best allergy detection dog breeds

15 Dog Breeds That Are Successful as K9 Drug Detectors

Wondering what the best K9 drug-sniffing dogs are?

Dogs have long since been man's best friend and were the first animals to become pets. The oldest records of pet dogs date back to16,000 years ago in Southeast Asia. Dogs became loyal hunting companions when our ancestors were still hunters and gatherers.

Nowadays, almost every American household has a dog that they consider part of the family. Dogs haven't stopped being working companions either! Many military forces employ the help of K9 units.

Looking for the best dog breeds for drug detection?

You're in the right place. This article covers fifteen of the best K9 drug detection dog breeds. Read on to find out more!

1. German Shepherd

German Shepherds are the golden standard for police work. These dogs are some of the smartest dog breeds around and are eager to learn.With the right training, German Shepherds become the best companions on the field.

German Shepherds have a varied set of skills. You can find them in various police work, from search and rescue to narcotics. These dogs are also strong and fast, which is great for hunting down suspects.

2. Belgian Malinois

Belgian Malinois dogs are a close relative to German Shepherds. They are also one of the closest competitors to GSDs as the best K9 drug dogs. Many police forces opt for Belgian Malinois dogs as they are smaller and have a faster reaction time.

Nowadays, more task forces use Belgian Malinois over GSDs. They are often seen in airports, sniffing outbombs and narcotics.

3. Bloodhound

Bloodhounds are well-known as one of the best and most popular tracking dogs. The first bloodhounds were hunting companions and often tracked game in groups. Due to their strong sense of smell, bloodhounds are often present during police work.

4. English Springer Spaniel

Though they don't often appear in police work, these dogs have some of the best noses for drug-detecting. Field-bred spaniels have broad nostrils, which help in sniffing out narcotics. These dogs may also help in detecting human remains and even fake currency.

5. Boxers

Boxers have a long history as working dogs and first made their appearance in WWI. In both wars, Boxers served versatile roles for our military officers. Boxers were often used to deliver messages between troops in the middle of the crossfire.

Because of their high energy and need for stimulation, they make great detection dogs. These athletic dogs are also great for chasing down suspects.

6. Labrador Retriever

Labradors are well-known as some of the most loyal household dogs. However, they're also fierce members of the K9 unit. Labradors are easy to train and are the most loyal dogs you'll ever meet.

Their work consists of narcotics and bomb detection. You may see these dogs working in harbors and airports with their handlers.

7. Doberman Pinscher

Along with German Shepherds, Dobermans have been in the military scene for decades. Dobermans are the best companions for hunting down suspects. Their lean form and athletic bodies make it hard to outrun these police dogs.

Because of this, Dobermans are often reserved for work that requires athleticism. These dogs are eager to please their handlers, which makes them great for police work.

8. Giant Schnauzer

Because of their big personality and equally large stature, Giant Schnauzers have been in the K9 scene for decades. These quiet dogs are also the most alert when it comes to high-stress situations. Proper training enables handlers to quell their aggression into something more productive.

Schnauzers often appear in missing person cases and search and rescue. They are also some of the best trackers for bombs, narcotics, and suspects. Their dedication and loyalty to the task make them one of the best breeds in the police force.

9. American Pit Bull Terrier

American Pit Bull Terriers are thenewest breeds in the police scene. These dogs didn't appear in the K9 unit until only a few years ago. However, they proved themselves as invaluable companions due to their fearlessness.

Many K9 unit Pitties are rescue dogs and were first introduced because of their history in dogfighting. It wasn't until a few years ago that police forces saw their potential as trackers.

10. Beagle

Despite being smaller than other dogs on this list, Beagles are some of the fiercest trackers. Before they started working in the force, Beagles were gun dogs. Their strong sense of smell made these dogs powerful hunters.

Nowadays, Beagles work in airports and harbors. These dogs are first in line when it comes to protecting the country from illegal substances overseas. Their small size enables them to stay less detected while working.

11. Cane Corso

Cane Corsos are direct descendants of Roman war dogs. Their courageous and strong personality gives them great potential as K9 drug dogs. Cane Corsos are best for patrol and protection work.

