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Best family dogs
Which is the best dog for a family? Choosing the right dog for a family depends on factors such as the age of family members, how active the family is, living conditions and family's lifestyle. Most people agree that a kid-friendly dog with an even temperament who can be fun to play with for the kids and can be a loyal companion for the adult members of the family makes the perfect family dog. Selecting the right breed as a family dog is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Some dog breeds are completely not fit to be family dogs and many of these dogs end up in dog shelters or dog rescue centers. Take the time to select the right dog breed for your family. No dog deserves to end up in a dog shelter because the owners did not take the time to learn about the breed beforehand.
Best family dogs
Small kid friendly dogs
Best dogs for active families
Best family dogs for kids
Calm family dogs
Best large dogs for family
Best apartment dogs for families
Worst dogs for kids
If you have an active family and looking to find a child friendly dog breed that can spend lots of time running around with the kids and being active most of the day and you have a nice yard where the dog can run around, then it makes sense to look into active dog breeds that have the energy to keep up with your family. Beagles, for example are active medium sized dogs that make great companion pets for families with children. English Bulldogs, on the other hand are calm, laid back and lazy, which makes this breed more suitable for a less active family.
Least aggressive dog breeds are more suitable for families with children. Kids often bring their friends home and it is important to select a dog breed that is not inclined to be aggressive towards unfamiliar people. Early socialization during puppyhood helps to raise a dog that is calm and non-aggressive in the presence of unfamiliar people or dogs.
Non aggressive dogs that can easily get along with your childrens' friends and with other dogs make more suitable family pets especially if you frequently have visitors at home and want your dog to be friendly even with strangers. Small, non aggressive dog breeds include Shih Tzus, Pugs, Pekingese and many other breeds. Larger non aggressive dog breeds include Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Beagles to name a few examples.
For some families finding a dog breed that produces least amount of allergens is important. Best hypoallergenic dogs for families with kids include Shih Tzu, Havanese and Poodles. Shih Tzu are small, yet sturdy and make great pets for older, sensible kids. Parents of children that have allergies may consider this breed as Shih Tzus are low shedding dogs that do not produce as much allergens as most other breeds. No dog breed is completely hypoallergenic. Remember to spend some time with the dog before making a final commitment to be sure that the breed does not aggravate pet allergies in any members of the family. High coat maintenance should be taken into consideration as Shih Tzus require daily coat care. Friendly and sociable Shih Tzus, Poodles and Havanese enjoy being around children, provided that kids are old enough to respect the dog's needs.
Best small dogs for kids who live in apartments include Boston Terriers and French Bulldogs. Both of these breeds are quiet and they are not as fragile as some other small breeds. Bosties and Frenchies quickly become best friends with older children. Compare Boston Terrier to French Bulldog to see which of these breeds is more appropriate for your household.
Poodles make great kid friendly dogs, but the breed is known for high maintenance when it comes to the dog's luxurious coat. Does your busy family have the time to take care of the dog's coat on a daily basis? For some families dogs with low coat maintenance make the best family dogs. On the other hand, if someone in your family truly enjoys grooming a dog and has the time to spend on taking care of the dog's high grooming needs, then a Poodle may be the perfect family dog for that family.
Adding a pet to a family comes with a set of responsibilities, including taking good care of the dog's health. While taking the dog to the vet can be expensive, pet health insurance can help to provide the family dog with the best veterinary care while reducing the financial burden associated with caring for the pet's health.
Families with kids who live in an apartment may find small, kid friendly, less energetic dogs more suitable as family pets. Explain to your children how to properly handle a dog. It is your job as a parent to make sure that your kid knows how to properly handle a dog. Dogs aren't toys and need to be treated with respect. Teach your kids to leave the dog alone when the dog is eating or sleeping. Some dogs are very protective over their toys or their food, so the children need to be aware that touching a dog, or a dog's food when he is eating is not a good idea. Kids should not have a sole responsibility to care for the dog. Adults need to supervise the kids and make sure that the family dog gets the food, water and gets to come outside for bathroom breaks every day. Even the most responsible kids should not have a sole responsibility to take care of the pet. Adults in the family are the ones who are responsible for the pet. Your kid may have some responsibilities such as feeding the dog or helping with bathing the dog, but adults need to be the ones responsible for care and grooming of the animal. Even the smartest, most responsible children lack the experience and need to be supervised when caring for a dog.
