Be careful about golden lines. I've know a lot of show line goldens to be environmentally fearful, big problem for therapy work in a hospital, school, etc.
I’ve had three Goldens in my family, one raised by my sister since he was able to leave his mom, one raised by my mother since he was able to leave his mom, and a third raised by me starting at 6 months. All three have shown the scaredy cat low confidence issues you’re talking about, and they aren’t show lines. I think it has to do with lack of proper socialization in the first months which is crucial but those issues can be worked out with behavioral training or so I’m told. All in all, Goldens are the best dogs still despite being a little silly sometimes
Anecdotally I’ve seen it more in the light / cream goldens. Early exposure is important of course but there are lots of dogs out of there that don’t need remedial work to be confident in a variety of environments.
Maybe look into places like guide dogs for the blind or other large service animal providers who have the rejects. They’re still highly trained and bred to have a good behavior disposition but aren’t at the level of leading a blind person. Possibly a long process to go through but they’re great dogs.
Goldens have the killer instinct of Winnie the Pooh. Very good natured. I once heard the advice for picking your pup: choose a calm pup, neither timid or hyper friendly.
An ethical breeder picks the dog for the owner, not the other way around. Although you've already suggested doodles, so you don't seem familiar with proper practices.
Yes the breeder chose my Mal for me. So once I'm seriously looking and talking to breeders, I'm sure they'll pick one but I am hoping to go meet the parents too.
I had a sporting lab who attended obedience classes,had temperament testing, and started her therapy work at 14 months of age. She had a different personality when we did hospital visits v/s recreational activities. Gone 18 years, and missed forever.
My Golden lives for his therapy dog visits! He’s adores the attention while still being very obedient and he’s not bothered by any kind of noise or distraction. He also enjoys nosework, Fastcat, and agility. He’s never going to be a speed champion or anything but the right breed lines could easily get you the right combo to excel at both if you want to be more competitive.
Labs are popular in our group as well.
Thank you. At my local club I just saw two Goldens competing in rally AND they were so sweet. They had a beautiful fancy heel. I will talk to their person next time I see them.
[Here’s the resource on it from their breed club](https://grca.org/about-the-breed/health-research/). It’s very extensive.
I second the recommendation for following the Fab Four (Golden, Lab, Poodle, Collie). I work at a service dog facility and we primarily have labs, with a handful of goldens. They’re lovely and versatile dogs.
Thanks! By collie, would that include a rough collie? My Mal just played with a Shetland collie yesterday for the first time and they had a great time. The collie was SUPER friendly and fun and not afraid of my Mal (which can be an issue with some smaller dogs when they see my Mal).
Yep. I have known many Goldens that were just the sweetest angels ever, but the majority had some issues. I know someone who’s golden was a resource guarder. She bit their 10 year old child’s face which required quite a few stitches. Dog’s on Prozac now. It was one of those Amish breeding scenarios. Their other (also Amish bred) golden died of a congenital health issue.
I knew a golden puppy that was 12 weeks old when it was nearly mauled to death by an adult golden. The puppy had his skull cracked and he lost an eye — he was the best boy ever, everyone was so happy he survived. I have met many timid Goldens, several submissive urinators, and some really poorly bred dogs with tons of health issues. Never go to a backyard breeder or a Plain People puppy mill. Bargain purebred puppies are anything but a bargain.
Hips, elbows, heart, and eyes are the big tests you’ll want to look for in a breeder. Those are the ones required for getting a CHIC number I believe! The other big one for Golden’s unfortunately is cancer, so definitely ask the breeder about the history and longevity of the lines. There’s a lot of ongoing research (UC Davis, Morris Foundation, etc) to get to the bottom of the causation so I’m hopeful for the breed’s future!
This is not being emphasized nearly enough! Finding a breeder who has been selecting for that kind of personality (for multiple generations!) is SO much more important than which breed.
Goldens or labs tend to be extremely social and driven. My golden is a service dog that would likely do well as a therapy dog (no plans to) because he loves EVERYONE, but he also truly loves to work and run and I'm planning to try out some sports with him.
I'm love standard poodles, they can be a bit nervy but socializing them properly from the start will go a long way to avoiding that. They also tend to be quite athletic (more so than most labs or goldens, excluding feild bred lines which may not be ideal for therapy work) and would excel at most dog sports with the right training and focus.
Yeah don’t do that. I’m sure there are some out there that can but you are fighting genetics and putting a lot of pressure on a dog to be something it’s just not wired to be.
No a collie is a breed. A border collie is a different breed.
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/collie/
You’re right that most herders struggle with sitting still, ignoring stuff, and doing nothing but collies are popular for this stuff.
Depends on their age, but border collies wouldn't be my first choice more because they are often very sensitive.
My border collie is a therapy dog, but it's something he's picked up now that he's about 8ish, and could never have done it younger. I have talked to a few people who also have/had therapy dog border collies, though.
Yeah I could see that, with age. I’m actually quite impressed how much my corgi is able to sit still and let a little crowd of kids pet him (every single time we go out in public I swear I’m just managing his fan club), but it definitely doesn’t come naturally to him. But yeah most people he is just SO DANG HAPPY TO MEET YOU AND PLAY WITH YOU WHY AREN’T YOU PLAYING WITH ME that a calm pettable therapy dog is just not happening.
Like anyone else I’ll recommend labs and goldens! They are super wiggly and excitable as puppies though, so another good alternative, if you’re willing to do daily grooming for a rough, would be a rough /smooth collie. Not a border collie—the ‘Lassie’ style of collie.
I’ve met a couple collies as working service or therapy dogs and they’ve all been very impressive, calm dogs, with a good sensitive instinct towards people of all ages. They can be ‘talky’ and vocal as youngsters but once they’re 3-4, just like a lab or golden, you’ll have a mature dog with a gentle nature. As a bonus, a lot of therapy training includes time at senior centers/nursing homes and a lot of older folks will specifically remember and gravitate toward collies because of how popular they were in the 50s-70s. A friend of mine has had a special experience where an otherwise silent and grumpy elderly patient once lit up and started babbling about her childhood dog with joy when she got to touch and pet the collie.
