A List of 6 Dog Breeds That Can Help Curb Anxiety and Mental Issues

Statistics say that one out of every five Americans is going through a type of mental illness. If you are one of these people who is dealing with a mental issue, the good news is that getting a dog can help you cope with your overall situation. Studies have shown that simply spending time with your dog can help decrease depression, anxiety and even combat loneliness. 

If you are thinking about getting an emotional service dog, you may be wondering about the factors to consider before choosing a dog. Fortunately, almost any dog breed will be able to help people cope with mental health issues. Read on to find out more about which breed may be the right one for your case!

Dog Breeds That Can Help Curb Anxiety and Mental Issues

An emotional service animal, or ESA, can significantly help a person dealing with mental health issues when they are outside their home. If you already own a dog whom you love, you may opt to get it trained to offer the additional mental health assistance you need. If you are thinking about adopting a dog to become your ESA or trained psychiatric service dog, there are some considerations you may want to make before deciding which one to get.

Breeds That Help with Anxiety

Larger dog breeds tend to be better at offering help for anxiety, while smaller breeds may be more efficient at offering emotional support. Here are five of the top choices for psychiatric service dogs. 

1 – Labrador Retriever

These dogs are often referred to as “America’s Favorite Dog.” They are known to be highly affectionate and can be excellent service dogs. They are incredibly loving, which is an excellent quality to look for in a service dog for anxiety. 

2 – Golden Retriever

This breed is particularly outgoing and relatively easy to please. These dogs are particularly fun and playful, which can be wonderful qualities for an ESA. However, if you are looking for a dog to train to become a service dog for anxiety, it is crucial that the dog must not be apprehensive when it deals with people, especially with the person who needs emotional support. 

3 – Standard Poodle

Standard poodles, including most other poodle breeds, such as the Labradoodle or Goldendoodle, are intelligent and fairly easy to train. However, one downside to this breed is that they may be a little anxious when going out in public.

Breeds That Help with Mental Issues

1- Yorkshire Terrier

You’re probably familiar with Yorkies considering how they often function as service or support animals. They’re tiny enough that they can be taken anywhere dogs are welcome, which is important to specific mental health issues as per the Psychiatric Service Dog Society. They also never fail with their lap duty, giving their owners the chance to embrace them. 

2 – Basset Hound

The basset hound is one of the smaller dog breeds that provide great emotional support! They are agreeable and highly loyal to their owners, which is a good combination for a small service dog. 

3 – Border Collie

Border collies are as smart as they come. They are affectionate and can be easily trained. Since they’re a herding dog by nature, they will also give you the motivation to move even during times when you don’t feel like it. Those who suffer from depression can benefit from having border collies as their companion, given how they provide grounding and physical comfort, too. 

Conclusion

Whether you choose to adopt a dog from the pound or buy one from a pet shop, you will find that you will be able to live your best life when you choose to share your life with a furry friend. Your anxiety will be curbed and at the same time, you will make a difference in the life of an affectionate furbaby. 
If you are looking for tips on properly training your pet to become a service animal, read more dog articles on The Pets People! We aim to provide practical, real-life ideas and training tips to assist you in taking care of your pet. We wish to supply a solid library of comprehensive content covering many different subjects and pet animals such as cats, dogs, puppies, kittens, and small pet critters. Our group includes writers, independent consultants, and advisers from the pets sector to offer informative articles filled with valuable insights.