Due to the misinformation regarding emotional support animals, service dogs, and therapy dogs, we have provided a brief summary of the role and rights afforded to each type of animal in the United States.
**Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)**
ESAs are animals prescribed by a medical professional to support a patient with a disability. They are only recognized in the United States.
* ESAs are only granted rights through the [Fair Housing Act](https://www.justice.gov/crt/fair-housing-act-2). ESAs are no longer allowed in-cabin on planes. ESAs are **NOT** granted access to public buildings, restaurants, stores, etc.
* ESAs are prescribed by a therapist, psychiatrist, psychologist, or doctor as part of an ongoing plan to treat or manage a federally recognized disability. Online registration options for ESAs are scams and not legally recognized.
* An ESA must be requested as part of a reasonable accommodation for a disability with a letter from the prescribing medical professional demonstrating the need for the accommodation to be granted housing rights. These housing rights do not exist in the case of the [The “Mrs. Murphy” Exception](https://fairhousing.foxrothschild.com/2010/06/articles/fha-basics/the-mrs-murphy-exemption-to-the-fair-housing-act/). Landlords cannot legally require you to pay a 'pet deposit' or charge 'pet rent' for your ESA because they are not considered pets. However, they can require that you pay for repairs if your ESA causes damage to the property.
* ESAs can be any animal it is legal to own, for example: dogs, cats, guinea pigs and miniature horses. They are most commonly dogs.
* **Calling your pet an ESA to get around no-pet accommodation, breed bans, or airline restrictions is immoral and illegal. It makes it much harder for legitimate ESA teams to be taken seriously.**
**Service Dogs (SDs)**
SDs are a worldwide, legally protected medical aid which provide a range of tasks or work to help disabled people. The following discusses information specific to the US. Please check your country’s laws if you live outside of the US.
* SDs are not used solely by the blind. SDs can assist those with a wide range of disabilities including physical (eg. fibromyalgia), sensory (eg. deafness), psychiatric (eg. PTSD), developmental (eg. autism) and neurological (eg. brain injury).
* SDs can be trained by programs or by their owners (owner-trained).
* SDs must perform at least one task to mitigate their owner's disability/ies. Things which do not count as work or tasks include: emotional support, being calmed by the animal's presence, or giving 'kisses' on command. Some examples of tasks can be found [here](http://www.iaadp.org/tasks.html).
* SDs can legally enter almost any no-pet place. Exceptions include sterile environments, places where it would be dangerous to the SD or others for them to be there (such as some exhibits in zoos), and food preparation areas.
* Any SD can be legally asked to leave an establishment if their behavior is disruptive. For example, if they bark at customers, damage goods, or eliminate on the floor.
* There are no nationwide or statewide registries for SDs. None. Some SDs are provided by programs, but the programs themselves are not official registries as SDs come from a variety of places. SDs are also not required to wear a vest or harness.
* The only questions legally allowed to be asked of a service dog handler when entering an establishment are: 1) "Is that animal required because of a disability?" 2) "What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?" If the handler does not answer these questions appropriately, the animal may be restricted from entering or asked to leave.
* In order to rent/own a dwelling that has a 'no-pets' clause with an SD, a reasonable accommodation must be requested from the landlord. If your disability and/or your disability-related need for the SD is not evident, information must be provided to the landlord detailing this (for example, a letter from a medical professional). Landlords cannot legally require you to pay a 'pet deposit' or charge 'pet rent' for your SD because they are not considered pets. However, they can require that you pay for repairs if your SD causes damage to the property.
* Many states do not protect the rights of service dogs in training.
* Service animals also do not have to be dogs. Federally, miniature horses are also granted rights as a service animal. Some state laws grant rights to even more animals.
* In 19 states (and counting) it is illegal to present your pet as a service dog when it is just a pet or an ESA. Faking a SD to get around no-pet housing, take your pet to the store, or bring your pet to college makes it much harder for legitimate SD teams to live their lives and poses a serious danger to the public.
**Therapy animals**
Therapy animals are animals (primarily dogs) trained by their owner to provide therapeutic support to others. They go to places such as schools, nursing homes, and hospitals to relieve stress, build people’s confidence, and promote emotional health. They do not provide support or assistance to their owner.