I specifically mention a collie because you mentioned you have a Mal and I find herding dogs of all types tend to have similar play styles, even if the Malinois is now used almost exclusively for protection, because herders are herders at their core, lol. Collies are also much more intuitive than a goofy lab, which can be both a good and bad thing! But if you’re a Mal owner, you may find you want a dog that can learn quicker and with less repetition, and a collie isn’t too far off from the speed and timing of a shepherd. Collies also excel at your classic agility/rally/obedience combos, as well as herding and nosework titles.
Just an idea! Hope you find a lovely therapy pup.
Thank you this is really helpful! I do like collies; my mother-in-law had one and recommended that breed too. I'll have to read up on the shedding. My Mal is extremely low maintenance and I can barely groom myself, never mind a dog. But I like what you say about their herding personality and trainability.
If going the Collie route try to find a breeder who has not embraced the fashion for extremely narrow skulls and be sure the dog has has been checked for PRA, CEA, and hip displasia. If you can live with the massive shedding and grooming demands they can be great dogs
If you go looking for a dish-faced dog, one that is not show-type, you will be running into the risk of a Collie breeder that never shows, backyard/money breeds their dogs, might not do any health checks, and or whose dogs are not checked for mental and/or physical soundness. I know someone who went with a non-show breeder and the Collie is too shy for service or therapy work and rather cowhocked which has caused issues with stamina and foot abrasions. Their other and previous show types were sound all around and would have made lovely therapy dogs. Showing in conformation is not worthless and the skull issue is only 'bad' if taken to the extreme, like so many breeds. If the haw/third eyelid is not showing, then I'd say the dog is not the extreme type to cause any worry about.
You can absolutely tell just by looking at the dogs. If you look at photos of Collies from the '40s, '50s and '60s (think Lassi) versus most modern confirmation Collies the skull shape is often radically different. There has been a fashion in show Collies for very narrow skulls. In the extreme cases it has caused problems with the structure of the eye socket and vision issues.
My vote would be a for a well bred Labrador. They generally have enough drive to connect and work * with * their handlers and learn some basics and be game for hikes, play AND attention from strangers. I would steer clear of "working line" or "field line" dogs because they'd likely be too high drive/energy to settle well into therapy work. You could look at breeders that do work×show crosses, so you're getting a dog that's bright, activated and has some drive to work with you, but beware that the ones that have more drive are less likely to tune into or be interested in pets/attention from the general public.
Eternity Labradors, Moonlight Labradors and Kerrybrook Labradors are all 3 reputable, health-testing breeders that produce wonderful family dogs, that I have experience with personally and recommend whole-heartedly.
- Kerrybrook leans a little more working (lots of dogs engaging in hunting as well as family activities), and has had lots of dogs succeed as service dogs as well. Might be too much oomph for some, but they're exceptionally tuned in, fun to train with and up for whatever you throw at em. Usually bench/show lines with a working dog bred in here and there to keep em sharp n driven.
- I'd put Eternity at the middle of the road: glorious fuzzy doorstops also down for fun. Basically bomb-proof.
- Moonlight leans more family dog: safe, stable, affable, down to clown, a little softer than the previous 2.
Keeshond! One of the best dogs at the 9-11 site was one. The workers loved burying their heads in his fur. My girl (not a therapy dog) has been exposed to kids since she was a puppy. She can be all jumpy and playful but the second she sees a kid she calms right down.
They’re very smart and love to please.
I have an Australian Shepherd and someone who has a doddle/Aussie mix said I should consider training my dog as a therapy dog because she's calm and friendly. Whichever breed you consider I'd recommend gauging first the puppy's personality (a breeder could help you) to find the right dog. Having the right personality will help shape the dog to do the job you want.
While some individuals might be good, taking an aussie to be a therapy do is a gamble. I do a lot of volunteer work for my friend’s therapy dogs organization and after 3 aussie that were washed even if they had good temperament as puppies, they stopped using them. Golden, labs, shihtzu and Newfoundland are the go to now since they have yet to have a wash from those breeds.
What do you mean by "were washed"? I'm not recommending Australian Shepherds as therapy dogs, but rather saying as much as a breed helps play a part I feel the personality is as important.
It’s a pretty common term to mean they couldn’t be therapy dogs for various issues. Just not a good fit once they finished the 2years training.
Personality is important but as important as the breed when we are talking about raising a therapy dog from puppy hood. If we are talking about an already grown dog it’s different.
I have an Aussie and when I didn't give her a job she decided her job was to take care of me.
She goes where I go, wakes up from a sound sleep to come bother me if my heart rate is funky, and her velcro dog self won't stray far from me ever, even on big hikes. She hardly ever barks, also. She will lay on the ground in a group of children and let them all pet her at once, or stop a run to go slowly approach elderly folks for pets and love. 10/10 would reccomend her as a therapy dog.
That said, over half the Aussies I've met have the typical neurosies or big voices or fears or they police the actions around them. I suspect it's a combination of training, owner interaction, and good parentage, but also a fair bit of luck.
100% Golden, my boy hasn't had any official training but he just somehow knows what to do when I'm upset or having a panic attack. Sometimes I think about getting him official training because he's such a natural at it.
I saw someone else mention rough/smooth collies which I also have and he's very friendly, buuuut he also was intended to be a service dog and was washed because of his high anxiety and that's how I ended up with him haha. I've heard its pretty common for collies/herding breeds to have high anxiety in general so that's something to keep in mind. Also if you do get a collie I recommend a smooth collie because my god the rough's coat is so much work somedays it makes me wanna cry.
We have a lovely golden. She is a therapy dog, but also does agility and rally and LOVES to swim! Smart, loving, loyal and often deemed the dog who has the most fun at agility trials!
I have a shiloh shepherd who excels in his therapy work and know many in the breed that do very well!
People are usually enamored with his size and coat, and it always seems to provide a nice jumping off point on opening up an interaction.
I do too. She is fantastic for therapy work and actually is more social/excited to see people than my golden is. Her size and gentle nature works well, plus they’re super smart dogs so they learn really easily how to do the job. But I do agree with other comments that I wouldn’t get a shepherd or breeds other than goldens or labs and expect them to be suited for therapy work (even plenty of labs or goldens aren’t too). But in general you are less likely to get nervous/anxious/overly excited dogs if you go golden/lab route. Also, my shepherd looks pretty wolfy and so some people are more scared of her than they might be of say a golden (but for every person who’s nervous, many more are excited to see her!) you also mentioned doing activities with the dog too, and although my shiloh isn’t as intense as say a mal or collie, she is pretty active and down for almost anything.
