The Best Dog Breeds For Your Kids

Tips for helping you pick the right four-legged friend for your child

As many young parents realize at some point, young children can be energetic, playful, and ever curious. As they embark on their journey to explore the world around them, it may be a good idea to provide them with a trusty companion to keep them company. Who better to join them on their adventures than a friendly, four-legged friend?

Getting a dog for your children can come with a whole host of benefits, however this depends heavily on whether or not the dog you choose compatible with your kids. While each dog breed comes with its own set of common traits, every individual dog has its own personality regardless of breed. While the ideal dog should be warm and energetic, it should also be a dog with patience as children can sometimes be rough when they play. Let’s take a look at some dog breeds that are known for being great with kids, so that you know where to start your search!

Beagle

This small dog breed is known for being friendly and energetic, making them the perfect playtime pals for your kids! Beagles love exploring their surroundings and can remain preoccupied for hours in the outdoors. This doesn’t mean, however, that they are not just as content spending time at home.

An important fact about Beagles is that they are known to have a calm temperament, meaning that they will typically remain patient with children who tend to get rough when they play. They are also known to get along well with other dog breeds, so feel free to consider getting another dog if you want to grow your family a little bigger.

Bulldog

Because of their heavy-set builds, these dogs are born to withstand rough play from your child. They are also docile, making them unlikely to lash out at children should they ever get frustrated. Personality-wise, bulldogs are cheerful and love to get affection from their families.

If you are looking for an obedient, easy-to-train dog then beware, because bulldogs are infamous for their stubbornness. What they lack in discipline, however, they more than make up for in amusement, as their laziness and constant antics will keep you and your kids laughing for hours!

Golden Retriever

This large dog breed is known for exhibiting a docile yet playful temperament, as well as being very welcoming to both family members and visitors. While this makes them lousy guard dogs, they are one of the best dog breeds to have around small children due to their patient and loving natures.

Golden Retrievers are excellent listeners and relatively easy to train. They remain playful and bubbly well into their adult years and are very sociable around humans as well as other dogs. While they do require attention, this is a low-maintenance dog breed that is perfectly suited to young families.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

While they may be considered a toy breed, don’t let their dainty appearances fool you! Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are athletic dogs who love spending time outdoors. These dogs are affectionate, friendly, and sociable around children.

While these dogs do not do well with rough play, they can get along well with children of different personality types. Their athleticism allows them to go exploring with more adventurous children, while quieter kids who prefer to stay indoors will find an affectionate companion in this dog breed.

Border Collie

Known for their intelligence, border collies are active and adventurous. While this is certainly a quality to look out for when you have kids, it is also important to understand that border collies are infamous for escaping from the house and going exploring.

Provided you keep an eye on your border collie from the moment that it is a puppy, this dog breed can be a great companion for older, well-behaved children. Because they are herders, they may try to herd your young children if you are not careful!

Chow Chow

Chow Chow’s are a unique dog breed in the sense that they are naturally aloof and independent. Because they enjoy being alone, other dogs and objects seldom draw interest from them, however this doesn’t stop them from being loving towards their families.

If these dogs feel sense a threat, they will rise to protect their families. Despite this, Chow Chow’s are not aggressive dogs, and can be well tempered and sociable if trained from a young age. Chow Chows require little attention, making them easy to live with.

Basset Hound

With their long, droopy ears, Basset Hounds have a distinct appearance. These dogs are natural hunters, which has resulted in them becoming great outdoor companions for kids and other dogs. One issue to consider, however, is their builds- with such short legs, it can be difficult for them to climb steep stairs and move past certain furniture.

Provided you can get past such shortfalls, Basset Hounds are patient and sturdy dogs that can handle rough play. They are also easy-going and affectionate, which makes them good companions to older family members as well.

Bernese Mountain Dog

These enormous dogs make a great addition to the family, so long as there is enough room in the house! While they may look imposing, these dogs are gentle and generally won’t mind if children climb all over them.

While they make great guard dogs due to being highly alert, Bernese Mountain Dogs are affectionate and loyal to family members. Despite being better suited to larger homes, these dogs are some of the most well-rounded working dogs around.

Goldendoodle

A relatively new dog breed, this cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle is known to be gentle, affectionate, and sociable. Goldendoodles get along well with children and adults alike and are comfortable playing outdoors or sitting inside.

The above traits have helped elevate their popularity as family dogs in recent years. With their high energy, Goldendoodles can preoccupy kids for hours, while at the same time they have a great reputation as therapy and service dogs.

Pug

While they may be small in stature, pugs are nevertheless playful dogs that get along famously with kids. These cuddly dogs have a friendly demeanor that allows them to interact particularly well with small children. This comes as no surprise seeing as they were historically bred to be companion dogs.

Pugs have low energy levels, meaning that they do not require a lot of exercise. While stubborn and mischievous, they are loveable dogs that can be trained with the right amount of dedication.

Boxer

While they may seem intimidating because of their muscular builds, boxers are friendly and outgoing dogs. This breed is energetic and courageous, yet also fiercely loyal to their families. While these dogs are great for kids who like to play outside, they do often require a substantial amount of exercise on a regular basis.

Boxers can be tough to train, but if you start training them from a young age, they can become very obedient. It is also important that they have enough space to run outdoors. So long as you have a fair-sized backyard, these dogs can preoccupy themselves for hours.

Havanese

Because of their curiosity and desire to please their families, Havanese dogs are known to be entertaining and love being at the center of attention. These playful dogs are sure to keep children and adults amused for ages and are always willing to perform a trick or two.