12. Dutch Shepherd

Dutch Shepherds are another working dog breed in the west. Despite being less popular than GSDs and Belgian Malinois, they're great police dogs. These dogs are intuitive, reliable, intelligent, and alert.

Dutch Shepherds are one of the less aggressive breeds on this list. This means these dogs work mainly as detection and patrol dogs. Police forces employ the help of these dogs for sniffing out narcotics and bombs.

13. German Shorthaired Terrier

German Shorthaired Terriers also have a long history as gun dogs. This gives them a great background for drug detection. Aside from their keen sense of smell, these dogs also boast high intelligence.

14. Rottweiler

This confident breed is a great companion for high-pressure situations. Rottweilers have great devotion to pleasing their handlers. These dogs are eager to work on the field and often combine patrol work and drug detection.

15. Hungarian Pointers

Hungarian Pointers were once hunting dogs that made their way into the police scene. Their desire for social interaction enables them to bond closely with their handlers. Hungarian Pointers are great at mastering tracking methods to sniff out drugs.

The Best K9 Drug Dogs on the Force

Here are some of the most powerful K9 drug dogs in military history. If you're looking for a fierce canine companion, take a dog from this list.

Want to get your dog started on drug detection training?Contact us today!

Best and Worst Dog Breeds for People With Allergies

What do you do when you love dogs, but you or a family member is allergic? You do what many people do: Get a dog breed touted as hypoallergenic. Theyre the best types of dogs for people with allergies because they tend to shed less than other breeds.

Pet hair or pet dander is a common cause of allergic rhinitis, a chronic disease that affects as much as 30 percent of the U.S. population, according to theWorld Allergy Organization. Commonly known as hay fever, allergic rhinitis happens when the body overreacts to something that does not cause a problem in other people.

Most people are not actually allergic to dog hair. Rather, theyre allergic to dander (flakes on the dogs skin) or saliva. Hair does have something to do with it, though: Sometimes other indoor allergens like dust, or outdoor allergens like grass or tree pollen, can build up on a dogs furry coat and trigger allergy symptomslike sneezing, congestion, nasal swelling, asthma, andrashes. Many people with dog allergies complain about red, itchy eyes.

Tips to Prevent Dog Allergies

If you already have a dog, here are a few tips to prevent pet allergies:

• Keep your dog clean and bathe it weekly in warm water. This may reduce the amount of dog dander and dog saliva deposited throughout your home.
• Get a groomer to bathe your dog so youre not exposed to the allergens.
• Wash the dogs bedding weekly to remove excess dander.
• Use air purifiers throughout your home and avoid furnishings that collect allergens, like cloth curtains or carpets.
• Keep the dog out of the bedroom and off the bed during sleep.
• Keep the dog outside if possible. It may take weeks or months before your house is free of pet allergens.

If youre on the hunt for a hypoallergenic dog that wont leave you watery-eyed, youll need to do your research and perhaps an in-home test-drive to make sure your new pup doesnt trigger an allergy orasthma attack.

Dont go straight for the breeds of dogs with shorter coats, and dont count out shaggy pups. There are many types of hypoallergenic dogs some with more hair, some with less.

Heres some more information on the best (and worst) breeds for people with dog allergies.

Which Breeds Make the Best Service Dogs?

Many people who struggle with a mental, emotional, or physical health challenge have found that a well-trained service dog makes daily life much easier to navigate.

Service dogs can help their owners in a variety of ways, ranging from monitoring their owners blood sugar levels to helping their owner walk!

Just about any dog can be trained to perform service work, but some breeds are especially likely to excel in such capacities.

Below, well talk about some of the breeds that are best suited for service work and examine some of the traits that make some breeds stand out in these contexts more than others.

10 Best Service Dog Breeds

Its important to select a service dog that suits your specific needs, but the following ten breeds are some of the most popular choices by those who need a four-footed assistant!

1. Labrador Retriever

Labrador retrievers are one of the most popular pet breeds, and they make fantastic service dogs too.