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Great family dogs
Why Poodles are good family dogs? There are so many reasons! Poodles are highly intelligent and easily trainable dogs. When properly trained, a Poodle can be the best behaved family member. Poodles come in a variety of sizes and you have several Poodle types to consider: toy Poodle is the smallest type and standard Poodle is the largest in size. If you live in a small apartment, a toy Poodle will fit right in. The smallest Poodle type doesn't need as much space and needs less exercise each day than the standard Poodle. If you are looking for family dogs that don't shed, Poodles are low shedding dogs and the dog odor is minimal compared to other breeds. Poodles are also hypoallergenic and are suitable for people with pet allergies. If you or someone in your family has pet allergies, spend some time with the dog before committing to getting him to be sure that he doesn't aggravate your allergies. Poodles do require daily brushing and frequent coat trims.
Poodle crossbreeds are becoming more and more popular. Goldendoodle is a designer dog breed that was developed by crossing a Poodle breed with Golden Retriever. Since both of these dog breeds are family friendly, Labrador Poodle mix dogs make great pets for families with kids.
This high maintenance dog breed will require daily coat care and a cut every 6 weeks or so. Poodles are good with kids, but if you have young children, consider larger Poodle varieties. Toy Poodles are small and delicate and may accidentally get hurt while playing with kids. In case you have toddlers or young kids, consider a medium sized Poodle for your family. Teach your kids how to properly handle dogs to minimize any risk of unintentional injuries.
Poodle breed pros and cons
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Small kid friendly dogs
The Pug makes a great family pet for many reasons. People unfamiliar with the breed need to know that Pugs are even-tempered, great with kids and their small size makes Pugs easy to travel with. Pugs are among the best dogs for apartments and if your family lives in an apartment, consider this breed. A Pug makes a great companion for the older family members and can be playful with the kids. This small dog with charming personality gets along with everyone in the household. Be warned that some airlines may have restrictions for brachycephalic dog breeds such as a Pug. Due to his short muzzle, a Pug may have trouble regulating his body temperature and can get overheated easily. Pug mixes may have fewer health issues and many are suitable pets for families with kids.
Pug breed pros and cons
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Family friendly dogs
A Beagle is among the best family dog breeds. This fun loving dog breed is known for generally good health and longevity. Your family can look forward to enjoying this family-friendly dog for many years. Beagles as well as Beagle Mixes enjoy the company of kids and can be fun play companions for your children. Be sure to explain to your kids that a dog is not a toy and needs to be treated with respect. Beagles are known as a hunting breed and have an acute sense of scent. Always keep your Beagle on a leash outdoors as he may be prone to following a scent and may easily run off after catching an intriguing scent. Beagles can be vocal and may be more appropriate for families that have a house with a yard rather than for families that live in an apartment. Beagles tend to enjoy barking and not all neighbors in an apartment building will appreciate that, no matter how wonderful your dog's voice may sound to you.
Beagle breed pros and cons
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Large kid friendly dogs
Child friendly dog breeds include a Golden Retriever. A Golden Retriever makes a wonderful family pet because his temperament is friendly and devoted. This intelligent dog breed is kid-friendly (among the best dogs for kids) and as the breed name suggests he will enjoy retrieving toys and objects every day. This large and friendly dog will be a play companion to your children and will enjoy their company. Teach your children that dogs aren't toys and need to be treated with respect. The large Golden Retriever does best with a family that has enough outdoor space for the big dog to stretch his legs. Golden Retrievers have plenty of energy to play with the kids.
Golden Retriever breed pros and cons
Best Golden Retriever Mixes
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Calm family dogs
Bulldogs are among the best family dogs. These lazy dogs do best with a less active family and they make great indoor dogs that can happily live in an apartment. Bulldogs are calm dogs that don't need as much daily exercise but they still require daily walks to stay in good shape. Keep in mind that Bulldogs may have a stubborn temperament. Be prepared to train your own patience as you are training your Bulldog because they aren't the easiest breed to train.