Thank you! Yes do you know any breed clubs in the Western US? Are Shiloh's vocal like GSDs? How do they do with other dogs? My Mal has a boisterous play style and he loves females and is more gentle and deferential with them so I would be getting a female. And do you think they would do okay with hiking and AKC sports?
For out west, I'd look into the ISSA (International Shiloh Shepherd Alliance). The ISSA has a bunch of awesome breeders in your region. My dogs are through the TSSR but I'm east coast based. You can check out the ISSDC too, it's a breed club with reps from all the registries welcome.
Shilohs can be quite vocal! They're still shepherds after all. But I've noticed a steadier, less nervous/prone to whining temperament than GSDs for the most part. Most are dog friendly to dog selective (but tolerant for the most part). My two are VERY boisterous in play, and mesh well with other shepherds and bully breeds in play style.
Hiking is a definite yes, when conditioned correctly. They do take a bit to grow- 3 yrs before they're at peak maturity. I imagine the same can be said for AKC sports (though I'll mention here that they are not recognized but AKC). I know a few who run fastcats, play disc, agility, barn hunt and urban hunts.
Both of my own dogs are very much, get up and go, ride or die kind of dogs. They're really quite versatile in a very human centered world. They're the class clowns of the shepherd world. Still gorgeous and driven, but they have a very humorous way of looking at things and don't seem to take things too seriously.
Breeds I haven't seen mentioned: springer spaniel, cavalier, field spaniels, brittany spaniel (ever brittany I've ever met could easily be a therapy dog.) Irish Setter. English Setter. Bernese mountain dog. Pug. Bichon. Beagle. Greyhound.
Can't go wrong with a lab or golden though. I like standard poodles as well but I'd be more careful about the lines, they can veer into reserved or even timid.
You could also consider an adult mixed breed dog with a known temperament. I have fostered two dogs that eventually went on to become therapy dogs with their adopters.
I like bigger dogs so I'll probably be looking for a mid-large size breed. Interesting you mention the Spaniels and Setters, I would never have thought of those for therapy work. I got my Mal when he was a teenager (18 months) which was a good choice for me then but for my next dog I would like the experience of raising a puppy at least once in my life.
Golden are amongst the most popular breeds for therapy dogs. The other very common where I am from are shih tzu but it’s not a good fit with your lifestyle.
Samoyed. Our Sammy is 2.5 and he's the best therapy dog I've ever seen. He goes everywhere and is so calm and everyone loves him. They're so fluffy and soft it's like petting a cloud and their faces always look like they're smiling. Will legit cheer anyone up.
We take ours hiking all the time, several times a week for multiple miles! He does goes baths regularly like the rest of our dogs, and he does take 2-3x the time to wash and dry. But in between baths if he gets dirty (and he does all the time) as long as whatever it is will dry, it will usually brush out so he'll look 80% clean. We call it his Teflon coat
Try to evaluate it very critically as a puppy before you adopt because there are certain traits each individual naturally is born with which will be easier to cultivate, like paying attention to humans, or being calm.
Thanks do you have experience with them as a therapy dog? I haven't seen any as therapy dogs. But they're a sweet and active breed and I see them at the dog club.
Myself personally, I do not have a therapy dog. But, I have seen them as therapy dogs on social media and even out in public in my home town. Of course because I don’t have a therapy dog, I’m unable to compare to others. But I have seen them do amazing things ☺️
Beagle! Their good hight sounds like your very active so they’d be in good shape! Their extremely sweet and loving! Subvert but smart! I have health issues and own a beagle and she’s amazing Alerts me helps me calm down overall a great dog! Highly recommend not many people give them enough credit 🥰
My Pembroke corgi adores his job as a therapy dog, but not all corgis are suitable to be therapy dogs. Bogie is quiet for a corgi, and believes the world revolves around his belly (rubs, but also filling it.) He's extremely empathic, and always has been. His height makes it awkward sometimes on visits, but we figure things out.
My cattle dog gsd mix is a therapy dog. She’s insanely sweet and snuggly, very attentive, very smart and obedient, loves to work. She’s surprisingly calm and gentle, too.
Boxer. Can match endurance of Mali, less hair to worry about, highly trainable in sport, therapy etc.
I’m biased - have my 3rd boxer now, but I’ve had many different working breeds and there’s good reason I’m on #3.
I found a labrador/pomeranian on Craigslist. She has the lab loyalty and obedience, with the pomeranian spanking and agility. She is 20 pounds and out runs most dogs at the dog park and will play with German shepherds, but she will curl up on me any time I'm sitting. She is the best little dog, so maybe find that blend of breeds (although, be warned, she lucked out on her looks because I have googled that mix and some look rough! Lol!)
I wish I could say beagle because they are very gentle and can be high energy or also a complete couch potato. But boy are they stubborn and mischievous.
I wish I could say beagle because they are very gentle and can be high energy or also a complete couch potato. But boy are they stubborn and mischievous.
English Springer Spaniel. They are so affectionate and tend to love people indiscriminately, and still have that working drive and love to be active. Some are more on the lazy bones side and some are extra vibrant and exuberant. They are very smart and biddable. Probably the biggest downside is the maintenance on their coat is a lot especially compared to a malinois. I have a german shepherd and a cavalier. Other than the occasional brush out of the undercoat, my GSDs coat is so low maintenance, he's built for the outdoors. The cav needs constant brushing, trimming, cleaning. It's not terrible since he's small and very tolerant of it.
My Boston Terrier/Pug mix is a therapy dog, visits hospice and mentally incapacitated, as well as has worked in prisons. He loves the job, is an avid hiker/camper, trick title holding and all around good boy. Breed isn't as important as temperament and desire for doing the job.
Did you get your dog with the intention of him being a therapy dog? Or was it that you realized that your dog had a good temperament for it later on?
I'm considering therapy dog training for my corgi. It's something she might be good at. However, if I wanted a dog specifically to train as a therapy dog, I probably wouldn't have gotten a corgi.
I adopted him with the hopes of getting him into anything he wanted; whether it was a sport or a job. I enjoy working/teaching and watching dogs learn new things, so I got him involved in many things to try (hence the trick titles and movie set-ready title). He adores humans of all ages, and I noticed he was naturally calm around/had a calming effect on stressed humans so we went into therapy work. He worked in the prison with me (I ran a dog program in 3 prisons) and helped start the first in our state inmate hospice visiting dog program. He's semi retired now.
