Golden Retrievers have been among the most popular dog breeds for years. As far as companion dogs, this breed is a huge hit. The Golden Retriever has many amazing qualities and is a top dog breed for a nearly endless list of reasons.
What sets Golden Retrievers apart is their friendly demeanor and gentleness. Goldens are outgoing, trustworthy and eager-to-please pups who do well with pretty much anyone. They’re great family dogs, but are also great working dogs. The Golden Retriever maintains a puppy-like zest for life all throughout adulthood and is very receptive to obedience training, service training, and pretty much any type of training or correction.
Goldies are one of the most common service dog breeds for individuals with disabilities. Their size helps them overcome physical challenges, their temperament makes them a perfect match for their human partners, and their loyalty makes them amazing assistance dogs.
Service dogs must be intelligent, well-focused and friendly, all of which are traits the Golden Retriever possesses. In fact, perhaps the most famous Golden Retriever service dog, Sampson, is a fine example of why Golden Retrievers make excellent service animals. Sampson was trained to work in a lab at the University of Illinois with his owner, Joey Ramp. He even wears his own PPE while he helps his disabled handler do work in his lab.
What are Service Dogs?
The definition of a service dog according to the U.S. Department of Justice as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” On a broader spectrum, a service dog is a trained dog that provides assistance to a person with a disability or impairment. There are many different types of service dogs, which we will discuss later, but all undergo a vigorous training process and are a valued member of society for the assistance they provide to their person.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 gave a more specific definition for service dogs: “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, alerting owners to a panic attack, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties.”
Why Golden Retrievers?
So why Golden Retrievers? To summarize, Golden Retrievers make excellent companion animals, but also great assistance animals, because of their size, temperament, friendliness, and intelligence. They’re one of the most popular service dog breeds for many reasons and have been around for centuries, always providing different kinds of assistance.
Golden Retrievers on average weigh about 55 to 75 pounds and stand between 22 and 24 inches tall, making them a medium to large sized dog by the public. They have multiple color variations, but all fall under the golden category: cream, dark golden, light golden, etc. Their average life expectancy is 10-12 years.
A Golden Retriever has a stockier build, but is still agile and beautiful. Their fur falls at a beautiful length, making them true stunners. They are considering a sporting dog, and as the name retriever implies, have a tendency to retrieve items and things, much like their sister breed, the Labrador Retriever. Unlike a lab coat though, the Golden Retriever’s fut is on the longer side and not quite as water repellent. But energy level wise, the two are very similar. Goldens are loved for their permanent puppy attitude and their general zest for life and ability to remain calm and friendly in all circumstances.
Goldens are extremely trusting and loyal. They love everyone and thrive when they’re learning and doing tasks. They aim to please, making them great mobility assistance dogs and service dogs. Golden Retrievers do well in public, are easy to train, have a lovely personality and make a great best friend.
Golden Retrievers as Service Dogs
Golden Retrievers were first bred by the first Lord Tweedmouth, who developed the breed in the Scottish Highlands during the reign of Queen Victoria. He was on a mission to find the best gundog to use at his estate. Over 50 years, he bred different variations of dogs in search of the best breed possible. Through this breeding, the Golden Retriever was created to fetch waterfowl from hunts, hence the name retriever. By 1908, they were in dog shows and making their way into America.
Goldens are obviously gorgeous, and it’s clear they have an excellent temperament, but what makes them good service dogs? First off, their size gives them an advantage to help people with physical needs, such as balance support, opening doors, etc.
Size isn’t the only great thing about this breed though. It’s their ability to adapt to everything around them. They exude a quiet confidence and a general love for life. They strive to provide help for human needs, and do well in a breeding program, which makes it great for ethical breeding needed for healthy service dogs for an adult candidate.
How to Get a Golden Retriever Service Dog
Are you interested in having a Golden Retriever service dog? Good news, Golden Retrievers are very commonly bred for this sole purpose. They begin training as a puppy and are trained to be excellent service companions.
First, you’ll want to make sure you are able to receive a service dog. Service dogs are only given to people with disabilities that hinder their quality of life. For a psychiatric service dog, you must consult with a licensed mental health professional. This is the only legitimate way to acquire a service dog. For physical disabilities, you must consult with a doctor in your area.
If they recommend a service dog, the next step is finding a service dog for you. Look at rescues in your local area to see if they have any Golden Retrievers or Golden mixes available, or you can purchase a Golden from a breeder or service dog organization. If you adopt one or purchase one from a breeder, you will want to work with a service dog trainer or service dog program training to make sure your pooch becomes the best assistance dog possible.
Look for reputable breeders that stick to the breeds’ standards. This is the best way to ensure you get a Golden Retriever that is healthy and has all the characteristics we love about the popular breed. What makes Golden Retrievers great service dogs is their amazing personality, so we don’t want to sacrifice some of those things for a cheaper price.
Emotional Support Dog vs. Psychiatric Service Dog: What’s the Difference?
While both emotional support dogs and psychiatric service dogs provide emotional and mental support to their owner, only one is a recognized service animal, and that’s a psychiatric service dog. These dogs undergo specialized training and have federally protected rights, such as the right to accompany their owner anywhere, including businesses, schools, non-pet friendly housing, on airplanes, etc. To get a psychiatric service dog, you must be diagnosed with a disability and prescribed a service dog who undergoes vigorous training to support you.
An emotional support dog only requires a letter of recommendation from a doctor. They are a pet who offers mental and emotional benefits to their owner. They can’t accompany their owners in public places, nor do they have access on flights, in schools, etc. and have no federally protected rights. Dogs and cats are the most common types of ESAs, but any animal has the chance to become an ESA with a doctor’s note.
It is very important to recognize the difference between these two types of dogs. Service dogs wear vests to set themselves apart, as they have a very important job and should be recognized as working dogs. Pretending a dog is a service dog is actually illegal in 20+ states and is very damaging to service dogs’ reputations. It makes life for people with disabilities much harder, and poses a challenge to service dog owners, making the conditions of service dogs worse.
Conclusion
Now you see why Golden Retrievers are such a beloved breed, not only as pets, but also as service animals. Their gorgeous coat and all-star personality make them an easy candidate to become service dogs.
Are you looking for a psychiatric service dog?
Here at CertaPet, we can help. CertaPet is an online telehealth platform that improves access to mental health care in the U.S. with a focus on providing services to individuals who are seeking animal assisted interventions as part of their treatment plan.
We are currently coordinating with dog trainers who specialize in the service animal space and who will soon work in tandem with our network of licensed mental health professionals to make the process of getting and training a psychiatric service dog affordable, convenient, and hassle-free. We’ll have more information available soon about our Psychiatric Service Dog Training options. In the meantime, you can take our FREE pre-screening below to see if you qualify for a PSD!
FAQs
Why do Golden Retrievers make such great service dogs?
Golden Retrievers are highly intelligent, friendly, loyal, obedient, driven and much more, making them a great service dog.
How do I get a psychiatric service dog?
First, you must consult with a mental health professional to see if you qualify. If you are diagnosed with a mental disability, you will begin your search for a dog and begin training
What can a Golden Retriever service dog do for me?
This breed is very versatile! They can be trained to do anything: calm anxiety attacks, fetch medicine, work as a seeing eye dog, alert to seizures, and much more.