Most Labrador retrievers are ridiculously friendly and good-natured. They also tend to bond very strongly with their owners and often love having a job to do. Large individuals may even be able to help you stand or walk.

Labs can perform a variety of services for their owners, but theyre especially helpful for mobility-impaired owners who need help grabbing or manipulating items. This is partly due to their natural retrieving instinct, but Labrador retrievers also have a soft mouth, which means they grip things lightly with their teeth. This will help ensure they dont mangle the objects you expect them to fetch.

2. Golden Retriever

Given their similarity to Labs, it shouldnt be surprising that golden retrievers also make excellent service dogs for people. Theyre smart, friendly, and easy to train, and most enjoy having a job to do.

Additionally, the form strong bonds with their people, and despite being pretty big dogs, goldens look gentle and sweet, which can help put other people (who may be afraid of dogs) at ease.

Goldens are ideal for emotional support work, making them one of the best service dogs for PTSD and a great breed for reducing anxiety. But they can also handle more physical work, such as guiding blind owners or fetching items for those confined to wheelchairs.

Do note that goldens shed quite a bit, so youll need to decide whether or not you can deal with this issue before selecting one of these lovable canines.

3. German Shepherd

German shepherds are most commonly associated with guard and protection work, and theyre also frequently used as police dogs. But they also have the character traits to be good service dogs too.

German shepherds have all of the things youd want when picking a service dog breed, as theyre intelligent, well-behaved, and easy to train. They usually bond very strongly with their owners too.

German shepherds were likely among the first dogs to be used as service animals, and they can do it all.

Many have enough size and strength to help mobility-impaired owners get around, they are attentive enough to notice when their person is feeling anxious, and this breed boasts a powerful sense of smell, which makes them well-suited for monitoring blood sugar levels.

4. Poodle

Many people think of poodles as prissy dogs with fancy haircuts, but theyre actually very smart and capable dogs who often love having a job (and for the record, you can give your poodle a pretty normal-looking haircut if you like).

Poodles have a great demeanor for service work and theyre very easy to train. Plus, they look great in a service vest!

Most people who plan to use a poodle for service work should probably select a standard poodle (poodles come in several different sizes standard poodles are the largest), as theyre bigger and stronger than toy or miniature poodles.

However, if you dont need your service dog to perform exceptionally physical work, smaller varieties may be easier to take with you into crowded locations.

5. Boxer

Boxers arent often used for service dog work, but they certainly exhibit most of the traits that you want in a service dog. They are big enough to perform physical tasks, but theyre still small enough to comfortably navigate crowded locations.

Boxers are exceedingly good-natured dogs who are not only friendly with adults, theyre marvelous with children too. They do have high energy levels, like Labs and golden retrievers, so youll need to provide them with plenty of time to exercise.

That said, they can actually adapt quite well to apartments and small homes.

6. Great Dane

Great Danes are uniquely well-suited for some service tasks, given their immense size and strength. Theyre often great mobility assistance dogs, meaning that theyre helpful for owners who need help standing or keeping their balance. But they are also great service animals for people who need emotional support, given their calm and reassuring demeanor.

Great Danes are typically pretty friendly with strangers, but those whove been trained for service work will remain focused on their person at all times. Great Danes do drool quite a bit, so they arent ideal for all owners.

You neednt take my word for any of this look at how well this Great Dane is helping his special little person.

7. Border Collie

Border collies are often considered the smartest breed in the world, so it shouldnt be surprising that they make excellent service dogs (note that many of the other brainy breeds, including Labs, poodles, and German shepherds are also on this list). Theyre also remarkably easy to train, and most love having a job to do.

Border collies are pretty good with kids, but they will occasionally herd children, which can lead them to accidentally knock toddlers over, so they may not be the best choice for those who are frequently around unfamiliar kids.

Border collies are a high-energy breed, and they can be mischievous if under stimulated, so youll want to be sure you can provide plenty of opportunities to exercise and brain-stimulating interactive toys before adding one to your home.