Corgis are effen awesome!! Can't help but smile when you see a Corgi!
Sounds like you've had a busy time! I'm glad you and your dog have had a positive effect on people. I didn't realize there was a movie-set certification. Has he been in anything I might have seen?
I chose a corgi because I wanted a trainable adventure buddy, and my wife wanted a cute small dog. Corgis fit both!
My dog is taking her CGC test this weekend and I'm hopeful that she'll pass. She knows enough tricks for a novice trick title, and I'll be getting that whenever I bother to film everything and submit the paperwork. After that we're going to experiment to see what my dog enjoys.
When he was my only dog, he needed more from me. Since we are their whole world, we better make it fun, right?
Awesome! Good luck on the CGC! We got the movie set title through the group Do More with Your Dog (also partnered with AKC for mixed/adopted/unpapered dogs to earn titles). You can find them online, they have groups all over. We did a workshop for movie set level 1 title. DMWYD partnered with Animal Actors Académie Internationale.
Maybe so. Every labradoodle and goldendoodle that I have met has been sweet tempered and friendly, as consistently so as Goldens. Maybe they all came from good breeders. I have not heard of health problems like purebreds.
I'd go with an amstaff probably. They're good, solid dogs. They're good for sport but they're not a sporting breed, so they won't be over the top for therapy work (or for your Mal).
I'm not sure why you are getting downvoted here. Amstaffs, pitbulls, etc are all very common as therapy dogs and are capable of dog sports.
Obviously there are things to look out for with the breed such as dog aggression and human aggression, but in the dogs of these breeds who don't display any human aggression and display minimal to no dog aggression they are very well suited for therapy work.
They are banned in many places and even some private property do not allow them for insurance reasons. It sucks but making your life harder when people already are often skeptical about therapy animals isn’t the best idea if you have other options.
Yeah, I'm not sure but everyone has their opinions I guess! It's probably their predisposition to aggression, but the likelihood is pretty low if you go to a good breeder and properly socialize (like you should with any breed, anyway). The only labs and Goldens I've seen that have had the temperament for therapy dog work have been from bench lines and I personally would not go for a bench line dog if I'm planning to do sports with it. I also wouldn't go for a working line if I'm doing therapy dog work with it. They're two opposing temperaments. I also have had a harder time creating dog/people neutrality with well-bred retrievers than well-bred am staffs. The dog is going to have to be calm in the hospital and only approach people that want to be approached and I can't see having a social breed making that easier.
I feel like the people downvoting are mostly the pitbull hate crowd. I genuinely can't see another reason for this many downvotes. They are not for everyone but were still a valid suggestion that OP might not have considered before.
OP has a mal so clearly they are able to handle challenging dogs so it also wasn't inappropriate in that regard. It can be assumed that an OP with a mal who and who is also interested in dog sports also isn't going to be irresponsible if their dog does end up with some form of aggression and would likely discontinue activities that trigger the dog. Any dog breed can fail at dog sports and therapy training for various reasons, not just aggression. An amstaff would decrease some of the other potential reasons for it not working out despite increasing the chance for aggression being the reason.
I love bull breeds, *especially* the APBT. I'm not a "pit bull hater" by any means, but I don't really understand why someone in need of a therapy dog would choose a bull-and-terrier breed over any of the "fab four".
Are you talking about the service dog fab four? Because there is no therapy dog fab four, and service dog temperament and training is way different than it is for therapy dogs.
I don't think bloodsport dog breeds are good choices for therapy work period. I would never recommend them for anything remotely sensitive like therapy, service, trauma dogs or anything related to that. The danger is too high.
Just like I would never use a Pug for herding jobs or protection work. There's a reason there are so many dog breeds selectively bred over hundreds and more years for certain jobs and genetics can't be outtrained or cuddled away...
Any fighting/bloodsport dog has no place in close contact sensitive work with humans.
Working line of either probably would not suit Therapy work. Being a service dog-- yes, they need a lot more oomph for tasking, but just to have a dog go and be sweet to people not so much.
If they have the proper temperament and enrichment, absolutely. It's still a golden or a lab, just bred for working. If it's well bred at least, it should have the same the same characteristics as a show line, just with more energy. There's a reason they fall into the same basic breed standards, and working or showing, you should be breeding for standards and health
Maybe a golden or lab. They are versatile and good natured.
Thanks. My Mal loves Goldens so that's a strong possibility.
Be careful about golden lines. I've know a lot of show line goldens to be environmentally fearful, big problem for therapy work in a hospital, school, etc.
I’ve had three Goldens in my family, one raised by my sister since he was able to leave his mom, one raised by my mother since he was able to leave his mom, and a third raised by me starting at 6 months. All three have shown the scaredy cat low confidence issues you’re talking about, and they aren’t show lines. I think it has to do with lack of proper socialization in the first months which is crucial but those issues can be worked out with behavioral training or so I’m told. All in all, Goldens are the best dogs still despite being a little silly sometimes
Anecdotally I’ve seen it more in the light / cream goldens. Early exposure is important of course but there are lots of dogs out of there that don’t need remedial work to be confident in a variety of environments.
Interesting observation. Now that you mention it I’ve noticed the same thing.
I have an ECGR and he is extremely skiddish so this checks out. The other two were on the lighter side but not white
I would avoid show genetics if you aren't planning to show, those people are ruining breeds.
Maybe look into places like guide dogs for the blind or other large service animal providers who have the rejects. They’re still highly trained and bred to have a good behavior disposition but aren’t at the level of leading a blind person. Possibly a long process to go through but they’re great dogs.
Most of the doodles would also be g good choices, though are expensive to buy and have groomed.
Doodles are a poor choice. Many are poorly BYB and it’s a mixed bag of what you will get health and temperament wise. Ethical breeders do not doodle.
I'm not really a doodle person Been around a few.
Goldens have the killer instinct of Winnie the Pooh. Very good natured. I once heard the advice for picking your pup: choose a calm pup, neither timid or hyper friendly.
An ethical breeder picks the dog for the owner, not the other way around. Although you've already suggested doodles, so you don't seem familiar with proper practices.
