Pwca
Posted : 4/24/2008 12:24:29 PM
One of the most spectacular SDs I know is a dalmatian - not what you would think of for a 'traditional' service dog, but he's absolutely amazing. ONce you get into owner-trained dogs, though, a lot of breed choice is influenced by an individual's preferences and prejudices. Mal is washing out of SD training for lack of work ethic, but I'm evaluating his sister Kaylee- that's why she's coming to visit.
One of the New England hearing dog orgs has used Cardis for hearing dogs. ADOT here in DFW uses mostly Goldens and greyhounds- the greyhounds make excellent balance dogs since they're tall, heavy enough to do counterbalnce work but not so large that they don't fit onto public transportation.
I know of Chihuahua SDs (mostly psychiatric, hearing or seizure alert dogs and to be fair, a significant number of those I don't think are 'real' SDs in that they are marginally task trained at best), a Boston Terrier SD (which strikes me as an awful idea, since they're intolerent to both cold AND heat). I have a training client who has a Belgian SHeepdog who is almost done with his training.