What Type Of Dog Makes A Suitable Assistance Dog?

It takes a special dog, with a certain personality, to be successful as an Assistance (Service) Dog, and very few dogs possess the necessary requirements. Just as not everyone has the desire or aptitude to be a doctor or nurse, not every dog has the right combination of characteristics to be successful and happy in the Assistance Dog role.

Temperament

The baseline requirement for an Assistance Dog is a cheerful dog that prefers human company over having dog friends, that shows an interest in training, is willing to work for food, is not interested in chasing animals/cars, and is mostly quiet.

Dog Breeds

Each dog is assessed as an individual but some breeds are much more likely to exhibit the necessary characteristics than others. Typical breeds or mixes likely to have the characteristics suitable for service work include Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Poodles. Smaller breeds are often suitable for hearing work. However, just because a dog is a particular breed does not guarantee success. When seeking out a puppy, or older dog, for owner-training purposes, it is vital to look into the family history or “lines” that the dog has been bred from. You want to see some sort of evidence that the parents and/or closely related dogs have previously produced successful offspring for your desired purpose.

There are some breeds that simply do not make suitable Assistance Dogs. Strongly independent breeds, and dogs bred to work away from the handler or in a pack of other dogs with little human direction, do not have the level of dog-person co-operation required for an Assistance Dog role. Dogs of strong animal hunting or herding heritage will want to do what they have been bred for, as will dogs bred for strong guarding and property protection purposes, and while these traits may be controlled through training, they can never be changed, as they are “built into the dog” via genetics. The predictable and inevitable expression of these instinctive behaviours means that such dogs are rarely, if ever, appropriate for Assistance Dog roles.

Lifespan

Research the typical lifespan of breeds you are considering. Sadly, some breeds have an average life expectancy of only 6-7 years. These breeds are not suitable, as the expected working life of the dog, after training and before retirement,  does not make the project realistic.

Coat Type

Think about how much time, or money, you are prepared to spend on grooming and coat maintenance. How will you manage to work with a long-haired dog in wet weather? Remember that Assistance Dogs need to be immaculately presented as they are accessing Public Spaces and they cannot leave trails of hair, water or mud.

Size

A small dog will be less costly to feed and maintain, including costs of any Veterinary procedures and medications.

What Tasks will you require? This may affect the size of dog you will need. There are some things that a small dog can do, that a large dog can’t, and vice versa. Any bracing, guiding, space creation, picking up sizeable items, opening of doors etc will require an appropriately sized dog. Small dogs can work very well as Hearing Dogs (alerting the handler to specific sounds).

Will a small breed dog be safe? If you plan on frequently visiting high pedestrian traffic areas, a larger breed is less of a trip hazard, and won’t be subject to the risk of being stepped on (Assistance Dogs cannot be carried but must work with four feet on the floor).

Puppy or Adult?

Raising a puppy is A LOT of work. Do you realistically have the time, patience and energy to raise a puppy? Puppies are highly influenced by the environment that they are raised in. A puppy will struggle to develop a calm nature if raised in a chaotic, busy household with no structure and routine. If you have a high level anxiety disorder, or intense mood swings, the puppy may become anxious and insecure and develop into a nervous adult.

Behaviour

Dogs must have absolutely no history of aggression (growling, air snapping or biting) or reactivity (lunging, raised hackles, fear barking) towards people. Normal puppy play-biting is to be expected but MUST be addressed early on. Any form of resource guarding (snapping when items are taken away from the dog) or touch sensitivity (growling when being handled) also rules the dog out as a suitable candidate.

Dogs must have no history of behaviour problems such as separation anxiety, excessive barking, or high levels of over-excitement. It is difficult enough to train an Assistance Dog to the required standard, so dealing with behavioural problems on top of that is just not realistic. 

Dogs must have no history of dog reactivity, meaning barking, whining, lunging, raised hackles when seeing another dog, even if the dog is “friendly” with dogs it knows. Whilst regular pet dogs can undergo behaviour modification training to overcome reactivity issues, it is highly likely that at some point in time, under certain circumstances, the dog may through “spontaneous regression” repeat the behaviour, making the dog unsafe and unsuitable in the role of an Assistance Dog.

Dogs must have no history of fearful behaviour, beyond what is normal and acceptable for a developing dog. This is why careful early socialisation and environmental exposure is so vital in developing a potential future Assistance Dog. A puppy and young dog needs to be gently exposed to a variety of different people, places and things in order to become familiarised and comfortable. Dogs that struggle during normal age-appropriate socialisation processes are not suitable as prospective Assistance Dogs. Dogs may go through typical “fear periods” during their development, at which point they may temporarily become uncharacteristically “spooky”, but if handled appropriately this is something the dog may well grow out of.

Age

If not starting with a puppy, dogs need to be aged under age 3 years at start of training. A well adjusted adult dog with some obedience foundations may suit the role, but will require at least 6 months of purposeful training. Most dogs are ready for retirement at around 8 years of age. Training a dog older than about 3 years means the short expected working life of the dog does not make the project realistic.

Health

It is vital that the dog is physically healthy. Take particular note of any known inherited health issues such as heart problems, joint or spinal issues, breathing difficulties, and metabolic disorders. Ensure that you obtain hip and elbow scores and appropriate genetic screening of the parent dogs.  Dogs that will be required to do a lot of walking, or any bracing tasks, should have X-rays performed when they have attained a suitable age, to ensure they are developmentally ready and physically able to fulfil the role. Dogs with significant food sensitivities will be prone to toileting accidents and are not suited for Public Access. Dogs with allergies and skin issues are not suitable as Assistance Dogs as they will likely need ongoing medical attention and are typically prone to ear infections etc. which will affect their ability to work comfortably.