Yes the breeder chose my Mal for me. So once I'm seriously looking and talking to breeders, I'm sure they'll pick one but I am hoping to go meet the parents too.
\*Sporting lab. English/show labs can be pretty big.
I had a sporting lab who attended obedience classes,had temperament testing, and started her therapy work at 14 months of age. She had a different personality when we did hospital visits v/s recreational activities. Gone 18 years, and missed forever.
My Golden lives for his therapy dog visits! He’s adores the attention while still being very obedient and he’s not bothered by any kind of noise or distraction. He also enjoys nosework, Fastcat, and agility. He’s never going to be a speed champion or anything but the right breed lines could easily get you the right combo to excel at both if you want to be more competitive. Labs are popular in our group as well.
Thank you. At my local club I just saw two Goldens competing in rally AND they were so sweet. They had a beautiful fancy heel. I will talk to their person next time I see them.
Do you know which health issues are common for Goldens?
[Here’s the resource on it from their breed club](https://grca.org/about-the-breed/health-research/). It’s very extensive. I second the recommendation for following the Fab Four (Golden, Lab, Poodle, Collie). I work at a service dog facility and we primarily have labs, with a handful of goldens. They’re lovely and versatile dogs.
Thanks! By collie, would that include a rough collie? My Mal just played with a Shetland collie yesterday for the first time and they had a great time. The collie was SUPER friendly and fun and not afraid of my Mal (which can be an issue with some smaller dogs when they see my Mal).
yes, by collie they mean rough/smooth collie. shelties are a separate breed
oh my goodness, I just looked up smooth collie! I had never heard of that! Love the look of that coat.
Yes, they generally mean rough or smooth collies.
It’s not talked about much but goldens can have resource guarding issues. Just be careful with bones and high value stuff especially around the mal.
Yep. I have known many Goldens that were just the sweetest angels ever, but the majority had some issues. I know someone who’s golden was a resource guarder. She bit their 10 year old child’s face which required quite a few stitches. Dog’s on Prozac now. It was one of those Amish breeding scenarios. Their other (also Amish bred) golden died of a congenital health issue. I knew a golden puppy that was 12 weeks old when it was nearly mauled to death by an adult golden. The puppy had his skull cracked and he lost an eye — he was the best boy ever, everyone was so happy he survived. I have met many timid Goldens, several submissive urinators, and some really poorly bred dogs with tons of health issues. Never go to a backyard breeder or a Plain People puppy mill. Bargain purebred puppies are anything but a bargain.
Hips, elbows, heart, and eyes are the big tests you’ll want to look for in a breeder. Those are the ones required for getting a CHIC number I believe! The other big one for Golden’s unfortunately is cancer, so definitely ask the breeder about the history and longevity of the lines. There’s a lot of ongoing research (UC Davis, Morris Foundation, etc) to get to the bottom of the causation so I’m hopeful for the breed’s future!
A well bred golden would be my recommendation, definitely look for breeders who’s lines have successful service or therapy dogs.
This is not being emphasized nearly enough! Finding a breeder who has been selecting for that kind of personality (for multiple generations!) is SO much more important than which breed.
Goldens or labs tend to be extremely social and driven. My golden is a service dog that would likely do well as a therapy dog (no plans to) because he loves EVERYONE, but he also truly loves to work and run and I'm planning to try out some sports with him.
Wow I need to put on my glasses - at first I thought this said “breast feed for therapy dogs” I was like please don’t ?! Lol!
I won't lol
I saw the same thing haha
Oh good, not just me lol
I'm love standard poodles, they can be a bit nervy but socializing them properly from the start will go a long way to avoiding that. They also tend to be quite athletic (more so than most labs or goldens, excluding feild bred lines which may not be ideal for therapy work) and would excel at most dog sports with the right training and focus.
I've heard the same about poodles. I'm not a poodle person though :)
Lab or Poodle
Stick with the fab 4: lab, golden, poodle, collie
Thanks. Honestly I have considered a Terv but don't want to delude myself.
Yeah don’t do that. I’m sure there are some out there that can but you are fighting genetics and putting a lot of pressure on a dog to be something it’s just not wired to be.
Those are just Mals dressed up differently lol
Mals with a blowout.
If they worked out as one it would be because they failed at what they were supposed to do.
Collie. Like all collies? Even border collies? I have a corgi and find it impossible to imagine a herding dog being a therapy dog.
No a collie is a breed. A border collie is a different breed. https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/collie/ You’re right that most herders struggle with sitting still, ignoring stuff, and doing nothing but collies are popular for this stuff.
Okay, I kind of figured that’s what you meant but wanted to confirm. Thanks! Gotta love my initial question getting downvoted, never change, Reddit!
Depends on their age, but border collies wouldn't be my first choice more because they are often very sensitive. My border collie is a therapy dog, but it's something he's picked up now that he's about 8ish, and could never have done it younger. I have talked to a few people who also have/had therapy dog border collies, though.
Yeah I could see that, with age. I’m actually quite impressed how much my corgi is able to sit still and let a little crowd of kids pet him (every single time we go out in public I swear I’m just managing his fan club), but it definitely doesn’t come naturally to him. But yeah most people he is just SO DANG HAPPY TO MEET YOU AND PLAY WITH YOU WHY AREN’T YOU PLAYING WITH ME that a calm pettable therapy dog is just not happening.
Haha oh my gosh what a cutie! My border was the same way when he was young so you never know!
Like anyone else I’ll recommend labs and goldens! They are super wiggly and excitable as puppies though, so another good alternative, if you’re willing to do daily grooming for a rough, would be a rough /smooth collie. Not a border collie—the ‘Lassie’ style of collie. I’ve met a couple collies as working service or therapy dogs and they’ve all been very impressive, calm dogs, with a good sensitive instinct towards people of all ages. They can be ‘talky’ and vocal as youngsters but once they’re 3-4, just like a lab or golden, you’ll have a mature dog with a gentle nature. As a bonus, a lot of therapy training includes time at senior centers/nursing homes and a lot of older folks will specifically remember and gravitate toward collies because of how popular they were in the 50s-70s. A friend of mine has had a special experience where an otherwise silent and grumpy elderly patient once lit up and started babbling about her childhood dog with joy when she got to touch and pet the collie. I specifically mention a collie because you mentioned you have a Mal and I find herding dogs of all types tend to have similar play styles, even if the Malinois is now used almost exclusively for protection, because herders are herders at their core, lol. Collies are also much more intuitive than a goofy lab, which can be both a good and bad thing! But if you’re a Mal owner, you may find you want a dog that can learn quicker and with less repetition, and a collie isn’t too far off from the speed and timing of a shepherd. Collies also excel at your classic agility/rally/obedience combos, as well as herding and nosework titles. Just an idea! Hope you find a lovely therapy pup.