8. Pomeranian

Most service dogs are on the large side, but the Pomeranian is a small breed that is often quite capable of helping in service-related capacities.

A Pomeranian isnt going to help you keep your balance or walk, but he can learn to perform a number of tasks that dont require a ton of size or muscle. Theyre very attentive to their owners, and most will enjoy having a job to do.

The Pomeranian is probably the best choice for owners who need the help of a service dog but dont have a lifestyle that is suitable for big breeds.

Given their small size, it is easy to carry a Pomeranian with you in a small pouch or backpack, and they are so cute that theyll rarely frighten anyone when you are in public!

9. Bernese Mountain Dogs

Bernese mountain dogs exhibit many of the most important traits to look for in a service dog, including a friendly disposition, impressive intelligence, and a strong work ethic. Theyre also big and strong enough to perform some physical tasks, and theyre smart enough to learn how to perform complex jobs to help their people.

Additionally, the Bernese mountain dog is generally an easy doggo to care for, making him pretty good for first-time owners. Hell still need proper training, but hes naturally one of the best types of service dogs around.

Bernese Mountain dogs arent ideal for warm climates, and they do shed quite a bit, so youll want to be sure these things wont be a problem before adding one to your home. They also require plenty of time to run, jump, and play, so they arent well-suited for apartment life.

10. Pit Bulls

Pit bulls (and their American Staffordshire terrier cousins) often make excellent service dogs for people, although youll have to be prepared to deal with the negative (though mistaken) perception of the breed.

Many people fear pit bulls, but these fears are the result of ignorance and sensationalistic coverage by the media in truth, the vast majority of pits are loving, gentle dogs.

In fact, pit bulls are one of the friendliest breeds around, and well-trained individuals are generally very well-behaved in public situations. Theyre also pretty smart and easy to train, and most pit bulls have a strong work drive.

11. A Mixed Breed Dog

The truth is that while not all individual dogs make good service animals, any dog has the potential to be a great service dog, so long as they are even-tempered, calm, and have a strong work drive.

Mixed breed dogs can make absolutely fantastic service dogs, so long as they have a compatible disposition. This means that you may be able to find your next service dog at your local rescue!

For example, meet Velvet over here!

Velvet is a Bassett and Australian lab mix who helps out her owner Kate with PTSD and other ailments.

Velvet knows ASL, is a regular hospital visitor, and quickly picked up a variety of service commands, such as brace, in which Velvet helps her owner get into her wheelchair and a get out cue which has Velvet help her mom quickly get out of crowded areas.

Velvet was adopted by her owner and was not bred specifically to be a service dog. Despite being a mixed breed rescue, she has performed exceptionally at being a service dog for her owner! Thanks Kate, for contacting K9 of Mine and sharing your story with Velvet.

The Different Types of Service Dogs

Although the terms therapy dog, service dog, and emotional support dog are often used interchangeably, they do refer to different things. Weve written about how to identify a service dogextensively and shared the facts about therapy dogs before, but well provide a quick synopsis below.

Therapy Dogs

Therapy dogs are used to help reduce anxiety and fear in people who are typically coping with some type of trauma. This includes people who are dealing with relatively minor traumatic experiences or life-altering events.

For example, some therapy dogs work in airports where they allow weary or nervous travelers to spend a few minutes petting them. Others visit hospitals to help cheer up patients and frightened visitors who often have a lot on their minds.

Note that therapy dogs are usually not expected to help their owners feel better they are primarily tasked with helping cheer up other people.

Emotional Support Dogs

Emotional support dogs are usually expected to help their owners cope with fear, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or other emotional challenges.

Some do so by simply hanging out with their person, soliciting scritches, and generally being a dog, while others will intervene during acute attacks of anxiety or fear.

For example, if the owner of an emotional support dog starts showing signs of an impending anxiety attack, the dog may jump up on his persons lap and start doling out kisses and affection. This is often helpful for stopping the attack and allowing their owner to relax and feel safe.

Dogs dont actually need to have any kind of specific training or experience to qualify them as emotional support animals. That being said, there are certainly sets of skills wed recommend for training an emotional support dog.

