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It is a well-known fact that dogs are considered to be man’s best friend for ages. Dated back to history when man adopted dogs for herding sheep, and cattle, and protecting his home and property, dogs have always shown their loyalty. In this blog we inform you about the top 5 emotional support dog breeds – discover the best companions for your mental health.
They always listened to their masters, stood before them, protected them, and gave them good company. This is true even now and in the years to come. Their loyalty will never fade.
Due to this fact only, dogs are considered the world’s most popular emotional support animals. They naturally lend themselves to being a great emotional supporter because of their personality.
Well, even though every dog tends to make great emotional support animals, there are some breeds of dogs that are more capable of playing this role. A perfect emotional support animal is gentle, friendly, easy-going, trainable, and intelligent.
These special dogs apart from providing companionship, also give emotional and psychological support to people who are dealing with epilepsy, stress, or any kind of mental disorder.
Without making further delay, let us dive in to see what is an emotional support dog and the top 5 emotional support dogs.
What Is Meant By An Emotional Support Dog?
Emotional Support Dogs are the ones who give companionship as well as comfort to people who are suffering from emotional or psychiatric disorders.
These are not service dogs that are trained specifically to serve disabled people, but they serve a similar purpose and provide the same benefits.
People who have these emotional support animals often experience decreased anxiety, increased self-esteem, confidence, and a better quality of life.
Some people believe that these emotional support dogs need specific training, but it is not true. They aren’t even required to have any special certification or any paperwork, but the owners must provide a letter from a mental health professional stating that they provide emotional support.
If you already have a dog, you can apply for them to be approved by your health care provider as an Emotional Support Animal (ESA).
They can be of any size or breed, but they have to be gentle, and well-behaved and cannot cause a threat to the safety of others.
The cost associated with having an emotional support dog is not more than that of a standard dog’s expenses.
But service dogs, on the other hand, are highly trained to help disabled people. They are considered to be working dogs rather than pet dogs. They assist disabled persons with tasks that they cannot complete themselves.
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Benefits Of Having Emotional Support Dogs
For people with mental health issues, such as anxiety, stress, depression, or mental trauma, having an emotional support dog will be a boon. They provide various benefits that improve the quality of his life.
1. Less Anxiety
Staying with a dog will help to reduce stress and anxiety. Interacting with a pet can increase serotonin and dopamine levels which provide a sense of calmness and relaxation.
People feel less anxious and have a relaxed mood when they have their dog along with them.
2. Higher Self-Esteem
Dogs are well-known for showing their unconditional love toward their masters. This is what makes people who are struggling with low self-confidence to gain their self-esteem.
Along with companionship dogs provide judgemental support that helps people feel more accepted and valued. This helps in improving one’s self-esteem and confidence.
3. Reduced Loneliness
Loneliness is the greatest challenge faced by people with mental health disorders. Dogs are highly social creatures, and their companionship with them will decrease the loneliness problem.
Frequent interaction with a dog will provide a sense of emotional connection that may be absent who rarely get a chance to socialize with others.
4. Greater Sense Of Purpose
Many believe that having a dog gives them a greater sense of purpose and well-being. This would benefit especially those with mental health conditions.
Dogs boast emotional security for those who have trouble engaging in any activities or feel low and unmotivated.
Dogs are dependent on their human partner to get a high level of care and this endures the motivation in people to get up early in the morning to fulfill their responsibility towards their dogs.
5. Increased Physical Activity
People having anxiety and depression don’t like to get up and exercise. While dogs require regular exercise, it makes the owner get up and go out even if they are not willing to. This increases physical activity which helps in the overall improvement of mental health.
Also Read:- Top 12 Cutest Dog Breeds in the World 2025
Top 5 Emotional Support Dog Breeds
Some of the best breeds that improve the emotional support of people suffering from disabilities are as mentioned below.
1. Labrador Retriever
These dogs are on the top list of emotional support dog breeds. They are energetic and outgoing and are a bundle of love and affection.
Labrador Retrievers are gentle and are friendlier with children as well as adults. They are great food lovers and are easily trainable. These dogs are all-rounders and are perfectly fit for an ESA job.
2. Yorkshire Terriers
These are the cutest lap dogs, who are playful, energetic, and affectionate. They are very protective of their owners. They make you feel confident and comfortable in socializing.
Yorkshire Terriers are top-in-kind watchdogs that alert you of anything suspicious by barking. They are also stressbusters and considered ESA dogs.
3. Golden Retriever
They are well-known for their loyalty. They would like to be cuddled up and it involves a heart-melting heavy chin on the lap and upward gazing.
Golden Retrievers bring never-ending enthusiasm along with them and always give good bonding and emotional support to the owners.
They need a good diet, routine walking, and regular grooming. Golden retrievers would always want to hangover with their owners and also like to stroll together. Hence, they are on the top list of ESA dogs.
4. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
They are the dogs created to be a great human companion. They are absolutely cute and well-mannered.
These are ideal dogs for those who need emotional support in metropolitan cities. They love adults, children, and also other pets.
They are easily maintainable and can console you and can give you their complete support when needed.
5. Corgis
They give better moral support. These canines are easy-going, playful, and happy, thus making the best dog for emotional support animals.
Watching corgis play will bring joy and happiness to anyone. They are fun-loving, clever, playful, and affectionate and carry boldness. Being herd dogs they have a strong capability to protect their masters.
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Final Thoughts:
Apart from being cute, adorable, loyal, and well-disciplined, dogs also help in giving emotional support to people who are suffering from mental issues.
Emotional support dog breeds don’t only become better companions, but they will provide the emotional as well as psychological strength to make the people engage in social activities and gives them good strength to make them mentally capable of doing all the activities if the person is lacking mental ability and is feeling lonely, depressed, and stressed.
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