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Best Dog Breeds for Kids

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Having a pet serves a major role and impact on your kid. A dog, for instance, is a common pet in most households and a great friend to the homeowners. Generally, dogs are among the most intelligent pets that live. With good training, dogs not only give your kids’ company, but offer them the emotional comfort, assistance of some tasks, and the most important, guarding them and your home.

Below are some of the advantages of owning one or more of the best dogs for kids at your house:

  • Dogs offer true friendship to your kids. When your kid owns a dog, it becomes his/her everyday companion, thus saving the child from solitude and despair. Dogs make the child feel needed and precious. This helps them when they feel low or anxious. A dog is the most loyal friend your child could ever have.
  • Dogs protect your kids. A dog won’t allow a stranger to come close to its owner, or harm him/her. It is naturally created to offer protection, where it would rather get hurt than seeing its master hurt.
  • Dogs enhance skills development in your children. A child learns to take care of the dog since its puppy days to being an adult dog. This enables the kid to be a good caretaker in the future, and have the best sense of responsibility. Moreover, kids learn the skills of leadership by being in charge of the dog.
  • Dogs impact the behavior of the child positively. Aggressive kids are calmed through playing with dogs, and also the hyperactive ones. Dogs have assisted a lot in helping children with special needs.

Having a dog as your kids’ companion saves them from unnecessary emotional breakdowns and loneliness. It is high time you consider purchasing a dog for your kids.

Choosing the Perfect Dog Breed

You should consider certain characteristics before choosing or purchasing a dog for your kids. The following are the main features to consider:

The Temperament of the Dog

Various dog breeds have different levels of friendliness or aggressiveness. Considering these characteristics is driven by the purpose of buying the dog. Highly violent dogs are best for security purposes while the approachable and outbound are best for house pets. Thus, in this case, it is advisable to get an approachable dog for the best wellness of your kids.

The Size of the Dog

The different kinds of dogs exist in different sizes. It is important to realize the interior space of the house and outdoor for playing and training. You should consider the best medium dogs for kids when purchasing to avoid extra-large dogs, which are unsuitable for them.

The Cost of the Dog

Apart from the cost of buying, dogs require to be supplemented daily with different entities. These requirements come with different costs determined by the breed of the dog. Some dogs also require licensing, which incurs more fees, thus high cost. Some breeds also need more care and medical attention than others.

What Are the Best Dogs for Kids?

Different kinds of dogs entail different characteristics that favor the kids. In this article, we discuss the fifteen best breeds of dogs, their characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.

The various dog kinds are discussed below.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: Your Child’s Best Friend

Cavalier Kings Charles SpanielSmall in size, a height of about thirteen inches, and a weight of about eighteen pounds are the main features of the breed, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It is very outgoing and generally not appropriate for home guard. They are lively and like being in the company of humans, thus are among the best dogs for kids. The cavaliers are healthy in general, but some of them are likely to contract certain dog illnesses.

The small size of Cavalier dogs eases the owner’s work of care. These dogs are generally for enclosed living, which is apartments or condos. It is advisable to take them in a small compound once in a while for their regular needs of physical exercise. It is not advisable to leave them out in the heat of the day without shade or cool water due to their short nose characteristic. This breed eats moderately, which is a half to one cup of dry food of high quality. The meal should be separated into two per day.

Pros

  • It is affectionate
  • Easy to groom
  • Good health in general
  • Playfulness potential

Cons

  • High drooling potential

Bernese Mountain Dog: The Breed With the Softest Personality

best cheap food for dogsRecognized by their tri-color coat with a white Swiss cross on their necks, Bernese Mountain Dogs are huge and weigh about one hundred pounds and height of twenty-three to twenty-eight inches in their maturity age. They are very loyal, pleasing, loving, smart, and get trained easily. It is advisable to train them early at a young age. They have a soft personality, which makes them not do well in harsh environments and corrections.

This breed has a short span of life and has health implications that arise from inbreeding. They should be kept in a large yard that is securely fenced due to their size. They should be exercised at least thirty minutes per day to keep them in their best condition. They do well in cold environments due to their thick coat. Their feeding should be constituted with a large-sized formulated diet.

Pros

  • Very gentle and affectionate
  • Mouthiness potential
  • Cold weather tolerance

Cons

  • Prone to illnesses

Alaskan Malamute: The Heavy-Duty Worker

Alaskan Malamute Dog BreedWith a sturdy body, Alaskan Malamute is a powerful dog full of strength. Failure to lead this dog consistently and giving it a job may lead to it being difficult to handle. This dog has high sensitivity, thus requires a companion and an open space. They do not do well in apartments. Their pooches shed easily, thus require grooming for healthy coats. Malamutes are stranger-friendly, thus not suitable for security purposes. With the right training, this breed of dogs is one of the most intelligent dogs available.

Pros

  • Do well in cold areas
  • Loyal to family
  • Healthy in general

Cons

  • Stubborn thus challenging to handle for first-timer dog-keepers

Boston Terrier: Small But Full of Strength

Boston TerrierIntelligent, loving, and affectionate are the main characteristics of the Boston Terrier. These dogs are small but muscular and sturdy. They are affectionate and friendly thus can be a great choice as the best breed of dogs for kids. They do well in apartments due to their low requirement for extreme exercise.

Pros

  • Easily trainable
  • High levels of energy
  • Playfulness potential

Cons

  • Unable to handle heat or cold efficiently

Labrador Retriever: America’s Most Common Breed

Happy Labrador Retriever DogAlso called Labs, this type of breed is useful in working and companionship. It is the most common dog in America. Labs are sweet and intelligent, thus used in therapy and assistance to the disabled. They are easy to train and need a lot of activities to maintain their happiness, mental, and physical health.

