The Labrador Retriever as a Service Dog

When you think of Service Dogs, we bet the breed that appears in your mind is a Labrador Retriever, and maybe it's gently leading someone who is sight-impaired down the street.

Several other breeds excel at this work, too, but Labradors reign supreme.

And yes, they make excellent guide dogs, but they can do so much more under the "service" umbrella.

Let's look at why Labradors make such excellent working dogs and what type of jobs they perform.

Chocolate lab, English style

Why Labradors Lead the Way?

All Labs can make great Service Dogs. Because of their unmatched versatility, there is a lab for any and every job.

On our page that covers the differences between the two types, English vs American, it quickly becomes apparent why this is so.

They are calmer than their American cousins, have better manners, better attention spans, and don't need as much exercise.

Characteristics:

Let's not beat about the bush! These traits precisely describe why the Labrador Retriever is one of the top, if not THE top, breeds selected to be Service Dogs.

  •  Gentle
  • Friendly
  • Affectionate
  • Enthusiastic
  • Eager to please
  • Easy going
  • Loyal - and like to stay close to their owners
  • Protective but not aggressive
  • Active
  • Outgoing
  • Versatile
  • Intelligent and train easily
  • Good with children and other dogs
  • Bred to be a working dog, so enjoy a job or activity for stimulation
  • Sturdy and strong- can push a handler out of danger if need be

    • These qualities make Labradors exceptional pets and the best workers! And humans know exactly how to get the best out of them.

    udonstar's-service-dogs

    Born to Train

    The reason Labs make such great Service Dogs is that they're super bright and love to train and learn. They're also eager to please and love food! Positive reinforcement training with yummy treats will be a breeze!

    Working Labradors start their training as puppies, of course, when their active brains are at their best for learning and the time for socialization is optimal.

    This is a crucial time for the dog to get used to different people and animals and feel comfortable with different surfaces, with unfamiliar noises, and in different environments.

    Once socialization and basic training are down, the older pups than learn the skills they will need in the jobs they are chosen for.

    For example, lab puppies that will assist disabled people get paired up with their humans and trained as a team.

    All In a Day's Work

    So, what does a Service Dog do? A better question might be - what DON'T they do?

    In their role as Assistance Dogs, our beautiful Labrador Retrievers:

  • Guide the blind or sight-impaired - it's the role they're perhaps best known for. They help their humans have more freedom, be more independent, and provide companionship.
  • Aid the deaf or hearing-impaired by alerting them to sounds like the doorbell, telephone, fire alarms, crying babies, and more.
  • Help the disabled stay independent by performing tasks they might not be able to. They can pick up dropped items, fetch the mail, help their owners get dressed, retrieve items from the fridge, open doors, turn switches on and off, activate pedestrian crossings - the list goes on.
  • Become therapy dogs. Lab owners who want to share the love go through training with their dogs in order to take them into places such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and even prisons. It's impossible to know who benefits the most from these visits - the owner, the dog, or the people they go to see. Some kind of animal magic occurs between all three, and healing ensues.
  • Master the art of medical detection to warn owners of health problems and emergencies. With their excellent noses, Labs can recognize impending seizures, drops in blood sugar, and even cancer.
  • Train to be Emotional Support Animals (ESAs). Therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists now prescribe ESAs to help people with mental and emotional issues.
    • udonstars-magnum-service-dog

    That's Not All, Labrador Retrievers Can Do More!!

    Top points to consider:

    Mom and Dad

    Labradors help all kinds of organizations with their superior sense of smell and tracking capabilities. They have become invaluable team members to:

  • The Military - Labs are not the first breed that comes to mind when you think about military dogs, but think again! They can detect land mines and explosives and search out wounded personnel.
  • The Police - not all police dogs are German Shepherds! Labs can track criminals and detect weapons, explosives, and drugs.
  • Customs Agents - Labs can sniff out drugs and other illegal and dangerous materials. Very handy!
  • Search and Rescues - Labradors help find people trapped inside rubble after natural and man-made disasters, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, or acts of war. They can also track people lost in the wilderness or buried inside avalanches. It's that nose again! It's unstoppable!
  • Pest control companies now use Labs to find, of all things, bed bugs! Who knew!

    • This Is Why We Love 'Em!

    You're probably reading this page on this website because you're considering getting a Labrador Retriever for a family pet - and you couldn't go wrong!

    But we also have raised quite a number of service dogs. Some of our dogs work as assistance dogs, emotional support lab, PTSD Labrador, and therapy dogs.

     

    Of course, we're biased because Labradors are our whole lives. We devote ourselves to raising the healthiest and best Lab puppies possible. But we think you'll agree - they're pretty special.

    Do you need a Labrador retriever as a service dog?

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    Every year, we have a few labs in our junior training program. Please check out our page for trained Labradors and available adult labs.