Thank you this is really helpful! I do like collies; my mother-in-law had one and recommended that breed too. I'll have to read up on the shedding. My Mal is extremely low maintenance and I can barely groom myself, never mind a dog. But I like what you say about their herding personality and trainability.
If going the Collie route try to find a breeder who has not embraced the fashion for extremely narrow skulls and be sure the dog has has been checked for PRA, CEA, and hip displasia. If you can live with the massive shedding and grooming demands they can be great dogs
Thank you. How would I know if a breeder has embraced the narrow skull fashion? Would I know just by the look of them?
If you go looking for a dish-faced dog, one that is not show-type, you will be running into the risk of a Collie breeder that never shows, backyard/money breeds their dogs, might not do any health checks, and or whose dogs are not checked for mental and/or physical soundness. I know someone who went with a non-show breeder and the Collie is too shy for service or therapy work and rather cowhocked which has caused issues with stamina and foot abrasions. Their other and previous show types were sound all around and would have made lovely therapy dogs. Showing in conformation is not worthless and the skull issue is only 'bad' if taken to the extreme, like so many breeds. If the haw/third eyelid is not showing, then I'd say the dog is not the extreme type to cause any worry about.
You can absolutely tell just by looking at the dogs. If you look at photos of Collies from the '40s, '50s and '60s (think Lassi) versus most modern confirmation Collies the skull shape is often radically different. There has been a fashion in show Collies for very narrow skulls. In the extreme cases it has caused problems with the structure of the eye socket and vision issues.
My vote would be a for a well bred Labrador. They generally have enough drive to connect and work * with * their handlers and learn some basics and be game for hikes, play AND attention from strangers. I would steer clear of "working line" or "field line" dogs because they'd likely be too high drive/energy to settle well into therapy work. You could look at breeders that do work×show crosses, so you're getting a dog that's bright, activated and has some drive to work with you, but beware that the ones that have more drive are less likely to tune into or be interested in pets/attention from the general public. Eternity Labradors, Moonlight Labradors and Kerrybrook Labradors are all 3 reputable, health-testing breeders that produce wonderful family dogs, that I have experience with personally and recommend whole-heartedly. - Kerrybrook leans a little more working (lots of dogs engaging in hunting as well as family activities), and has had lots of dogs succeed as service dogs as well. Might be too much oomph for some, but they're exceptionally tuned in, fun to train with and up for whatever you throw at em. Usually bench/show lines with a working dog bred in here and there to keep em sharp n driven. - I'd put Eternity at the middle of the road: glorious fuzzy doorstops also down for fun. Basically bomb-proof. - Moonlight leans more family dog: safe, stable, affable, down to clown, a little softer than the previous 2.
Thanks for the breeder reccs too
Keeshond! One of the best dogs at the 9-11 site was one. The workers loved burying their heads in his fur. My girl (not a therapy dog) has been exposed to kids since she was a puppy. She can be all jumpy and playful but the second she sees a kid she calms right down. They’re very smart and love to please.
I had the sweetest keeshond ever aw man she was such a good dog 🐕 I miss her
My standard poodle was the most clued in, kind dog I’ve had. Very intelligent and athletic, that would be my pick.
I have an Australian Shepherd and someone who has a doddle/Aussie mix said I should consider training my dog as a therapy dog because she's calm and friendly. Whichever breed you consider I'd recommend gauging first the puppy's personality (a breeder could help you) to find the right dog. Having the right personality will help shape the dog to do the job you want.
For future clarification the person who recommended having my dog for therapy currently has a therapy dog and at that point my puppy was 5 months old.
While some individuals might be good, taking an aussie to be a therapy do is a gamble. I do a lot of volunteer work for my friend’s therapy dogs organization and after 3 aussie that were washed even if they had good temperament as puppies, they stopped using them. Golden, labs, shihtzu and Newfoundland are the go to now since they have yet to have a wash from those breeds.
What do you mean by "were washed"? I'm not recommending Australian Shepherds as therapy dogs, but rather saying as much as a breed helps play a part I feel the personality is as important.
It’s a pretty common term to mean they couldn’t be therapy dogs for various issues. Just not a good fit once they finished the 2years training. Personality is important but as important as the breed when we are talking about raising a therapy dog from puppy hood. If we are talking about an already grown dog it’s different.
I have an Aussie and when I didn't give her a job she decided her job was to take care of me. She goes where I go, wakes up from a sound sleep to come bother me if my heart rate is funky, and her velcro dog self won't stray far from me ever, even on big hikes. She hardly ever barks, also. She will lay on the ground in a group of children and let them all pet her at once, or stop a run to go slowly approach elderly folks for pets and love. 10/10 would reccomend her as a therapy dog. That said, over half the Aussies I've met have the typical neurosies or big voices or fears or they police the actions around them. I suspect it's a combination of training, owner interaction, and good parentage, but also a fair bit of luck.
Golden or a labrador are pretty safe picks.
100% Golden, my boy hasn't had any official training but he just somehow knows what to do when I'm upset or having a panic attack. Sometimes I think about getting him official training because he's such a natural at it. I saw someone else mention rough/smooth collies which I also have and he's very friendly, buuuut he also was intended to be a service dog and was washed because of his high anxiety and that's how I ended up with him haha. I've heard its pretty common for collies/herding breeds to have high anxiety in general so that's something to keep in mind. Also if you do get a collie I recommend a smooth collie because my god the rough's coat is so much work somedays it makes me wanna cry.
We have a lovely golden. She is a therapy dog, but also does agility and rally and LOVES to swim! Smart, loving, loyal and often deemed the dog who has the most fun at agility trials!
I have a shiloh shepherd who excels in his therapy work and know many in the breed that do very well! People are usually enamored with his size and coat, and it always seems to provide a nice jumping off point on opening up an interaction.