---
If you require emotional support through the presence of an animal, you should look into ESAs. If you require ways to alleviate your disability, you should look into service dogs. If you wish to volunteer with your dog to help others, you should look into therapy dogs. Further information can be found [here](https://adata.org/publication/service-animals-booklet), [here](https://www.animallaw.info/article/faqs-emotional-support-animals) and [here](http://servicedogcentral.org/content/).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I second the working line or American lab. I had one. She was incredibly smart, had energy to rival a border collie, and was easy to train. They're incredibly sweet and love snuggles, and also love water. My cousin had a lab who would dive for rocks. When trained well they have excellent recall and can easily go off lead in places it's allowed. They're also excellent search and rescue dogs and as far as I'm concerned they're the reason dogs are called man's best friend.
Any reason you don't want another lab? A well bred lab is a great companion, and more than capable of being trained for tasks and sports. A golden might be good option, too.
Additionally, given your interest in dog sports, I'd encourage you to try some out with your existing border collie! Most pet dogs can do noncompetitive and entry level sports of all kinds, so I'd encourage you to go out and try some and see how you like them! That could help inform your choice in a second dog as well, as you will know whether the sports are something YOU enjoy and can commit to. There's probably a local club in your area that has beginner or foundation classes in something like scent work, dock diving, or agility
we’re planning to let our BC try all the sports they offer to find what he likes best when we finish moving and settle in. probably gonna be disc or maybe dock diving haha.
in regards to the lab, i have nothing against the breed but it honestly just feels like i would be trying to replace my first dog. i know its silly but i was completely blindsided so another dog that looks just like him hurts to think about ya know?
Totally understand. Grief is real. In that case, some other dogs that may work for you would be an English springer spaniel, an Australian shepherd, or a collie (smooth or rough)! All of these are highly biddable dogs that can be highly versatile for a lot of different kinds of training.
English Labrador retriever from a breeder with show blood lines. I work for a breeder who does just this. and your criteria is very fitting. These dogs are just incredible. Extremely playful but will sleep with u all day if that’s what you want. They will be active for hours they will snuggle and they are extremely empathetic animals. Very confident and well rounded with strangers and neutral. Easy to train because they are so eager to please. The breeder I work for has titled champions that are perfect representations for the breed. They are otherworldly dogs.
It sounds like you want a herding dog, but be aware they are little yappers when they’re babies. I would say a sheltie but you don’t want to brush, but I’m biased since those are one of my all time favorite breeds. I honestly think a corgi or another border collie would be best. Corgis are stubborn little guys but they’re very smart and easy to train.
Edit: since you’re going through a breeder make sure they’re AKC verified. Backyard breeders can cause a lot of health issues for their puppies & contribute to shelters overflowing
ooh i hadn’t thought to look into Corgi’s yet. I’ll definitely be looking for an AKC verified breeder when it’s time. thank you for taking the time out of your day to respond to me!
I'm biased, as I have one myself, but have you considered a Vizsla?
Unfortunately, they shed but their coat is short and a good vacuum cleaner can deal with it. Other than that, they don't need grooming. The breed is basically scentless and I've had to bathe my boy a single time in the last 2 years (because he rolled in something nasty). They clean themselves like cats!
"Downsides", like their prey drive making it a little more difficult to have them run off-leash wouldn't be an issue with the amount of time you're planning on training the dog and the activites you're interested in. They are super smart and I think owning a border collie gives you quite some experience in what it means to own a working dog breed. My Vizsla lives in an apartment in the city center with me. There are many alternatives to active hunting that tire these dogs out just as well.
While (like with every breed) there can be certain individuals that are more independent, the Vizsla is as snuggly as dogs come. They want to be with their humans whenever they can and they want to be CLOSE to them.
Sorry, but I could go on and on 😅
99% of the time people we encounter show interest in the breed, I tell them to NOT get a Vizsla. The amount of time your willing to devote exceeds the time my boy gets and I'm loving your willingness to try new dog sports. Vizslas are amazing at scent work.
Honestly, all you've provided a solution to most of the "issues" you could run into with this breed when answering the questionnaire. They don't love to be alone, but you have another dog already. That your collie likely is a good match engery-wise is a bonus.
What gets me most though, is this:
SNUGGLY CUDDLE BUG. I want to be my dogs favorite person and I want them to want to sit at my feet and sleep on my lap a lot of the time. Of course everyone needs their own space but more cuddly than not is important to me.
You will be your Vizslas favourite person and that bond will make training so much more enjoyable. Of course you're still dealing with a working dog, but the reward is so, so big once they grow up.
oh i have looked at Viszla’s before! i didn’t realize how little grooming they actually needed. is there a particular breeder you would recommend looking into?
