Dogs Dog Breeds

9 Service Dog Breeds That Can Serve as the Ultimate Helpers

You know Labradors, but what about Dalmatians?

By
Austin Cannon
Austin Cannon, Editor, The Spruce Pets and Daily Paws
Austin Cannon
Austin Cannon is an editor for The Spruce Pets and Daily Paws. Before joining Daily Paws in 2020, Austin worked as an award-winning journalist for several newspapers, most recently the Des Moines Register. He's won three certificates of excellence and one MUSE Medallion award from the Cat Writers' Association.
Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Editorial Process
Published on 10/05/23
yellow labrador retriever guide dog leads blind person with cane through train compartment

fotografixx

Service dog breeds can include dozens of types of canine depending on why their humans need them, but two retriever breeds reign supreme. 

Types of service dogs include guide dogs, hearing dogs, and medical alert dogs who notify their humans when they might experience a medical emergency. Guide dogs, generally, need to be larger, athletic, and trainable while hearing dogs can be smaller and, perhaps, a bit more independent. 

There are two popular breeds we most often picture as service dogs. But there are several more who can do the work, too. Learn more about these nine service dog breeds.

Tip

Any breed of dog can be a service dog, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Effective service dogs do need extensive training, however, so not all dogs—even from "typical" breeds—can do the job.

  • 01 of 09

    Labrador Retriever

    Chocolate Labrador retriever mix looks up at person

    Carolyn Ann Ryan / Getty Images

    Labrador retrievers are the gold standard for service dogs, especially when it comes to serving as guide dogs for the visually impaired. Smart, strong, active, and trustworthy, they're easy to train and bond deeply with their humans. That's the total package for a guide dog.

    Breed Overview

    GROUP: Sporting

    HEIGHT: 21 to 25 inches

    WEIGHT: 55 to 80 pounds

    TEMPERAMENT: Active, loving, happy

    ENERGY LEVEL: High

    COAT AND COLOR: Short double coat; black, yellow, or chocolate

    LIFE SPAN: 10 to 12 years

  • 02 of 09

    Golden Retriever

    Golden Retriever
    Golden Retrievers are kind hearted and good with cats.

    The 1B to the Lab's 1A, the golden is a prized guide dog for the same reasons as their retriever cousin. They're intelligent, not too big, and forever in love with their humans. They enjoy training and then having a job—just be sure you don't mind a bit of shedding.

    Breed Overview

    GROUP: Sporting

    HEIGHT: 21 to 24 inches

    WEIGHT: 55 to 75 pounds

    TEMPERAMENT: Playful, energetic, trusting

    ENERGY LEVEL: High

    COAT AND COLOR: Double coat, medium length; light to dark gold

    LIFE SPAN: 10 to 12 years

  • 03 of 09

    German Shepherds

    German Shepherd Dog Smiling Outdoors
    Purple Collar Pet Photography / Getty Images

    The consummate working dog—they're search-and-rescue and police dogs, too—German shepherds can help humans as guide dogs, psychiatric assistance dogs, or hearing dogs. They need a job and love spending time with their humans, making them excellent service dog candidates.

    Breed Overview

    GROUP: Herding

    HEIGHT: 22 to 26 inches

    WEIGHT: 60 to 100 pounds

    TEMPERAMENT: Smart, bold, alert

    ENERGY LEVEL: Medium

    COAT AND COLOR: Coarse, medium-length double coat; combinations of black, tan, cream, silver, red, and sable 

    LIFE SPAN: 7 to 10 year

  • 04 of 09

    Standard Poodle

    best medium-sized dog breeds - standard poodle in grass

    Carol Howell / EyeEm/ Getty Images

    Ultra-smart poodles can excel as hearing dogs, pups who assist deaf or hard-of-hearing people by alerting them to certain sounds (doorbells, alarms, phones). Friendly and active, poodles can be trained to nudge their humans when they hear those sounds.