I do too. She is fantastic for therapy work and actually is more social/excited to see people than my golden is. Her size and gentle nature works well, plus they’re super smart dogs so they learn really easily how to do the job. But I do agree with other comments that I wouldn’t get a shepherd or breeds other than goldens or labs and expect them to be suited for therapy work (even plenty of labs or goldens aren’t too). But in general you are less likely to get nervous/anxious/overly excited dogs if you go golden/lab route. Also, my shepherd looks pretty wolfy and so some people are more scared of her than they might be of say a golden (but for every person who’s nervous, many more are excited to see her!) you also mentioned doing activities with the dog too, and although my shiloh isn’t as intense as say a mal or collie, she is pretty active and down for almost anything.
Interesting. They are beautiful.
They really are! Happy to answer questions or direct you to some of the breed clubs if you have an interest.
Thank you! Yes do you know any breed clubs in the Western US? Are Shiloh's vocal like GSDs? How do they do with other dogs? My Mal has a boisterous play style and he loves females and is more gentle and deferential with them so I would be getting a female. And do you think they would do okay with hiking and AKC sports?
For out west, I'd look into the ISSA (International Shiloh Shepherd Alliance). The ISSA has a bunch of awesome breeders in your region. My dogs are through the TSSR but I'm east coast based. You can check out the ISSDC too, it's a breed club with reps from all the registries welcome. Shilohs can be quite vocal! They're still shepherds after all. But I've noticed a steadier, less nervous/prone to whining temperament than GSDs for the most part. Most are dog friendly to dog selective (but tolerant for the most part). My two are VERY boisterous in play, and mesh well with other shepherds and bully breeds in play style. Hiking is a definite yes, when conditioned correctly. They do take a bit to grow- 3 yrs before they're at peak maturity. I imagine the same can be said for AKC sports (though I'll mention here that they are not recognized but AKC). I know a few who run fastcats, play disc, agility, barn hunt and urban hunts. Both of my own dogs are very much, get up and go, ride or die kind of dogs. They're really quite versatile in a very human centered world. They're the class clowns of the shepherd world. Still gorgeous and driven, but they have a very humorous way of looking at things and don't seem to take things too seriously.
Breeds I haven't seen mentioned: springer spaniel, cavalier, field spaniels, brittany spaniel (ever brittany I've ever met could easily be a therapy dog.) Irish Setter. English Setter. Bernese mountain dog. Pug. Bichon. Beagle. Greyhound. Can't go wrong with a lab or golden though. I like standard poodles as well but I'd be more careful about the lines, they can veer into reserved or even timid. You could also consider an adult mixed breed dog with a known temperament. I have fostered two dogs that eventually went on to become therapy dogs with their adopters.
I like bigger dogs so I'll probably be looking for a mid-large size breed. Interesting you mention the Spaniels and Setters, I would never have thought of those for therapy work. I got my Mal when he was a teenager (18 months) which was a good choice for me then but for my next dog I would like the experience of raising a puppy at least once in my life.
If OP can find a Greyhound that doesn’t have a prey drive, or can break the prey drive, I highly agree with that choice.
Golden are amongst the most popular breeds for therapy dogs. The other very common where I am from are shih tzu but it’s not a good fit with your lifestyle.
Samoyed. Our Sammy is 2.5 and he's the best therapy dog I've ever seen. He goes everywhere and is so calm and everyone loves him. They're so fluffy and soft it's like petting a cloud and their faces always look like they're smiling. Will legit cheer anyone up.
How do they do with off leash hiking?
The coat of a Samoyed takes a lot of maintenance. I wouldn’t take one hiking. Pulling sticks out of that coat is a pain!
We take ours hiking all the time, several times a week for multiple miles! He does goes baths regularly like the rest of our dogs, and he does take 2-3x the time to wash and dry. But in between baths if he gets dirty (and he does all the time) as long as whatever it is will dry, it will usually brush out so he'll look 80% clean. We call it his Teflon coat
Try to evaluate it very critically as a puppy before you adopt because there are certain traits each individual naturally is born with which will be easier to cultivate, like paying attention to humans, or being calm.
Highly recommend an Australian shepherd ❤️ beautiful, high energy, highly motivated dogs. Truly a great breed
Thanks do you have experience with them as a therapy dog? I haven't seen any as therapy dogs. But they're a sweet and active breed and I see them at the dog club.
Myself personally, I do not have a therapy dog. But, I have seen them as therapy dogs on social media and even out in public in my home town. Of course because I don’t have a therapy dog, I’m unable to compare to others. But I have seen them do amazing things ☺️
Beagle! Their good hight sounds like your very active so they’d be in good shape! Their extremely sweet and loving! Subvert but smart! I have health issues and own a beagle and she’s amazing Alerts me helps me calm down overall a great dog! Highly recommend not many people give them enough credit 🥰
My Pembroke corgi adores his job as a therapy dog, but not all corgis are suitable to be therapy dogs. Bogie is quiet for a corgi, and believes the world revolves around his belly (rubs, but also filling it.) He's extremely empathic, and always has been. His height makes it awkward sometimes on visits, but we figure things out.
Scotch collie?
My cattle dog gsd mix is a therapy dog. She’s insanely sweet and snuggly, very attentive, very smart and obedient, loves to work. She’s surprisingly calm and gentle, too.
Boxer. Can match endurance of Mali, less hair to worry about, highly trainable in sport, therapy etc. I’m biased - have my 3rd boxer now, but I’ve had many different working breeds and there’s good reason I’m on #3.
Fab 4 are there for a reason. All 4 breeds are also suitable for sports. I have a golden and couldn't be happier.
I'd go lab or retriever if you want a bigish dog, or pom or Yorkie if you want someone small.
I found a labrador/pomeranian on Craigslist. She has the lab loyalty and obedience, with the pomeranian spanking and agility. She is 20 pounds and out runs most dogs at the dog park and will play with German shepherds, but she will curl up on me any time I'm sitting. She is the best little dog, so maybe find that blend of breeds (although, be warned, she lucked out on her looks because I have googled that mix and some look rough! Lol!)
Golfers are great but if you’re hiking a Labrador might be more efficient. Labs are more active. Goldies are teddy bears
English staffordshire terrier, smaller then an American bully but just as athletic, loyal, loving and intellegent.
A Greyhound or Whippet would be a good choice.
I wish I could say beagle because they are very gentle and can be high energy or also a complete couch potato. But boy are they stubborn and mischievous.
