7 Epilepsy Assistance Dog Breeds For Support And Safety

Epilepsy is a medical condition that can impact the affected individuals badly. This is especially dangerous when they are alone and need some support at the time of a seizure. Some dogs that are more emotionally intelligent can react without getting panicked. With expensive training, these epilepsy assistance dogs learn to perform specific tasks that help sufferers of epilepsy when no human is around.

These dogs are especially valuable for older adults. Seniors who are unable to manage a seizure on their own benefit greatly from having a response dog that can alert others in the household during a medical emergency.

Let’s talk about some of the best service dogs for people with epilepsy

Epilepsy Assistance Dog Breeds

1. German Shepherd

German Shepherds have long been used as service dogs, thanks to the immense intelligence they possess. They are some of the most sought-after service dogs and are especially useful as companions with patients of epilepsy and other such disorders.

Well-trained dogs not only help the patients in finding medicine once they get a seizure, but also alert them to the oncoming attack. With their intelligence and mental alertness, they are able to perceive an upcoming seizure attack.

This seizure response dog is trained with specific responses through which it can alert family members that there is a medical emergency. These specific behaviours include barking or howling in a specific manner and even dragging some other family member to the spot of attention.

These are super-loyal dogs that make strong bonds with their owners. Hence, they can be trusted with closed eyes.

It is obvious that these support dogs are one of the most expensive when compared to other dogs. However, for an epilepsy patient, especially if he lives alone, they are worth every penny!

2. Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever is another dog that possesses a natural temperament to become an excellent service dog. For many epileptic patients, they are a great source of strength and support.

What sets them apart from other service dogs is their natural alarm system. They can somehow sense that there is a seizure coming up. Hence, they act proactively and help the patient cope with the emergency.

Also, they ensure the patient doesn’t move towards any place where he can further harm himself, like a road or the stairs.

By responding on time, these dogs with a good temperament help in preventing injury to the patient. They stay close to the patients, making sure he doesn’t fall or hurt themselves. They not only provide physical support in such a situation, but are also emotionally present.

While training service dogs like the Goldens, they are taught how to press an emergency button. This aids in calling medical emergency help.

3. Poodle

Despite being small in size, the Poodles are incredible service dogs.

They are super intelligent and highly trainable. Don’t take their small size lightly, as with appropriate dog training, they can be turned into some of the best epilepsy service dogs.

They are sensitive to human emotions naturally. They can effortlessly sense when something is wrong. Once they perceive it, they can efficiently take action to manage the situation.

These intelligent dogs are good learners. It is easy to teach them a multi-step approach, and they will follow instructions without fail. During their training process, they are taught various tasks that they can perform when someone has an epileptic attack. This includes getting the emergency medical kit from the specified place, pressing any medical alert button, and even staying by the patient throughout the course of the attack.

Oh, and one more thing, these dogs are hypoallergenic. They are a great choice for anyone with allergies. As they are a safe and reliable option for medical patients, paying a hefty price to get them is worth it.

4. Border Collie

These dogs are known to be super intelligent and sensitive.

What sets the Border Collie apart from others is their natural ability to sense olfactory changes. This means that whenever there is a potential seizure coming up, these dogs sense them immediately and react accordingly.

While dealing with the seizures, they prefer to learn micro behaviours. From taking the patient to the bed or a couch to help him lie down safely to pushing a medical emergency button, these dogs can do it all.

Also, the dogs showcase a certain behaviour that alerts other members of the house to the emergency. This includes barking in a specific manner and even pawing someone. They even rush towards someone and bring them all the way to the place where the patient is having a seizure attack.

These dogs live long. Hence, they have the capacity to assist and help the patients for as long as over a decade.

5. Newfoundland

These big dogs are not merely about their size; they also have massive intellect.

Newfoundlands are some of the smartest dogs out there and are extremely affectionate towards their owners. Hence, they make great epilepsy support dogs.

If you are an epilepsy patient and are afraid of being alone with no support when you get a seizure, having this dog’s company is a great idea. This dog is not only super fluffy and adorable but is also alert with the right training.

Thanks to its massive size, it can support the patient when they get an attack and gives them the much-needed cushioning. Also, they can fetch a medical kit and even a phone for the patient to make a call for help.

PetMD says they are calm dogs. Hence, don’t panic when someone is having an attack. Rather, they try to bring some order to the chaos and make things normal.

6. Bernese Mountain Dog

One of the most loyal dogs out there, the Bernese Mountain Dog is a wonderful seizure alert dog. They always remain alert to the situation, and whenever there is an emergency, they perform the learnt actions without exhibiting any delay.

These dogs can be trained to perform a variety of emergency response actions. They can easily press the alert device that will let others know of the medical emergency. Also, they are trained to bark or howl in a certain manner so that the members of the house will get aware of the seizure attack.

Just like the Newfoundland, this dog also remains calm in this situation. Rather than panicking, it performs its tasks with great responsibility.

They may appear strong and massive, but they are utterly gentle. They are considerate and emotionally sensitive. Hence, this Reddit Thread suggests these dogs are great service animals.

7. Pomeranians

Pomeranians may be tiny, but they are extremely alert, as per Britannica.

They have a great intuition, which makes them excellent medical emergency dogs. When trained by an epilepsy foundation, they learn how to perceive the pre-seizure cues. They react according to the situation and, most of the time, help in assisting the patient even before the attack starts.

They are excellent companions, both in everyday life and in times of medical emergency. They are always THERE for their owners, no matter what the situation may be!

Owing to their convenient size, they are highly portable. This means they can be taken anywhere. They are easily adaptable to all kinds of public places. As travelling with them is easy, patients can take them along when they are off to an adventure or a vacation. Hence, they are reliable support partners even away from home.

Conclusion

Gone are the days when epilepsy patients living alone had to suffer in silence. Now, there are well-trained epilepsy support dogs that not only provide excellent companionship to their owners but are also wonderful at supporting them in times of emergency.

No matter how big a Newfoundland or how small a Pomeranian, these dogs are emotionally intelligent and physically observant. For the epilepsy patients, they are the heroes they had been waiting for all their lives!