Bulldog breed pros and cons
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Best large family dog breeds
Friendliest dog breeds include Labrador Retrievers. Labrador Retriever makes a great family dog who is also among the best dogs for kids. Why are Labs great as family dogs? Labradors are playful, friendly and are kid-friendly dogs that are patient with kids. Labradors may have slight differences in their temperaments just like all breeds of dogs. Labs are known for the even temperament, friendliness and intelligence. These dogs play well with others and make great companions for children. Because of so many good qualities, the breed produced many excellent seeing eye dogs that help the vision impaired people. Labradors are happiest when they are with their family.
Labrador Retriever breed pros and cons
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Best small dogs for kids
Boston Terriers make great family dogs for city dwellers. Boston Terriers can easily adjust to living in an apartment or in a large house. Older, sensible kids will quickly become best friends with this friendly and entertaining family dog.
Boston Terriers are naturally playful and will enjoy running around with children. This family-friendly dog breed makes an excellent companion dog for families that have plenty of time to spend with this loyal and intelligent dog.
Keep in mind that Boston Terriers have a short face (known as brachycephalic breed) and the breed is prone to breathing problems. Keep the dog in an air conditioned environment during the hot weather as Boston Terriers may easily get a heat stroke during the hot and humid days.
Boston Terrier pros and cons
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Worst dogs for families with young kids
While it is important to know which dog breeds are best for families, it is also worthwhile to mention which dog breeds are not fit as family dogs. There are many reasons why certain dog breeds aren't fit to be family pets. For example, Akita is a large and protective guard dog. A family with small children that has an Akita may notice that this dog breed has a very protective attitude towards each family member, including the children. Kids enjoy playing with friends and bringing their friends home. Akita may be inclined to "protect" your kids from their friends. This dog is not friendly towards strangers and may take its protective role too far with kids or people that aren't family members. This strong dog is programmed to react to anything that he sees as a threat towards his family. That is one of the reasons why Akita is not recommended as a family pet for families with young children. Another reason for Akita's low popularity as a family pet is the dog's independent and dominating character. This dog breed does much better with an experienced dog owner who is able to be viewed as a leader by Akita. For an inexperienced owner the dog may be difficult to control, which is yet another reason why this dog breed is not the best for families especially with young kids.
Alaskan Malamute is another dog breed that is not recommended for families with young children, because this largest arctic sled dog is very possessive over his food. Young children need to learn to respect the dog and need to know that they should not touch the dog's food while the dog is eating. Another reason is that Alaskan Malamutes need to spend plenty to time outdoors to burn their energy, especially while the dog is still a young puppy or adolescent. Malamute pups tend to play rough and it's not always acceptable with kids. Also this dog breed may be challenging to train, which is another reason why this is not an ideal family pet.
Even small dog breeds such as the Chihuahua may not be the right dog breed to get for a family with young kids. The fragile, miniature dog may easily get hurt while playing with kids. Young children may easily agitate the dog and the dog can react in an aggressive manner towards the child when handled in a rough manner. Chihuahua can live in a family with kids, but under the condition that children are supervised around the small dog at all times. Kids need to be taught to be respectful towards the animal. Overall the small dog breed does better in families with adults or in families with older teens. You can safely put Chihuahua into the worst dogs for young kids category.
Jack Russell Terriers are not recommended for families with young children. These active small terriers have low tolerance for kids poking it or treating it as a toy. In a situation when children mishandle the dog, Jack Russell terrier is capable of defending himself in any way he feels will get the message across. This small hunting dog breed is more suitable for families with teens.
Families with babies, toddlers or young kids should supervise children when in a presence of any dog - be it a small Chihuahua or a large breed such as Alaskan Malamute or a Rottweiler. Teach your children to handle dogs with respect. Kids should understand that a dog is not a toy. If you have a small dog breed, teach your kids to play with the dog by sitting next to it and do not let children pick the dog up. Many miniature and small dogs end up at the veterinarian clinic with serious injuries after accidentally being dropped by kids. Explain to your children that dogs shouldn't be approached while the animal is eating. Dog's food should not be touched. Many dogs may get defensive when a child is trying to take their food or a toy. Teach your kids to understand your pet's body language. This info will be beneficial to both - your kid and your dog. Children need to know that while a dog is sleeping, they shouldn't approach it and let the pet rest. Explain to your children the importance of respecting the dog or any animal and you will help your child to develop into a kind, understanding and respectful human being.
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