    Breed Overview

    GROUP: Non-Sporting

    HEIGHT: Over 15 inches

    WEIGHT: 40 to 70 pounds

    TEMPERAMENT: Intelligent, sweet, energetic

    ENERGY LEVEL: High

    COAT AND COLOR: Long, curly; black, brown, white, cream, gray, and several other colors

    LIFE SPAN: 10 to 18 years

    Continue to 5 of 9 below
  • 05 of 09

    Cocker Spaniel

    American cocker spaniel laying in green grass
    D Trocio Photography / Getty Images

    Despite their smaller size, the cocker spaniel is another breed that can work as a hearing assistance dog. They're easy to train and very friendly, but any owner will need to pay enough attention to their grooming needs.

    Breed Overview

    GROUP: Sporting

    HEIGHT: 13.5 to 15.5 inches

    WEIGHT: 20 to 30 pounds

    TEMPERAMENT: Friendly, gentle, trainable

    ENERGY LEVEL: Medium

    COAT AND COLOR: Silky, long double coat; combinations of black, tan, white, brown, red, and other colors

    LIFE SPAN: 10 to 14 years

  • 06 of 09

    Boxer

    Boxer dog runs toward camera

    Purple Collar Pet Photography/Getty Images 

    Boxers may work as service dogs in some cases. They're active and love their humans unconditionally, but they are bigger dogs who love to play. You may want to opt for a breed better known for staying on task.

    Breed Overview

    GROUP: Working

    HEIGHT: 21 to 25 inches

    WEIGHT: 50 to 80 pounds

    TEMPERAMENT: Active, sweet, playful

    ENERGY LEVEL: High

    COAT AND COLOR: Short, smooth; fawn, brindle, white, sometimes with a black mask

    LIFE SPAN: 10 to 12 years

  • 07 of 09

    Dalmatian

    Energetic young Dalmatian running on grass
    Gerard Brown / Getty Images

    This breed has quite a motor, meaning some Dalmatians can be service dogs—perhaps a guide dog—but many more of them are better served remaining as pets. They're sweet, outgoing dogs, so they could get distracted while on the job.

    Breed Overview

    GROUP: Non-Sporting

    HEIGHT: 19 to 24 inches

    WEIGHT: 45 to 65 pounds

    TEMPERAMENT: Outgoing, sweet, playful

    ENERGY LEVEL: High

    COAT AND COLOR: Short; white with black or liver spots

    LIFE SPAN: 11 to 13 years

  • 08 of 09

    Border Collie

    Happy border collie dog outdoors
    Purple Collar Pet Photography / Getty Images

    Border collies are another breed that can make a decent guide dog, but they shouldn't in most cases. They're especially active herding dogs who normally belong on a farm, but if you can harness the athleticism and smarts, you might have yourself a helpful service dog.

    Breed Overview

    GROUP: Herding

    HEIGHT: 18 to 22 inches

    WEIGHT: 28 to 48 pounds

    TEMPERAMENT: Smart, quick, loyal

    ENERGY LEVEL: High

    COAT AND COLOR: Double coat (soft undercoat, rough outer coat); can be combination of black, white, brindle, merle, gold, red, or blue

    LIFE SPAN: 10 to 17 years

    Continue to 9 of 9 below
  • 09 of 09

    Mutt or Mixed Breed

    Mutt mixed breed dog
    Mixed breed dogs are an oft-overlooked treasure.

    Pixabay 

    Remember how any dog can be a service dog? Oftentimes, organizations who train hearing or psychiatric assistance dogs will pluck trainable mutts or mixed breeds from their local animal shelters. Each dog has their own personality, smarts, and traits, so don't discount a pup based solely on their breed.

Breed Characteristics

Generally speaking, service dogs—particularly guide dogs—come from smart, amiable, and trainable breeds who have enough endurance to work long hours. Dogs who direct their humans where to go are also on the larger side.

If you're looking for a service dog for yourself or a family member, do your research to make sure you find one from a reputable organization. Remember this, too: The ADA doesn't require service dogs to be certified or registered, so beware of anyone selling certificates or registrations. Learn more here.