I don't know where you are located, but mine is from a hungarian breeder with a pretty good reputation. I'd be happy to send you the details :)
She prefers to give pups to active hunters, but I'm certain you would get one when she hears about your ambitions!
Ngl, I think she was pretty sceptical when I first applied. I was completely honest with her and while I dedicate a lot of time to my dog, instead of ending up with a hunter, he now lives with a single woman in her 30s who treats him like she birthed him - and he loves it!🥰🥰
My vote would be a lab/golden mix. We puppy-raise for Guide Dogs of America and the mix seems to work the best (they have their own geneticists who determine the breeding) and the dogs are extremely train-able. If you live near a Guide Dog facility that raises their own, you might look into being a puppy raiser. Yes, the goal is to have the dog from 8 weeks to 16 or so months old, then it goes in for full training.
However, a sizable percentage get “career changed” for whatever reason and the puppy raiser is given first dibs on their pup… but you have to understand the goal is to get the dog into full training and be a service animal. More than likely, you’ll be giving the dog up, but at some point, you may well be offered to keep one.
We’re on our second - both are lovely dogs, our first is in the matching process now, having completed all training. Our second is 11 months old and a total teenager. Yes, we cried giving up the first, but she’s going to help a veteran with PTSD or a child with autism… and that makes it worth it.
OP:
>would like to teach service type tasks like fetching objects by name, alerting to a specific trigger, DPT (deep pressure therapy) among others, but the dog wouldn’t be an official service dog.
They want a dog that can do service dog type tasks
Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Guide Dog Foundation, The Seeing Eye, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Guide Dogs of America, Pilot Dogs, etc. breed Labs, Goldens and Lab x Golden crosses. Lab x Golden crosses are often superior guide dogs.
These schools have long standing (many decades) breeding programs with extremely high criteria. They breed for intelligence, health and exceptional temperament. Guide dog organization are big on records and stats with the goal of producing better dogs with the highest success rates.
Not all pups produced by their breeding programs will be suitable for guide dog work. Even the "rejects" are exceptional dogs with amazing temperaments. The puppy raisers get first dibs, some are diverted to service dogs organization and then there's a few that are up for adoption.
There's a gazillion terrible breeders of mixed breed dogs. The various guide dog breeding programs are not in that group. They are about as reputable as they come.
Okay. I was simply responding with a suggestion. But are you calling lab/golden crosses mutts? If that’s your take, sure, your opinion. But they make excellent service dogs, either for the blind or for a person with PTSD or autism. And GDA is very reputable and well respected.
oh being a puppy raiser sounds so great! i live a little too far away for them but i’ll definitely be looking into a lab golden mix and keep an eye out for the future to maybe get a chance at volunteering for them. thank you so much for commenting and giving me such good insight!
You might also reach out and see if they have a list for “failures” that the raiser doesn’t keep. They will still be great, well-trained dogs, just maybe a titch too excitable, lack of attention span, treat-distracted or whatever to be a guide dog (which still means they are super well-behaved).
OP wants to purchase a dog from a reputable breeder- which will almost always eliminate “poodle mix” breeders. Also- OP noted not wanting to deal with poodle like coats- which would be another reason to avoid a berner/poodle mix.
Rescue a dog. Going through a breeder could pose even more potential health issues with your pet. Breeders use and abuse animals for monetary gain.
Your reasoning for not rescuing is health issues but that’s the exact opposite. You’re getting more for your money if you get a mixed breed. Based on the well-established principle of “hybrid vigor,” a mixed-breed animal is likely to live longer and cost less in vet bills than a pure breed. Many purebred dogs are prone to developing health problems ranging from breathing difficulties to hip dysplasia to an enlarged heart.
Stop spreading misinformation. Quality breeders breed out potential health issues which can ultimately lead to much healthier dogs. They also do not do it for monetary gain and most don't even make any significant amount of money from it. Stop conflating backyard breeders with quality ones.
Breeders are essentially hobbyists. Many breed dogs just because they're passionate about the breed, not because of money.
It's not true that mutts suffer less health issues (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/mixed-breed-purebred-health/), they just have sometimes different health issues. Responsible breeders check for health conditions, accidental litters and back yard breeders— don't.