Pros

  • Excellent physical capabilities
  • Its training is easy
  • Affectionate and friendly

Cons

  • The shedding amount is high

Golden Retriever: Your Child’s All-Time Protector

adult golden retriever close-up photographyIn the United States, this breed is among the most known dogs. It is friendly and has a high tolerance level, thus considered among the best dogs for kids. It has high intelligence and capable of working. The golden retriever is trainable easily and loves to protect its owners. This breed is about 24 inches tall and weighs 55-75 pounds.

Pros

  • Works with people and has the eagerness to please
  • Loves to play with kids
  • High intelligence

Cons

  • High shedding amounts

Bulldog: Your Child’s Most Courageous Friend

Adult Black and White Bulldog Standing on Grass- GroundA bulldog is medium-sized and has a thick-set, low-slung body. Its shoulders are broad, and the head is big and square. This breed has courage but is generally calm. It tends to be heavy for its size, thus uneasy to carry or lift.

Pros

  • Courageous, thus a perfect watchdog
  • They are easily groomed
  • High family affection

Cons

  • Prone to illnesses

Pug: Made for Humour

Pug – Best Small Dogs for SeniorsPug’s sense of humor is great, and they love show-offs. Their face is round and flat with big and dark eyes. They weigh about eighteen pounds. These dogs are intelligent, generally happy, and affectionate. This results in them being among the best breed of dogs for kids. Pugs are not capable of hunting or guarding. They are made for companionship.

Pros

  • They are generally healthy
  • Easy to maintain
  • Playfulness potential

Cons

  • High shedding amounts

Beagle: The Scent-Hound Dog

Beagle - Best Medium Sized Dogs for SeniorsBeagles are a small and hardy breed of dogs that are generally active. They suit as great givers of companionship to kids and also adults due to their nature of happiness and love, thus considered among the best pet dogs for kids. They are scent-hound, and their heads are always down sniffing for an interesting trail.

Pros

  • They show affection to every family member
  • Hot weather tolerance
  • They are generally funny dogs

Cons

  • Housetraining them is challenging

Irish Setter: Slow Maturity, Full of Puppy Enthusiasm

Irish Setter Dog BreedStanding at about 25-27 inches, Irish setters are dogs that love fun and playing. These dogs weigh about 60-70 pounds. They have high levels of energy and are mischievous, thus require obedience training. They mature slowly where, in some cases, they retain their puppy enthusiasm in their whole life

Pros

  • Playfulness potential and energy level is high
  • High intelligence
  • Cold weather tolerance

Cons

  • High shedding amounts

French Bulldog: The Great Freethinker

french-bulldog-summer-smile-joyWith a loving and smart character, French bulldogs love spending much time with their owners. This is why they are among the best dogs for kids. Training of this dog breed should be done positively, rewarding it with food, play, and praise. They need little exercise due to their low levels of energy. Their freethinking ability makes them sometimes stubborn.

Pros

  • They are trained easily
  • Grooming is easily done
  • Does not frequently bark, thus best for apartments

Cons

  • Poor tolerance to hot or cold weather

Brussels Griffon: The Rare Breed

Brussel griffons are small and a rare breed of dogs. They are intelligent and have a great sense of humor, which makes them be always a step ahead of their owners.

Pros

  • Shows affection for families
  • High intelligence

Cons

  • Does not tolerate hot or cold weather

Newfoundland: All-Purpose Dog

Newfoundland Dog BreedDue to their strength, hard work, and large size, Newfoundlands do best in both water and land. These are the best kinds of dogs for kids when it comes to training due to their quick learning capability. They are intelligent and love kids.

Pros

  • Easy and quick training
  • Affectionate

Cons

  • Prone to genetic health conditions due to poor breeding

Collie: Children Lover and Playing Partner

Border collie dog catching frisbee in jump in summerCollies are intelligent dogs with high sensitivity. They are among the best breed of dogs for kids because of their love for children, playing and protecting them.  They are generally healthy and are suitable for novice owners.

Pros

  • Intelligent
  • Training is easy

Cons

  • High shedding amounts

Poodle: Intelligent and the Most Impressive Breed

Poodle Dog BreedWith their characters of pride, elegance, and cleverness, Poodles are made to impress. These dogs are among the most intelligent dogs in existence and suit almost every task given to them, thus the best dogs for kids. Contrary wise, Poodles get bored when not engaged mentally and physically, which can result in destructive behavior.

Pros

  • High level of intelligence
  • Suitable for novice owners

Cons

  • Does not tolerate loneliness

Choose the Best Pet Dogs for Kids

After reading the article, I believe you have the right information about the best dogs for kids, and it is now on you to make a choice. Generally, these dogs are the best companions for the family, but some outweigh each other’s benefits. It is important to consider your affordability, the grooming to deal with, and the adaptability of the dog before purchasing. 

Are you wondering which are the best small dogs for kids of young age? Do you still find it hard to differentiate the characters of various dog breed types? I believe all your questions have been addressed in the article. You can now get a family dog that is friendly and affectionate to everyone in the household with ease.

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Author

Max Gordon

Dr. Gordon has been a contributor to a range of pet media since his study at Drexel University in Philadelphia. He does not miss a chance to do in-depth research backed by his own examinations. Along with writing his own pieces, Dr. Gordon does fact-checking of the articles.

View all posts by Max Gordon | DogsRecommend.com