Some dogs are more than just pets! They serve as confidants, companions, and support systems in times of stress. Their sensitive nature and high emotional intelligence enable them to sense their owner’s mood and respond accordingly.
These empathetic pooches are highly intuitive and capable of forming deep bonds with their owners. They perceive emotional cues efficiently and mirror the feelings of their loved ones. Such breeds make excellent companions for individuals who need emotional support.
Emotionally sensitive breeds serve as therapy dogs for people suffering from anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges like autism spectrum disorder. According to research, around 67% of families with autistic children owned a dog.
Here are some special needs sensitive dog breeds you need to know.
Special Needs Sensitive Dog Breeds You Need To Know
1. Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers have been America’s most popular dogs for several decades. Their sunny disposition and ability to form strong bonds with their owners make them one of the best dog breeds for emotional support.
Having a friendly nature, lots of patience, and an easy-going personality, Goldens serve as good service dogs for people with health issues. These incredibly loving and kind pooches excel at breaking the ice, helping those with special needs find new confidence to interact.
Due to their calm nature, high trainability, and intelligence, Golden Retrievers are often considered best for autistic children. They are like best friends who respond to the emotional needs of people and make ideal companions.
2. Pug
Just having a look at their smooshed faces makes you smile. Pugs are adorable little pooches with an affectionate nature and a desire to always stay by your side. These personality traits make them ideal emotional support dogs who offer comfort and loyalty to distressed individuals.
If you are looking for a canine companion, a confidant who will accompany you everywhere, you should adopt a Pug. Their compact size and laid-back nature mean you can easily carry them wherever you want.
These sensitive pooches can sense your mood and lift it with their goofy and playful antics. Pugs are special, not only because of their expressive eyes and flat muzzle, but also due to their empathetic personality.
Pugs make perfect companions for children with autism. Plus, if you are having social anxiety, your Pug can be your comfort blanket.
3. Bichon Frise
These hypoallergenic furry friends excel as emotional support dogs due to their cheerful and affectionate nature. Their easy-going personality and tendency to stay close to their people benefit those with anxiety, autism, and other mental health problems.
Bichon Frise are small fellows who can adapt to various living environments, be it an apartment or a spacious house. These loving dogs make superb snuggle companions and lap dogs. Bichons are very smart and live to please their owners.
They can quickly figure out how to manipulate their owners, and it is simply adorable. Bichons have a gentle nature, and they love to play. They have moderate exercise needs and require lots of attention and affection to be happy, explains PetMD.
4. Maltese
Maltese is a playful and gentle canine with an adaptable nature and the ability to thrive in different environments. Their loving nature, low-maintenance needs, and hypoallergenic coat make them perfect as service dogs.
Currently, Maltese have been providing comfort and support to people in nursing homes, schools, and hospices. They have also been serving as empathetic companions for individuals with learning disabilities.
Their personality traits, like patience, friendliness, and confidence, enable them to excel as therapy dogs. These small white dogs are highly intelligent, so you can train them to open low cabinet doors and retrieve objects.
In response to a Quora thread, “What therapeutic effects can a little pet dog like a Maltese provide to its owner?” Jill Knight explained that her Maltese dogs made loving companions through good times, family tragedies, and the death of her husband.
5. Poodle
Poodles are intelligent dogs who can sense changes in their owner’s mood. Their adaptable nature and trainability make them ideal emotional support dogs for people with anxiety, panic attacks, or health problems like seizures.
Their high trainability allows them to learn quickly and understand commands related to emotional support tasks. Poodles have a hypoallergenic coat, so they can also serve as therapy dogs for people suffering from allergies.
Poodles are alert and people-oriented. They form strong bonds with their family members. However, smaller Poodles can be aggressive towards other dogs or people outside their family. So, Hill’s Pet recommends early socialization for these pooches.
6. Havanese
These little extroverts are known for their bubbly personalities. Havanese are highly intelligent and affectionate dogs with a heart of gold. This, combined with their sweet nature, makes them wonderful therapy dogs.
Havanese are lovey-dovey canines who enjoy the company of their favorite humans. They are cheerful and responsive, without being overly energetic. Havanese are great with strangers and open up to them.
Havanese dogs are naturally attuned to human emotions. Their trainability and ability to connect emotionally with their owners make them a perfect fit for people suffering from anxiety, panic attacks, and PTSD.
These cute dogs can learn to give a kiss, retrieve valuable items, and even provide deep pressure therapy to their humans.
7. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels rock as therapy dogs. They are gentle and affectionate and form strong bonds with their humans. Cavaliers thrive on human companionship and are attuned to human emotions. Their empathetic nature makes them ideal service dogs.
Their soulful eyes and melting expressions provide comfort to stressed individuals. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels get along nicely with everyone, including new faces. The American Kennel Club rates them four out of five in openness towards strangers.
Their intuitive sense enables them to draw a person out of their daily routine and feel happy. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels can adapt to most spaces, from small apartments to large homes. They are one of the best breeds to accomplish as therapy dogs.
8. Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are one of the most sensitive breeds out there. These gentle and overtly friendly dogs have a strong desire to please their humans. Labs love warm hugs and love playing with kids and interacting with other animals.
They are often considered the “go-to” for assistance dogs. Labs are often the top choice as pets for people with vision, hearing, or mobility challenges. Their intelligence and trainability also make them one of the best breeds for children with autism.
They have a natural ability to retrieve objects, so you can train them to pick up things or bring important items like your phone. These enthusiastic and athletic doggos love human interaction. Labs have the energy to serve as working dogs and the calm to make amazing family dogs.
Conclusion
Some special dog breeds can sense their owners’ moods and respond to them. They offer comfort and companionship to people suffering from anxiety, depression, panic attacks, autism, and other health problems.
These pooches serve as excellent therapy dogs and emotional support animals. Their intelligence, eagerness to please, and trainability mean they can be trained as assistance dogs. They can help their owners run errands and retrieve objects.