Due to the misinformation regarding emotional support animals, service dogs, and therapy dogs, we have provided a brief summary of the role and rights afforded to each type of animal in the United States. **Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)** ESAs are animals prescribed by a medical professional to support a patient with a disability. They are only recognized in the United States. * ESAs are only granted rights through the [Fair Housing Act](https://www.justice.gov/crt/fair-housing-act-2). ESAs are no longer allowed in-cabin on planes. ESAs are **NOT** granted access to public buildings, restaurants, stores, etc. * ESAs are prescribed by a therapist, psychiatrist, psychologist, or doctor as part of an ongoing plan to treat or manage a federally recognized disability. Online registration options for ESAs are scams and not legally recognized. * An ESA must be requested as part of a reasonable accommodation for a disability with a letter from the prescribing medical professional demonstrating the need for the accommodation to be granted housing rights. These housing rights do not exist in the case of the [The “Mrs. Murphy” Exception](https://fairhousing.foxrothschild.com/2010/06/articles/fha-basics/the-mrs-murphy-exemption-to-the-fair-housing-act/). Landlords cannot legally require you to pay a 'pet deposit' or charge 'pet rent' for your ESA because they are not considered pets. However, they can require that you pay for repairs if your ESA causes damage to the property. * ESAs can be any animal it is legal to own, for example: dogs, cats, guinea pigs and miniature horses. They are most commonly dogs. * **Calling your pet an ESA to get around no-pet accommodation, breed bans, or airline restrictions is immoral and illegal. It makes it much harder for legitimate ESA teams to be taken seriously.** **Service Dogs (SDs)** SDs are a worldwide, legally protected medical aid which provide a range of tasks or work to help disabled people. The following discusses information specific to the US. Please check your country’s laws if you live outside of the US. * SDs are not used solely by the blind. SDs can assist those with a wide range of disabilities including physical (eg. fibromyalgia), sensory (eg. deafness), psychiatric (eg. PTSD), developmental (eg. autism) and neurological (eg. brain injury). * SDs can be trained by programs or by their owners (owner-trained). * SDs must perform at least one task to mitigate their owner's disability/ies. Things which do not count as work or tasks include: emotional support, being calmed by the animal's presence, or giving 'kisses' on command. Some examples of tasks can be found [here](http://www.iaadp.org/tasks.html). * SDs can legally enter almost any no-pet place. Exceptions include sterile environments, places where it would be dangerous to the SD or others for them to be there (such as some exhibits in zoos), and food preparation areas. * Any SD can be legally asked to leave an establishment if their behavior is disruptive. For example, if they bark at customers, damage goods, or eliminate on the floor. * There are no nationwide or statewide registries for SDs. None. Some SDs are provided by programs, but the programs themselves are not official registries as SDs come from a variety of places. SDs are also not required to wear a vest or harness. * The only questions legally allowed to be asked of a service dog handler when entering an establishment are: 1) "Is that animal required because of a disability?" 2) "What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?" If the handler does not answer these questions appropriately, the animal may be restricted from entering or asked to leave. * In order to rent/own a dwelling that has a 'no-pets' clause with an SD, a reasonable accommodation must be requested from the landlord. If your disability and/or your disability-related need for the SD is not evident, information must be provided to the landlord detailing this (for example, a letter from a medical professional). Landlords cannot legally require you to pay a 'pet deposit' or charge 'pet rent' for your SD because they are not considered pets. However, they can require that you pay for repairs if your SD causes damage to the property. * Many states do not protect the rights of service dogs in training. * Service animals also do not have to be dogs. Federally, miniature horses are also granted rights as a service animal. Some state laws grant rights to even more animals. * In 19 states (and counting) it is illegal to present your pet as a service dog when it is just a pet or an ESA. Faking a SD to get around no-pet housing, take your pet to the store, or bring your pet to college makes it much harder for legitimate SD teams to live their lives and poses a serious danger to the public. **Therapy animals** Therapy animals are animals (primarily dogs) trained by their owner to provide therapeutic support to others. They go to places such as schools, nursing homes, and hospitals to relieve stress, build people’s confidence, and promote emotional health. They do not provide support or assistance to their owner. --- If you require emotional support through the presence of an animal, you should look into ESAs. If you require ways to alleviate your disability, you should look into service dogs. If you wish to volunteer with your dog to help others, you should look into therapy dogs. Further information can be found [here](https://adata.org/publication/service-animals-booklet), [here](https://www.animallaw.info/article/faqs-emotional-support-animals) and [here](http://servicedogcentral.org/content/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Smooth collie, flat coat retriever, or a working line lab might fit (working line animals tend to run smaller/leaner than show lines).
Came here to say a smooth collie was going to be my suggestion too!
