best breed for seeing eye dog

[1tex]

what is the best breed of dog that can be used as a seeing eye dog?

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

There's no real "best breed" but breeds that are used most commonly would be Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. I've seen tons of breeds used though, Poodles, German Shepherds, Mixes. I think even Boxers.

 

[Romy]

It's more of an individual dog thing, since a seeing eye dog needs a very specific temperament along with physical soundness and the right socialization and foundation training. The best prospects consistently come from seeing eye dog breeding programs that select solely for those temperament traits. Even then, they often only get one or two puppies out of a litter that qualifies. They tend to mostly breed goldens and labs. German shepherds used to be more common, and some organizations still use them.

 

[colliewog]

Some programs use Smooth Collies and Vizslas with great success. It really depends upon the dog itself and the person with whom it will be working (personality, activity level, working environment). There is no 'perfect dog', which is why there are so many breeds in use.

 

[Whisper]

I really depends. Labs and Goldens are the most prevalent, at least in my area, though I know of borzoi, APBTs, smooth collies, GSDs, Airedale terriers, Weimaraners, and a wide variety of mixed breeds that do guide dog work.

 

[AussieAshley]

Labs, goldens and standard poodles are common, smooth collies seem to be used more often as well. I know a women who has a Great Pyrenees as a seeing eye dog, She also has mobility issues so his size is a big part of why he got the job. So the 'best' breed/dog can vary based on an individuals needs and lifestyle.