If you have realized that your little kid needs a companion, then you are quite right. You might certainly have questions regarding the pup that you want to buy.
Does the breed of dog matter while buying a pup? Would it be wise to let the kid decide what dog he/she wants to buy? Is it true that smaller dogs are better suited to kids?
We will answer these questions in this article of 15 Best dogs for Kids. It is often thought that dogs and kids frequently get along well. However, small dogs are considered toys by many children and hence the situation turns bad soon.
Big dogs can be dangerous too as they can injure children quickly. It would be correct to say that a few dogs are more suited to children than the rest especially because they are more patient towards children.
In a nutshell, a dog is fit for kids if it has a calm manner, an amicable approach, trainable nature, and sustainability.
There are some aspects to keep in mind while adopting a kid-friendly dog:
- Size: small dogs can be delicate and hence would be safer around careful children. Big dogs require some physical activity and hence require to be walked frequently.
- Energy: Some pooches are active and some are not. You will have to decide based on your family convenience.
- Temperament: Personality of each pet is different and so is your choice.
Here is our list of 15 best dogs for kids that you will adore choosing from:
1. Basset Hound
Basset Hounds have the appearance of gloominess and sadness in their eyes. They are considered as one of the most adorable dog breeds that have ever existed.
If you need a dog who is always well-behaved and who likes to socialize, then this is the dog to go for.
Basset hounds are easygoing around children. No other dog is as safely playful around kids as this one.
Bassets adore playing with small members of the family and are known to be protective of kids. The chaotic noise made by the children will not affect them unlike us humans, who are distracted by mischief.
Whenever Basset Hounds are used by kids as a horse, they can tolerate that as well.
2. Beagle
A well-known aspect of Beagle is that it is a fun-loving and lively dog breed. Beagles were historically used for tracking rabbits and hares through scent.
With such a history, they are sometimes, but not always stubborn. As a prospective owner, what is critical for you is to recognize whether this dog is appropriate for family life or not.
When deciding on the temperament of the dog that you are going to bring to your home, make sure that it is calm yet playful. The beagle is certainly one of these kinds of dogs.
A lot of comfort is attached when talking about the dog. Surprisingly, when beagles are stubborn and chaotic, they seem more adorable than annoying.
If you decide to adopt a beagle, we suggest you go for a young pup as older beagles are more difficult to train and mold.
3. Bernese Mountain Dog
A common belief among people exists that the Bernese are great with children. The majority of the Bernese dogs are easygoing and protective.
When along with children, they are good talkers. Still, it is very important that children are taught how to conduct themselves in the Bernese’s vicinity and vice versa.
Keep in mind that the Bernese are huge dogs, which can make them frightening for young children. They can also unknowingly make a child fall. Also, some Bernese dogs are overly receptive to some sounds.
They may become nervous and may lose interest when children are playing around. Bernese can get over-excited because of the high-pitched sounds of the children.
4. Bichon Frise
The meaning of the name Bichon Frise is “fluffy white dog”. These dogs are often lovingly called “powder puff”.
They are famous as child and family-friendly dogs because of their temperament and size. Also, they have interesting characteristics such as inquisitiveness, cheerfulness, and easy trainability.
Especially for kids with allergies, Bichon Frises are a good option because they are light shedders and are hypoallergenic in nature.
The entire family would enjoy while training the Bichon. However, training them is not a cakewalk as you might imagine.
Surprisingly, Bichons possess hair instead of fur. As a result, hair maintenance is a bit challenging.
Unless you are willing to keep your Frise indoors with a wee-wee pad, they should not be adopted because they need to empty their bladder every 3 – 4 hours.
5. Boxer
Boxers are largely popular because they are playful and energetic dogs. Because of their large size and highly active nature, they can be a headache for parents.
Generally speaking, these dogs are not harmful if brought home because they are respectful and playful. In fact, they are well-known for being great friends with kids.
Patience is a virtue that is unique in boxers when they interact with humans. They are popularly favored by kids because kids have fun playing with them.
Well-known for their protective nature towards its family, most of the boxers are friendly with strangers.
6. Bull Terrier
Bull terriers are easy, playful, and loving with family members. Being protective is one of their strong nature and they are very faithful towards their family.
Being a tough and big breed, appropriate safety measures around children, other animals, and strangers need to be taken.
Without the proper attention provided to them, and without sufficient exercise given to them, Bull Terriers can become chaotic and likely to cause havoc.
The breed being physically powerful, possesses a tendency towards aggression. They not only need to be taught obedience, but also socialization from an early age.
With these teachings, Bull Terriers can turn out to be great family members.
7. Bulldog
The breed of Bulldogs is extremely popular as being amicable and gentle in nature. Unlike its dangerous looks, it is not so harmful by nature.
They may appear hefty and huge but are in fact one of the most affectionate dogs alive.
