Companion Dogs
Companion dogs do not mean any special breed or type of dog but simply refer to any dog that would make a good companion to their human family. So, basically, any dog could be a companion dog, being the bundles of joy they all are.
For a slightly more concrete definition, a companion dog is kept just for its company, as opposed to a service dog that should have an active occupation (such as guarding or herding). They are very similar to emotional support dogs, but unlike the latter, they aren’t recognized legally. This means a companion dog will not have permission to access places where emotional support dogs can enter.
What Makes a Good Companion Dog
Since a huge part of being a good companion dog is about giving pleasure to the pet owner, the qualities and requirements of a companion dog will vary based on the person’s preferences. It is common for people with mood disorders, anxiety, depression, and even PTSD, to opt for a dog as a close companion. In fact, doctors may recommend and even prescibe a companion dog to people with such issues.
It can be safely stated that there are no set qualifications or requirements for a dog to be a companion dog. Most of the popular breeds kept primarily for the company are toy and miniature dog breeds, maybe because a lot of these were originally designed to be lap dogs. However, that does not mean bigger breeds are not suitable for the job.
But when choosing a companion dog ii is important to keep in mind that your dog would have certain needs as well, and you need to be ready to commit to your pet as much as it will be committing to you.
List of the Best Companion Dog Breeds
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Chihuahua
- Dachshund
- Pug
- French Bulldog
- Golden Retriever
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Alaskan Klee Kai
- Chinese Crested Dog
- Maltese
- Japanese Chin
- Skye Terrier
- Teddy Roosevelt Terrier
- Poodle
- Bichon Frisé
- Samoyed
- Shih Tzu
- West Highland White Terrier
- Xoloitzcuintli
- Boston Terrier
- Irish Wolfhound
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- American Eskimo Dog
- Australian Kelpie
- Bolognese
- Elo
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- English Springer Spaniel
- Icelandic Sheepdog
- Japanese Spitz
- Keeshond
- Labrador Retriever
- Papillon
- English Bulldog
- Pomeranian
- Greyhound
- Saint Bernard
- Beagle
- American Cocker Spaniel
- Labradoodle
- Papillion
- Havanese
- Lhasa Apso
- Tibetan Terrier
- Lowchen
- Tibetan spaniel
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Basset Hound
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Coton de Tulear
- Pekingese
- Toy Fox Terrier
As mentioned above, a lot of these dogs are small in size, but if it comes to the best small companion dog, it would probably include the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Pugs, and the Yorkshire terriers