Same!
i’ll look into all 3! thank you so much for commenting and giving me suggestions!
I second the working line or American lab. I had one. She was incredibly smart, had energy to rival a border collie, and was easy to train. They're incredibly sweet and love snuggles, and also love water. My cousin had a lab who would dive for rocks. When trained well they have excellent recall and can easily go off lead in places it's allowed. They're also excellent search and rescue dogs and as far as I'm concerned they're the reason dogs are called man's best friend.
Any reason you don't want another lab? A well bred lab is a great companion, and more than capable of being trained for tasks and sports. A golden might be good option, too. Additionally, given your interest in dog sports, I'd encourage you to try some out with your existing border collie! Most pet dogs can do noncompetitive and entry level sports of all kinds, so I'd encourage you to go out and try some and see how you like them! That could help inform your choice in a second dog as well, as you will know whether the sports are something YOU enjoy and can commit to. There's probably a local club in your area that has beginner or foundation classes in something like scent work, dock diving, or agility
we’re planning to let our BC try all the sports they offer to find what he likes best when we finish moving and settle in. probably gonna be disc or maybe dock diving haha. in regards to the lab, i have nothing against the breed but it honestly just feels like i would be trying to replace my first dog. i know its silly but i was completely blindsided so another dog that looks just like him hurts to think about ya know?
Totally understand. Grief is real. In that case, some other dogs that may work for you would be an English springer spaniel, an Australian shepherd, or a collie (smooth or rough)! All of these are highly biddable dogs that can be highly versatile for a lot of different kinds of training.
English Labrador retriever from a breeder with show blood lines. I work for a breeder who does just this. and your criteria is very fitting. These dogs are just incredible. Extremely playful but will sleep with u all day if that’s what you want. They will be active for hours they will snuggle and they are extremely empathetic animals. Very confident and well rounded with strangers and neutral. Easy to train because they are so eager to please. The breeder I work for has titled champions that are perfect representations for the breed. They are otherworldly dogs.
It sounds like you want a herding dog, but be aware they are little yappers when they’re babies. I would say a sheltie but you don’t want to brush, but I’m biased since those are one of my all time favorite breeds. I honestly think a corgi or another border collie would be best. Corgis are stubborn little guys but they’re very smart and easy to train. Edit: since you’re going through a breeder make sure they’re AKC verified. Backyard breeders can cause a lot of health issues for their puppies & contribute to shelters overflowing
ooh i hadn’t thought to look into Corgi’s yet. I’ll definitely be looking for an AKC verified breeder when it’s time. thank you for taking the time out of your day to respond to me!
I'm biased, as I have one myself, but have you considered a Vizsla? Unfortunately, they shed but their coat is short and a good vacuum cleaner can deal with it. Other than that, they don't need grooming. The breed is basically scentless and I've had to bathe my boy a single time in the last 2 years (because he rolled in something nasty). They clean themselves like cats! "Downsides", like their prey drive making it a little more difficult to have them run off-leash wouldn't be an issue with the amount of time you're planning on training the dog and the activites you're interested in. They are super smart and I think owning a border collie gives you quite some experience in what it means to own a working dog breed. My Vizsla lives in an apartment in the city center with me. There are many alternatives to active hunting that tire these dogs out just as well. While (like with every breed) there can be certain individuals that are more independent, the Vizsla is as snuggly as dogs come. They want to be with their humans whenever they can and they want to be CLOSE to them.
Sorry, but I could go on and on 😅 99% of the time people we encounter show interest in the breed, I tell them to NOT get a Vizsla. The amount of time your willing to devote exceeds the time my boy gets and I'm loving your willingness to try new dog sports. Vizslas are amazing at scent work. Honestly, all you've provided a solution to most of the "issues" you could run into with this breed when answering the questionnaire. They don't love to be alone, but you have another dog already. That your collie likely is a good match engery-wise is a bonus. What gets me most though, is this: SNUGGLY CUDDLE BUG. I want to be my dogs favorite person and I want them to want to sit at my feet and sleep on my lap a lot of the time. Of course everyone needs their own space but more cuddly than not is important to me. You will be your Vizslas favourite person and that bond will make training so much more enjoyable. Of course you're still dealing with a working dog, but the reward is so, so big once they grow up.
oh i have looked at Viszla’s before! i didn’t realize how little grooming they actually needed. is there a particular breeder you would recommend looking into?