Truly, Bulldogs are brilliant family dogs because of their affectionate nature and a calm demeanor. Known as “nanny” pooches, they are highly protective of their family and are admired for their high degree of patience around children.
However, the level to which Bulldogs are reliable as great companions also depends upon the level of proper training and socialization given to them from an early stage in their lives.
8. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier Spaniel is known to be a very loving, patient and sportive dog. Renowned for their easy to please nature, these dogs are excellent with children.
As regards to interacting with bigger-sized dogs, they are not shy. Well-made for country and city life, they are accommodative towards the surroundings of any style.
Speaking about the nature of the dog, it is highly playful and inquisitive. They cherish playing in the lap the most and hence are very famous lap dogs.
Moreover, they also make outstanding companions for senior citizens and medical patients.
9. Collie
Well-known for their excellent companionship with humans, they have turned out to be a regular pet in many households.
There is no final answer to the question: are they really good with kids? The debate has been going for some time now and the only seemingly apt answer is that it is subjective.
Some Collies flourish in a household whereas some do not go well with family. It can be safely said that there are many factors leading to such conclusions.
Because Collies are herding dogs, their nature is not so easy. They have a tendency to herd even small children. Collies are not an intelligent dog breed.
They need proper socialization and training to become excellent family dogs.
10. Dachshund
Dachshunds have an affinity for comfort and warmth. Unlike many dogs, they are not playful and yet prefer certain kinds of physical activities like going for walks.
In a broad sense, they are good family dogs. Faithfulness and affection towards their family is a natural thing for them.
Moreover, they are family-protective and thus wary of strangers. Even though they are great for teenagers and adults, they are just not perfect for young kids.
Not all dachshunds are equivalent and some can be trained successfully to become kid-friendly.
11. German Shepherd
The crucial thing for any dog to be family-friendly is to have been socialized well from an early age. Those Shepherds who have been socialized well, adapt well to family life.
The stranger children – those who are not from his home, are likely to be addressed with hostility by the Shepherd. Hence, children going to the home of a Shepherd need to be made aware of the rules of behavior in front of the dog.
It can be said that the German Shepherd is naturally good with children. It is energetic and enjoys spending their energy.
Its inclination for mastering novel skills will be a treat to watch for any child.
12. Golden Retriever
Being very famous for their sweet moods, Golden Retrievers are reliable and quite kid-friendly. Their relaxed disposition comes from the fact that they were bred to operate in water.
Goldens are very much willing to please. They are many a time reluctant to work as guard dogs and rather prefer to go along with children wherever they go.
Since they are intelligent dogs, they are easy to train. Moreover, they are easy to train also due to their willingness to please their owners.
Being suited to competitions of agility, they also are nice guard and rescue dogs. Not a massive dog but a big dog is the Golden, and if you can manage it, it will not disappoint you ever.
13. Labrador
A commonly prevalent perception about Labradors is that the dog is faithful and amicable for adults. And with kids too, it is no different. Labs are considered as one of the best kid companions.
They have a calm temper, are energetic and very friendly. Their energy level requires a sufficiently large amount of workout, and so, this is one thing to keep in mind for all prospective owners.
Just as children, Labs are always eager to play. Because they are always up to something, a lot of kids can spend time and enjoy a game of Frisbee with the Lab.
A Lab loves the attention gotten from children, unlike many other dogs. By giving proper socialization, Labs can become well-armed to deal with unpredictable children.
14. Poodle
Poodles are famous for being friendly with kids and are as energetic as kids. Their nature being very affectionate and gentle, they are very well-suited for children.
Among the various kinds of Poodles, the standard poodles are the most preferred by kids. Poodles have many characteristics that make them an apt choice for being a family dog.
These qualities include patience, playfulness, alertness, amicability, and affection. Poodles are fun and easygoing dogs.
As regards energy, they are very high on it. Because of their very high stamina levels, they can play for an entire day. Thus, even if your kid has become bored by playing, the poodle would not yet be bored.
15. Labradoodle
Labradoodles, unlike many other breeds, are very intelligent. Not only that, they are affectionate, friendly, and sportive but are also hypoallergenic, so don’t worry about your sneezing.
They are especially good with those families that have kids with them because they love interacting with children.
Being very zesty dogs, they can unknowingly hurt a child by making him fall to the ground. Labradoodles require a large space to roam around.
If a labradoodle is large for a not-so-large apartment, then it may not adjust well if there is no space to roam.
Moreover, they need to be continuously stimulated mentally in order to let them prosper in an environment that necessitates constant interaction.
We hope you have now got some thoughtful ideas on which dog to adopt for your children.
If you didn’t find the dog you were looking for, you can ask us about the specific breed or checkout our blog on Worst Dogs For Kids to check off any breed that won’t suit children.
We will await your visit to dogisworld again.
Happy Petting to You Guys!
