Which Dog Breeds Are Good With Children?
If you are thinking of adding a dog to your family and you have little ones, you might be wondering which dog breeds are good with children. This Holidays4Dogs article makes a few suggestions on dog breeds that we think best suit families with children.
Dogs and children can forge some pretty special bonds – many of us who grew up with dogs, will know this all too well. Dogs can help children to learn social skills, provide comfort and generally be best friends with their human siblings. Of course, there should also be mutual respect and its important to teach children how to behave around dogs from the off-set.
What characteristics make a dog suitable for a family with children?
Its not just about the breed of dog, but the character and personality that’s important. While some breeds of dog are certainly ‘easier’ and more affectionate than others, its as much about temperament than breed. Calm, placid and patient breeds, with that trainability factor, are the ones to look for.
Size too is an important factor to consider because, small or, toy dogs, can tend to be more excitable than their larger cousins. However, on the flip side, larger dog breeds can also be exuberant enough knock small toddlers over.
Energy levels are another crucial aspect when it comes to choosing a family dog with children in the household. Anyone with young children will know how demanding they can be, so adding an energetic dog ( or puppy) to the mix, could be challenging for very busy households.
It is vitally important that children are taught how to behave around dogs. Any negative experiences the dog receives from children – intentional, or not – can have an impact on the dog’s future behaviour around little ones.
How to find the right dog.
Finding the right dog can be tricky, so its best to start with researching a few of the breeds you are drawn to. After that, contact some reputable breeders and see if you might be able to go along to visit. Another good way to get a feel for different dog breeds, is to go along to a dog show. There you will find lots of owners and breeders who may be happy to chat about their dogs.
Here are five breeds we think are suited to families with children.
Golden Retrievers.
Golden retrievers are placid and calm family companions. But, always make sure children respect the boundaries of any dog.
Golden retrievers are known for their friendly, affectionate nature. Although they are a fairly large breed of dog – they tend to be placid, well-mannered and super easy to train. They do need a fair bit of exercise as adults and their coats need a good amount of attention too.
However, for the energetic family who love the great outdoors, golden retrievers are lovely family companions that you can pretty much take anywhere. Health-wise, they do, unfortunately, suffer from some hereditary diseases – including hip-dysplasia. Always check the puppy’s parents have had relevant health checks.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are friendly, calm and sociable little companions.
These delightful dogs are quite small dogs, but fairly sturdy. They have wonderful characters and their tails are always wagging! While they love daily walks, their energy levels are not as high as some of the larger dog breeds.
They adore interacting with their families and are, generally, gentle souls who will make friends with anyone. This is another breed of dog well suited to families with children and they take to training very well. They do suffer from a few serious health conditions, however. Therefore, this is something to take into consideration and always buy from health tested parents.
Labrador Retriever.
Labradors are one of the most perfect family dogs.
Labradors, are similar to golden retrievers in terms of temperament. They are a little bit smaller, but can be boisterous as puppies. However, they are very easy to train and as adults, are usually very well balanced, calm and sensible. Daily exercise is essential for Labradors and they also enjoy mental activity involving games.
Labradors are typically friendly with everyone they meet, good natured with other dogs and will usually get along with other pets in the household, such as, cats and small animals. Like the goldens – they can suffer with hip-dysplasia and are prone to putting weight on.
Springer/cocker spaniel.
Spaniels are enthusiastic, full of life and have BOUNDLESS energy!
Springers and cockers are wonderfully merry dogs – BUT! – they have boundless energy! Spaniels are generally happy, sociable dogs and easy to train. In fact, they thrive on constructive things to do like chasing a ball, or searching for items. This is great for families with energetic children who will be happy to play with the dog all day long. However, they need a a lot of training and exercise and a chance to let off steam on a nice long walk, once, or twice a day.
Newfoundland.
Newfoundland dogs are the gentle giants of the dog world. But they can grow to be heavier than a human!
‘Newfies’ are a lovely, gentle breed of dog and can suit families very well. However, they are BIG dogs! Males can weight up to 150lbs when fully grown. The Newfoundland dog really is a gentle giant and they make calm house-pets – even though they take up quite a bit of space. They are affectionately known as ‘Nanny’ dogs due to their soft and protective nature towards children. They need a reasonable amount of exercise and just love swimming.
Don’t forget there are plenty of dogs in rescues around the country and its quite possible you could find your perfect family companion by giving a home to a dog in need.
Which dogs may not be suitable for families with children?
Again, this really depends on the temperament of the dog and, of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.
However, we think, tiny, or toy dogs, may not be suited to families with small children. Their delicate size can make them prone to accidents and, as a result, they can suffer broken bones, or other injuries. In addition, small dogs tend to be quite excitable and sometimes of a nervous and sensitive disposition – which doesn’t always make them suitable for busy family lives.
Large breeds like bull mastiffs, Dobermans, rottweilers, Belgian shepherds, German shepherds and akitas often require specialist needs that involve a great deal of socialisation and training. Some of these dogs have strong guarding abilities and are super vigilant. These dogs can be sensitive and don’t take kindly to rough handling, so may not be suitable for noisy, busy, households with excitable children.
