Emotional support dogs are highly valuable companions to many individuals, and the presence of an emotional support dog can help someone with managing their mental health condition on a daily basis. While you can technically adopt any kind of dog to be your emotional support animal, some breeds are better suited to providing their owners with comfort, companionship, and a manageable routine than others. Our article tells you more about the best emotional support dog breeds.
What Is an Emotional Support Dog?
An emotional support dog is any dog that provides its owner with support; this is typically achieved by simply living alongside their owner and providing companionship, comfort, and support. Many emotional support dogs will help their owners by providing relief from chronic stress and feelings of anxiety or depression. Consistent routines in caring for a dog and frequent trips outside to exercise can also help encourage positive feelings and overall physical and mental well-being.
Can Any Breed Be an Emotional Support Dog?
Any breed of dog can be an emotional support dog, though some breeds are more suited to this than others. Typically, dog breeds that are more in-tune with their owners, eager to please and be around their owners, and overall more gentle are better choices for emotional support dog work. This is because dogs that have strong prey drives, working genetics, or are overall more high-maintenance can be a handful to take care of properly. In turn, this can stress out a person who needs support and companionship to help manage their mental health condition.
The Best Emotional Support Dog Breeds
Any of the following breeds can excel as an emotional support dog due to their gentle natures, their ability to form strong bonds with their owners, and their sociable natures. Caring for any of these dogs and having them as a companion can help to support owners through their mental health conditions.
- Golden retrievers
- Labrador retrievers
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
- Poodles, standard or miniature
- Pugs
- Shih tzus
- Pomeranians
- Yorkshire terriers
- Corgis
Keep in mind that this list isn’t exhaustive, and many other dog breeds or mixed breeds may be able to act as your emotional support dog. You only need to make sure that you can properly care for your dog physically and financially in order to adopt them as your emotional support animal.
What Are the Worst Dog Breeds for Emotional Support Dogs?
While any dog can feasibly act as your emotional support dog, some dogs may be too prone to destructive behaviors or behavioral issues that require significant training and stress to correct. Other breeds may need a firm hand training-wise, or they may be more prone to jobs that require working daily and high amounts of exercise. These types of dogs can technically be your emotional support dog, but they might not provide you with the exact support you need.
Dog breeds that you want to avoid as an emotional support dog include:
- Cane Corsos
- Newfoundlands
- Great Danes
- Great Pyrenees
- Wolfhounds
- Borzois
- Siberian huskies
- Belgian Malinois
Even though some of these dogs could be considered an emotional support dog in the right conditions and with the right person, they are overall not breeds that are suited for the type of support work that an emotional support dog is supposed to provide.
How Do I Get a Valid Emotional Support Dog?
If you want to add an emotional support dog to your treatment plan, the first thing you need to do is meet with a mental healthcare provider licensed in your state. This means that you may need to set up an in-person appointment or sign up for an online meeting with your provider. Your mental healthcare provider will evaluate your needs and mental healthcare condition during your appointment, and they will approve or deny you for an emotional support animal (ESA).
If you are approved for an ESA, your provider will write you a letter that states your need for a support animal and provides details on the animal, such as the type of animal and your support animal’s name. You can then use this letter to request housing accommodations from landlords to ensure you can live with your emotional support dog, regardless of pet restrictions and fees.
Finding Support in Your Canine Companion
Dogs can be wonderful support animals, and it’s possible to bond strongly with any breed of dog and benefit from the companionship they offer you. If you are considering adding an emotional support dog to your treatment plan, take the time to think about what you need from a canine companion and what it might take to care for your chosen dog breed. Remember, your dog is there to support you, but they should also be properly taken care of and allowed to live their best life at your side.