Hi folks. I use a service dog for a degenerative spinal problem. The dog I use now will retire in a few years and I am looking at various breeds to decide on a breed for my next SDIT (service dog in training). What I need from this dog: help up stairs, help getting up from a sitting position (or from a fall), picking up dropped objects, opening doors, and carrying objects (either by mouth or in a back-pack). The dog also has to have a desire to work, perfect manners in public, little to no interest in people other than myself, and no aggression. Of course a lot of this depends on training, but I wonder if the Bernie's temperment would suit this breed for this kind of work. Any thoughts?

Anyone have an opinion?

Having had 4 Bernese over the years, the only reservation that I can see regarding them as service dogs is that all the ones I know absolutely adore people!!. So, to ask them to ignore people would be very hard. Although I am sure with training this could be achieved. Also they tend to be quite clumsy dogs, so would this be a problem?. I know that here in the UK a few have been used as guide dogs. From a purely personal point of view the main drawback would be that they do not live very long. Maybe I was just very unfortunate, but none of my Bernese lived a long life, in fact none of them saw their 7th birthday. In fact this was the reason that I gave up having them as it was just too heartbreaking to loose them at such a young age.

I'm not sure whether you mean St Bernards or Bernese, and I have no experience with either breed, but have you possibly considered the Australian shepherd? I understand that in the States they are used quite extensively as Service dogs, and they are certainly "owner orientated".

Regards
Margot