogs due to their loyalty, affection, and small size.
Beagle
Beagles are a breed of dog that are known for their friendly and playful nature. They are highly social and love human contact, making them ideal for emotional support work.
Beagles are also known for their loyalty and affection towards their owners, which can provide comfort and support to people with emotional or psychiatric disorders. When properly trained, Beagles can make wonderful therapy dogs. They are confident, bouncy, and always ready to play, which can help lift the mood of people who are feeling down.
Beagles are also known for their ability to get along well with children, making them ideal for working in schools or with young patients. However, Beagles can be somewhat stubborn, so they will need a firm handler. While Beagles are not typically used as service dogs for physical disabilities, they can be used in the emotional/therapy fields.
Overall, Beagles can make great emotional support dogs due to their friendly and playful nature, loyalty, and ability to get along well with people of all ages.
Pug
Pugs are a small breed of dog that are known for their affectionate and playful nature. While they may not be suitable for tasks that require physical strength, such as pulling a wheelchair or providing balance support, they can make great emotional support dogs.
Here are some reasons why Pugs can make great emotional support dogs:
– Affectionate: Pugs are known for their affectionate nature and love to be around people. They are always eager to please their owners and can provide comfort and support to people with emotional or psychiatric disorders.
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– Playful: Pugs are playful and energetic, which can help lift the mood of people who are feeling down. They are always ready to play and can provide a source of entertainment and joy to their owners.
– Good for therapy work: Pugs often make great therapy dogs due to their affectionate nature and interest in people. They were bred to be human companions and are very social dogs.
– Not ideal for mobility or guide services: Due to their compact size, Pugs are not ideally suited for mobility or guide services. However, they can still provide emotional support to their owners and make great therapy dogs.
Overall, Pugs can make great emotional support dogs due to their affectionate and playful nature. While they may not be suitable for all types of service work, they can still provide comfort and support to people with emotional or psychiatric disorders.
Irish Wolfhound
Irish Wolfhounds are a large breed of dog that are known for their gentle and loyal nature. They have a long history as companion dogs, dating back as far as 300 B.C. While they may not be as common as some of the other breeds on this list, they make excellent emotional support dogs thanks to their placid nature.
Here are some reasons why Irish Wolfhounds can make great emotional support dogs:
– Calm and patient: Irish Wolfhounds are known for being calm and patient around people. Despite their large size, they are not an aggressive breed, which makes them very good with children and a great choice for a multi-purpose ESA.
– Good for therapy work: Irish Wolfhounds do exceptionally well as “comfort” dogs as they are naturally calm and sensitive. They are often used in therapy work and can provide comfort and support to people with emotional or psychiatric disorders.
– Not ideal for mobility or guide services: While Irish Wolfhounds are a large breed, they may not be ideal for mobility or guide services due to their sensitivity and gentle nature. However, they can still provide emotional support to their owners and make great therapy dogs.
Overall, Irish Wolfhounds can make great emotional support dogs due to their gentle and loyal nature. While they may not be suitable for all types of service work, they can still provide comfort and support to people with emotional or psychiatric disorders.
Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog that originated in the United States and was accepted by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed in 1893. They are compact, well-proportioned dogs with a square-looking head, erect ears, and a slightly arched neck.
The breed has a short, wrinkle-free muzzle and a broad chest, and the tail is short. According to international breed standards, the dog should weigh no more than 25 pounds and stand up to 15–17 inches at the withers.
Boston Terriers are known for their gentle, happy-go-lucky, and friendly personality with a merry sense of humor. They are generally eager to please their owner and can be easily trained.
Boston Terriers can be very protective of their owners, which may result in aggressive and territorial behavior toward other pets and strangers. The breed requires only a minimal amount of grooming.
Boston Terriers are playful, affectionate, and like to be part of the family. They are very popular in the United States, due above all to their excellent character, and generally get along well with non-canine pets. While Boston Terriers are not typically used as service dogs for physical disabilities, they can still provide emotional support to their owners and make great therapy dogs.
FAQS
1. What is an emotional support dog?
An emotional support dog is a pet that provides comfort and support to help people deal with life challenges, especially for people with a disability or disorder. Unlike service dogs, emotional support animals (ESAs) are not working or service dogs but pets that get to live with the owner even where pets aren’t allowed.
2. What breeds make good emotional support dogs?
Dogs that are naturally suited for emotional support work include calm dog breeds with easy-going personalities and loyal dog breeds who will never leave your side. Some of the best emotional support dog breeds include Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Poodles, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Corgis, Yorkshire Terriers, Beagles, Pugs, Irish Wolfhounds, and Boston Terriers.
3. How do I get an emotional support dog?
To get an emotional support dog, you need to be diagnosed with a mental or emotional disability by a licensed mental health professional. The professional will then provide you with a letter stating that you require an emotional support animal to help you cope with your disability.
4. What is the difference between an emotional support dog and a service dog?
Service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities, while emotional support dogs provide comfort and support to help people deal with life challenges, especially for people with a disability or disorder. Service dogs are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), while emotional support dogs are not.
5. Can any breed of dog be an emotional support dog?
Yes, any breed of dog can be an emotional support dog as long as they provide comfort and support to help people deal with life challenges, especially for people with a disability or disorder. However, certain breeds are better suited for emotional support work than others.
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