Best Breeds for Service Dogs

When it comes to dogs, intelligence is measured by the ability for a dog to be trained in hunting, herding, and retrieving. Service and support dogs are trained to assist people with disabilities ranging from autism to blindness, and also people in the police and investigative forces; these dogs are often German Shepherds, Beagles, Bloodhounds, and Golden Retrievers.

In most countries people do not have the skills required to certifiably train their own service dogs, but in the United States it is possible. To make your dog a service dog, he or she has to be trained in obedience, tasks, and public access. According to servicedogcentral, service dogs must be able to sit, down, come, stay, and heel on command.

Service dogs must also act a certain way in public and display the following good manners (unless they were hunting for a certain person or scent):

• Show no aggression
• No barking
• No biting
• No snapping or growling
• No jumping on strangers
• No begging
• No sniffing of people

But which dogs are the easiest to train at home? Madison Dodger Online provided a list of the top 10 most intelligent dog breeds below and their best traits.

1. Border Collie
   • Herding
2. Poodle
   • Retrieving and hunting (miniature poodles)
3. German Shepherd
   • Herding and hunting (used for police, guard, and military)
4. Golden Retriever
   • Hunting and rescue
5. Doberman Pinscher
   • Speed and stamina (used for police, war, and guard)
6. Shetland Sheepdog
   • Herding
7. Labrador Retriever
   • Sport
8. Papillon
   • Therapy
9. Rottweiler
   • Herding and hunting (used for police, often service and therapy, obedience competition)
10. Australian Cattle Dog
    • Herding, obedience, and speed

https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/features/how-smart-is-your-dog#1

http://servicedogcentral.org/content/node/366