Characteristics of a Service Dog

A guide dog is trained to help the blind navigate through daily life, and a hearing dog aids the deaf. Service dogs are different from both guide and hearing dogs; a service dog is trained to help people with physical disabilities. Service dogs perform physical activities that their partners cannot. These activities include opening and closing doors, retrieving objects, seeking help when needed, turning lights on and off and retrieving items from the refrigerator. All dogs that assist humans require certain characteristics to be successful.

  1. Temperament

    • Dogs that work as service dogs should be calm, friendly and confident. Service dogs have to work in cooperation with their disabled human partner in places such as airports, restaurants, malls and other public settings. Service dogs must often deal with an onslaught of unfamiliar noises, sights and odors that would ordinarily overwhelm a dog. A service dog cannot react aggressively when petted without permission, when a person steps on her paw or tail or when her human is being helped in an emergency situation.

    Health

    • Service dogs must be physically fit to meet the demands of the job. A successful service dog cannot have elbow or hip dysplasia; she should have good eyesight and be free from any hereditary eye diseases. A service dog is screened for thyroid, heart, chronic skin and breed-specific diseases. Additionally, a good service dog will be free from heartworm and parasites (such as fleas and hookworms). The dog should also be up to date on vaccinations.

    Breed

    • The preferred dog breeds for service work are labradors and golden retrievers. Guide dog schools usually use labradors, golden retrievers, German shepherds and lab-golden crosses. Hearing dog schools like to use Welsh corgies, poodles, shelties, springer spaniels, labradors, and golden retrievers. However, breed does not guarantee that a dog has the traits needed to be a successful service dog, and preference is placed on dogs that exhibit the desired traits, regardless of breed.

    Size

    • A dog's size at maturity is an important characteristic in placing service dogs. Assisting a child or small woman in a wheelchair requires a dog that stands a minimum of 22 inches and weighs a minimum of 55 lbs. Wheelchair assistance for an adult weighing over 130 lbs. requires a dog that weighs 60 lbs. or more. Walker support dogs should be a minimum of 23 inches when providing support for an average height woman (when a harness is available that has a handle to bridge the gap between the human's hand and the dog's back). If the harness does not have a handle, then a taller dog is needed, ranging from 27 inches to 30 inches tall.