There are ways to officially register your dog as an emotional support animal, which can (in some cases) provide added protection against landlords who dont traditionally allow pets, and may allow you to access certain spaces with your dog where normal pets cannot go.

However, rules vary between businesses, and service dogs are the only animals allowed full access to various businesses and public spaces.

Service Dogs

Service dogs are quite different from therapy dogs and emotional support animals. Unlike these other dogs, which primarily provide value by just being lovable floofs, service dogs are trained to perform specific and essential tasks for people with a disability.

The classic example of a service dog is a German shepherd leading a blind owner around, but there are a variety of other tasks service dogs have been trained to complete.

Some help wheelchair-bound owners open doors, while others are trained to notify deaf owners of ringing doorbells, fire alarms, and other important sounds.

There is occasionally a bit of crossover between the various categories.

For instance, a dog that is trained to take active, well-defined steps to help stop their owners anxiety attacks (as in the earlier example) is probably better characterized as a service dog for anxiety rather than an emotional support dog because hes performing a specific task.

Some dogs are trained to monitor autistic people and even sit at their feet during meltdowns to help calm them.

The exact way your four-legged assistant is classified will affect the logistics of having him accompany you in your daily activities (for example, service dogs are allowed nearly everywhere, but therapy dogs are restricted from some places).

However, it wont matter to you or him youll just know that you make each others lives better.

Traits of Good Service Dogs

Although good service dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and breeds, most of the best exhibit a few common traits. This includes:

Intelligence

Pet dogs neednt be especially smart it doesnt take a lot of intelligence to follow you around, shower you with love, and randomly do cute stuff.

But service dogs must often perform complex tasks, which require considerable intelligence to pull off. So, most of the best service dogs are smart cookies.

Friendly Disposition

Because your service dog will frequently be required to work in public settings, they need to be comfortable around and friendly with other people and pets.

Dogs who are aloof or overprotective may make good pets or guard dogs, but they rarely make good service, therapy, or emotional support dogs.

Calm Demeanor

Service and support dogs must be relatively calm to ensure they dont cause disturbances when you are in public. And this not only means avoiding dogs who tend to run, jump, and play during inappropriate times, it also means avoiding dogs who are reactive or easily startled.

Tidiness

For the sake of social harmony, youll want to make sure that your service dog doesnt drool and shed everywhere you go. This will just lead to unnecessary conflict and strife, which may cause some to resent service and support dogs.

Strong Work Drive

Some dogs have a strong desire to work with their owner, while others are happy to lounge on the couch all day and have their stomach scratched.

If you are in need of an emotional support dog, you may be able to get by with one in the latter category, but a strong work drive is an important trait to seek when picking a service dog.

Tendency to Bond Strongly

Although independent dog breeds can be wonderful in some circumstances, most good service and support dogs tend to be touchy-feely dogs who bond strongly with their owners. Besides, you are going to end up depending on your dog pretty heavily, so itll just work better if you pick one thatll develop a strong bond with you.

While the ten breeds discussed above are some of the most common service dog breeds, there are plenty of exceptions and you should always try to find a dog whos well-suited to provide the kind of service you need.

For example, Jack Russell terriers arent one of the most common breeds for service dog work, given their penchant for mischief and independent nature, but I saw an elderly lady at the DMV a few weeks ago who was accompanied by a darling little Jack Russell in a service dog jacket.

I didnt want to impose, so I didnt ask her what service her dog performed, but whatever his duties entailed, he carried himself with a sense of purpose and appeared very observant of his mom. Unlike many other Jack Russells, who tend to be perpetually scanning the surroundings for potential adventure, this little fella kept his eyes locked on mom the entire time.

So, while you should certainly consider the breeds we listed above, dont hesitate to stray from the list!

Do you have a service animal or support dog? Tell us all about him! Also, be sure to mention the service dog organization who helped match you with him, if you worked with one.

You dont have to share any details you dont want to, but wed love to know the services your dog provides, the breed he belongs to, and whether or not you feel like hes helped improve your quality of life.