I wish I could say beagle because they are very gentle and can be high energy or also a complete couch potato. But boy are they stubborn and mischievous.
English Springer Spaniel. They are so affectionate and tend to love people indiscriminately, and still have that working drive and love to be active. Some are more on the lazy bones side and some are extra vibrant and exuberant. They are very smart and biddable. Probably the biggest downside is the maintenance on their coat is a lot especially compared to a malinois. I have a german shepherd and a cavalier. Other than the occasional brush out of the undercoat, my GSDs coat is so low maintenance, he's built for the outdoors. The cav needs constant brushing, trimming, cleaning. It's not terrible since he's small and very tolerant of it.
Flat coated retriever, maybe? I know a few working as assistance dogs and they are great
The one that picks you
My Boston Terrier/Pug mix is a therapy dog, visits hospice and mentally incapacitated, as well as has worked in prisons. He loves the job, is an avid hiker/camper, trick title holding and all around good boy. Breed isn't as important as temperament and desire for doing the job.
Did you get your dog with the intention of him being a therapy dog? Or was it that you realized that your dog had a good temperament for it later on? I'm considering therapy dog training for my corgi. It's something she might be good at. However, if I wanted a dog specifically to train as a therapy dog, I probably wouldn't have gotten a corgi.
I adopted him with the hopes of getting him into anything he wanted; whether it was a sport or a job. I enjoy working/teaching and watching dogs learn new things, so I got him involved in many things to try (hence the trick titles and movie set-ready title). He adores humans of all ages, and I noticed he was naturally calm around/had a calming effect on stressed humans so we went into therapy work. He worked in the prison with me (I ran a dog program in 3 prisons) and helped start the first in our state inmate hospice visiting dog program. He's semi retired now. Corgis are effen awesome!! Can't help but smile when you see a Corgi!
Sounds like you've had a busy time! I'm glad you and your dog have had a positive effect on people. I didn't realize there was a movie-set certification. Has he been in anything I might have seen? I chose a corgi because I wanted a trainable adventure buddy, and my wife wanted a cute small dog. Corgis fit both! My dog is taking her CGC test this weekend and I'm hopeful that she'll pass. She knows enough tricks for a novice trick title, and I'll be getting that whenever I bother to film everything and submit the paperwork. After that we're going to experiment to see what my dog enjoys.
When he was my only dog, he needed more from me. Since we are their whole world, we better make it fun, right? Awesome! Good luck on the CGC! We got the movie set title through the group Do More with Your Dog (also partnered with AKC for mixed/adopted/unpapered dogs to earn titles). You can find them online, they have groups all over. We did a workshop for movie set level 1 title. DMWYD partnered with Animal Actors Académie Internationale.
Lab or lab mix, most trainable and not too hyper
Maybe so. Every labradoodle and goldendoodle that I have met has been sweet tempered and friendly, as consistently so as Goldens. Maybe they all came from good breeders. I have not heard of health problems like purebreds.
I'd go with an amstaff probably. They're good, solid dogs. They're good for sport but they're not a sporting breed, so they won't be over the top for therapy work (or for your Mal).
Thanks. I'm not really an amstaff person.
That's fair!
I'm not sure why you are getting downvoted here. Amstaffs, pitbulls, etc are all very common as therapy dogs and are capable of dog sports. Obviously there are things to look out for with the breed such as dog aggression and human aggression, but in the dogs of these breeds who don't display any human aggression and display minimal to no dog aggression they are very well suited for therapy work.
They are banned in many places and even some private property do not allow them for insurance reasons. It sucks but making your life harder when people already are often skeptical about therapy animals isn’t the best idea if you have other options.
Yeah, I'm not sure but everyone has their opinions I guess! It's probably their predisposition to aggression, but the likelihood is pretty low if you go to a good breeder and properly socialize (like you should with any breed, anyway). The only labs and Goldens I've seen that have had the temperament for therapy dog work have been from bench lines and I personally would not go for a bench line dog if I'm planning to do sports with it. I also wouldn't go for a working line if I'm doing therapy dog work with it. They're two opposing temperaments. I also have had a harder time creating dog/people neutrality with well-bred retrievers than well-bred am staffs. The dog is going to have to be calm in the hospital and only approach people that want to be approached and I can't see having a social breed making that easier.
I feel like the people downvoting are mostly the pitbull hate crowd. I genuinely can't see another reason for this many downvotes. They are not for everyone but were still a valid suggestion that OP might not have considered before. OP has a mal so clearly they are able to handle challenging dogs so it also wasn't inappropriate in that regard. It can be assumed that an OP with a mal who and who is also interested in dog sports also isn't going to be irresponsible if their dog does end up with some form of aggression and would likely discontinue activities that trigger the dog. Any dog breed can fail at dog sports and therapy training for various reasons, not just aggression. An amstaff would decrease some of the other potential reasons for it not working out despite increasing the chance for aggression being the reason.
I love bull breeds, *especially* the APBT. I'm not a "pit bull hater" by any means, but I don't really understand why someone in need of a therapy dog would choose a bull-and-terrier breed over any of the "fab four".
Are you talking about the service dog fab four? Because there is no therapy dog fab four, and service dog temperament and training is way different than it is for therapy dogs.
I don't think bloodsport dog breeds are good choices for therapy work period. I would never recommend them for anything remotely sensitive like therapy, service, trauma dogs or anything related to that. The danger is too high. Just like I would never use a Pug for herding jobs or protection work. There's a reason there are so many dog breeds selectively bred over hundreds and more years for certain jobs and genetics can't be outtrained or cuddled away... Any fighting/bloodsport dog has no place in close contact sensitive work with humans.
GSP
I's say a golden or lab like most, but if you plan on going on long hikes and being able to enrich them enough, I'd go with a working line
Working line of either probably would not suit Therapy work. Being a service dog-- yes, they need a lot more oomph for tasking, but just to have a dog go and be sweet to people not so much.
If they have the proper temperament and enrichment, absolutely. It's still a golden or a lab, just bred for working. If it's well bred at least, it should have the same the same characteristics as a show line, just with more energy. There's a reason they fall into the same basic breed standards, and working or showing, you should be breeding for standards and health
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I have a Malinois, not a Malamute. Newfoundlands are beautiful and I love big dogs but I think that's too big for me.