So you are contemplating the idea of owning your own pet — perhaps a certain four-pawed furry friend? Maybe you aren't sure how a dog fits into your life and you just cannot seem to find a way around it. Or rather it is because you live in an apartment complex/rental house with a no pet(s) policy, your roommate/family member is allergic, and/or any other reason in the book, you deserve companionship.
Pets are one of and often the best forms of companionship. Common traits within all dog breeds are loyalty, compassion, unconditional love, forgiveness, and no judgment. The perfect combination we all need in our daily lives, right?
The companionship of a dog often come in four forms: family pet, emotional support animal (ESA), service animal, and therapy dog. People commonly do not realize they qualify for different emotional support or service animals, so here are ways to figure out if you do.
Regular pets are not often trained outside the basic commands/tricks (sit, stay, lay down, roll over) and do not require doctors note certification or advanced training. They are incredible for expecting families or ones with small children. A few breeds that are best for single-family homes (preferably with a yard) are Labrador retrievers, bulldogs, golden retrievers, beagles, and pugs.
Emotional Support Animals are used to provide companionship for those with mental illness (anxiety, depression, etc). As of today, the law does not require any advanced training, which allows for many different animals to qualify as an ESA. They do require a note and/or prescription from a licensed doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist, or therapists. Some of the best breeds for an emotional support animal are pugs, Labrador retrievers, standard poodles, golden retrievers, and mixed breeds.
Service Animals are used to perform specific tasks that apply to their owners disability (hearing loss, loss of sight, PTSD, epilepsy, and more) and require registration and personalized training for the tasks. The best breeds for service animals are golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, and German shepherds.
Therapy dogs, although often mistaken as a type of service dog, requires no certification and does not have the rights of an Emotional support or Service Animal when it comes to public places. They volunteer in settings such as hospitals, assisted living homes, schools, and much more to help with the health of other people, not their owner. A couple of the best breeds for therapy dogs are Welsh corgis, Labrador retrievers, German Shepards, and many more.
With all of that in mind, if you are in need of a furry friend, a little bit of emotional support, a dog trained to carry tasks, or you want to provide support, well being, and overall improvement to the health of others, you have got a friend in these breeds.