I don't know where you are located, but mine is from a hungarian breeder with a pretty good reputation. I'd be happy to send you the details :) She prefers to give pups to active hunters, but I'm certain you would get one when she hears about your ambitions! Ngl, I think she was pretty sceptical when I first applied. I was completely honest with her and while I dedicate a lot of time to my dog, instead of ending up with a hunter, he now lives with a single woman in her 30s who treats him like she birthed him - and he loves it!🥰🥰
i would love to have the breeder details! so far a Viszla sounds like the breed i’ll be looking into first for sure
My vote would be a lab/golden mix. We puppy-raise for Guide Dogs of America and the mix seems to work the best (they have their own geneticists who determine the breeding) and the dogs are extremely train-able. If you live near a Guide Dog facility that raises their own, you might look into being a puppy raiser. Yes, the goal is to have the dog from 8 weeks to 16 or so months old, then it goes in for full training. However, a sizable percentage get “career changed” for whatever reason and the puppy raiser is given first dibs on their pup… but you have to understand the goal is to get the dog into full training and be a service animal. More than likely, you’ll be giving the dog up, but at some point, you may well be offered to keep one. We’re on our second - both are lovely dogs, our first is in the matching process now, having completed all training. Our second is 11 months old and a total teenager. Yes, we cried giving up the first, but she’s going to help a veteran with PTSD or a child with autism… and that makes it worth it.
No reputable breeders will intentionally create mutts.
Um… did you reply to the correct person? I’m talking about a professional organization that breeds and raises service dogs.
I did. And OPs post says they want a reputable breeder. They don’t need a service dog.
OP: >would like to teach service type tasks like fetching objects by name, alerting to a specific trigger, DPT (deep pressure therapy) among others, but the dog wouldn’t be an official service dog. They want a dog that can do service dog type tasks Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Guide Dog Foundation, The Seeing Eye, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Guide Dogs of America, Pilot Dogs, etc. breed Labs, Goldens and Lab x Golden crosses. Lab x Golden crosses are often superior guide dogs. These schools have long standing (many decades) breeding programs with extremely high criteria. They breed for intelligence, health and exceptional temperament. Guide dog organization are big on records and stats with the goal of producing better dogs with the highest success rates. Not all pups produced by their breeding programs will be suitable for guide dog work. Even the "rejects" are exceptional dogs with amazing temperaments. The puppy raisers get first dibs, some are diverted to service dogs organization and then there's a few that are up for adoption. There's a gazillion terrible breeders of mixed breed dogs. The various guide dog breeding programs are not in that group. They are about as reputable as they come.
Okay. I was simply responding with a suggestion. But are you calling lab/golden crosses mutts? If that’s your take, sure, your opinion. But they make excellent service dogs, either for the blind or for a person with PTSD or autism. And GDA is very reputable and well respected.
Yes, because they are lol
You have a good day.
oh being a puppy raiser sounds so great! i live a little too far away for them but i’ll definitely be looking into a lab golden mix and keep an eye out for the future to maybe get a chance at volunteering for them. thank you so much for commenting and giving me such good insight!
You might also reach out and see if they have a list for “failures” that the raiser doesn’t keep. They will still be great, well-trained dogs, just maybe a titch too excitable, lack of attention span, treat-distracted or whatever to be a guide dog (which still means they are super well-behaved).
[удалено]
OP wants to purchase a dog from a reputable breeder- which will almost always eliminate “poodle mix” breeders. Also- OP noted not wanting to deal with poodle like coats- which would be another reason to avoid a berner/poodle mix.
Rescue a dog. Going through a breeder could pose even more potential health issues with your pet. Breeders use and abuse animals for monetary gain. Your reasoning for not rescuing is health issues but that’s the exact opposite. You’re getting more for your money if you get a mixed breed. Based on the well-established principle of “hybrid vigor,” a mixed-breed animal is likely to live longer and cost less in vet bills than a pure breed. Many purebred dogs are prone to developing health problems ranging from breathing difficulties to hip dysplasia to an enlarged heart.
Stop spreading misinformation. Quality breeders breed out potential health issues which can ultimately lead to much healthier dogs. They also do not do it for monetary gain and most don't even make any significant amount of money from it. Stop conflating backyard breeders with quality ones.
Breeders are essentially hobbyists. Many breed dogs just because they're passionate about the breed, not because of money. It's not true that mutts suffer less health issues (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/mixed-breed-purebred-health/), they just have sometimes different health issues. Responsible breeders check for health conditions, accidental litters and back yard breeders— don't.