Due to their desire to please their families, Havanese dogs are easily trainable. Just ensure that you do not leave them alone for too long as they do crave social interaction. While these dogs are constantly entertaining, they require little physical activity due to being medium-energy dogs.

Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Despite their small size, Corgis have enormous personalities! These cheerful dogs are exceptionally trusting and will smother both adults and children with affection. While Corgis have enough energy to keep your kids amused, they only require a limited amount of exercise so long as it’s on a regular basis.

While they are highly trainable, you best make sure to teach them the rules from a young age- otherwise these stubborn fur balls will start making rules of their own! Overall, Corgis have great senses of humor and will be sure to brighten your day with their friendly demeanor’s!

Dalmatian

These athletic dogs are instantly recognizable by their white coat covered in black spots. With their high energy levels, these dogs are great for kids who enjoy an active lifestyle. They do, however, need to be taken out for exercise on a frequent basis as a consequence.

While dalmatians are not aggressive dogs, this doesn’t mean that they are not excellent watch dogs, especially with their heightened alertness! If you get a dalmatian, expect this loyal dog to follow you wherever you go, no matter the activity!

Bull Terrier

Despite their threatening appearance, Bull Terriers are friendly, spunky, and charismatic dogs. These dogs love being around people, and given the chance, will immediately think that they are part of the family. While Bull Terriers can be aggressive towards other dogs as well as stubborn, early socialization and training can prevent these issues.

These energetic dogs love exercise and typically playing with people, especially outdoors. So long as you make sure to give a Bull Terrier the stimulation it needs, you’ll have a dog that will be happy to sit and keep you company at the end of a long day.

Boston Terrier

With their “smooshed” faces, Boston Terriers are notoriously cute. This breed was developed to be companion dogs, and therefore have no real desire to hunt or herd. This doesn’t that these dogs love playtime, however, as Boston Terrier puppies are known to be packed with energy.

Boston Terrier pups crave love and attention from their families, and their compact builds make them the perfect companions to smaller children. While they do get calmer as they get older, Boston Terriers remain devoted to their families, while also remaining content on their own.

German Shepherd

Known for their herding abilities, German Shepherds are intelligent, composed, and aware of their capabilities. These qualities make German Shepherds excellent watch dogs, while at the same time ensuring that they do not snap at children if they are on the receiving end of rough play.

While they do need much attention while they are young, German Shepherds exhibit a willingness to learn and an obedience that makes them easily trainable. While they typically don’t enjoy the company of other dogs, German Shepherds ware not quick to anger. These dogs will make a trusty guardian for children.

Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers are gentle yet playful dogs that exhibit very low levels of aggression- great news for households with many children! While their friendliness towards strangers and other dogs make for a lousy guard dog, Labrador Retrievers are typically affectionate to their families, making them great companions.

What’s great about Labradors is their calm temperaments- no matter how much children push and pull them; they are unlikely to bite back. While they can get quite excitable, Labrador Retrievers are generally easy to train.

Cocker Spaniel

These gentle and loving dogs will be sure to spoil your children with plenty of affection. While they may seem submissive, Cocker Spaniels generally have excellent temperaments- they are usually able to remain calm in many situations and seldom act out.

Cocker Spaniels are highly intelligent dogs that aim to please their owners. This makes them easily trainable, although they can be stubborn at times! By training and socializing them from a young age, these dogs can be well-mannered and highly sociable.

Irish Setter

This outgoing and friendly dog breed is welcoming to both houseguests and other dogs. While this means that they are not the most effective watchdogs, Irish Setters more than make up for this with their undying loyalty towards their families.

While these athletic dogs require tons of exercise, they are easily trainable. They also make great companions to children who enjoy exploring the outdoors as well as adults who are looking for a great jogging partner.

Miniature Poodle

These alert and intelligent dogs are highly trainable, so teaching them to do tricks should be an easy task. This breed is incredibly active, and they love following their owners around and being involved in whatever they’re doing.

What makes miniature poodles well-suited to small children is their size. They are also energetic dogs who love playing games. Not only do poodles make great watchdogs, but they also love playing in the outdoors with their family members.

Bichon Frise

This friendly yet polite dog loves receiving attention from its owners. The Bichon Frise is a very sociable dog that will happily welcome others into its home and is up for any form of social activity. This breed loves to impress their owners and is consequently highly trainable.

Because they are docile, they are very easy going even when surrounded by many people. These dogs do suffer separation anxiety, however, so it is important for them to receive constant social interaction.

Shetland Sheepdog

What’s interesting about this breed is that these dogs can have a wide array of personality traits, from being outgoing to being reserved or even timid. So long as these dogs are trained from an early age, they can prove to be loyal and friendly companions.

Shetland Sheepdogs are generally protective of their families and will serve as effective watchdogs. So long as you introduce them to new experiences from an early age, these dogs can be comfortable around and welcoming to strangers and other dogs.

Yorkshire Terrier

These small dogs often think that they are a lot bigger than they really are, which often shows in their sassy and outgoing personalities. Interestingly enough, this breed is quite difficult to generalize about, as Yorkshire Terriers seldom come in the same package.

While some Yorkies seem arrogant and can get easily jealous, others are affectionate dogs that give their families tons of love. The strong traits that seem to be common amongst all Yorkies is their social demeanor and their stubbornness.

French Bulldog

With their big, bright eyes and bat-like ears, these dogs will make any dog-lover’s heart melt. One of the most impressive traits shared by most French Bulldogs is that they are highly intelligent, which allows them to adapt well to any household environment.

While some of these dogs are calm and observant, others are highly energetic and playful. No matter which personality each French Bulldog adopts, one thing remains constant, namely that they have great temperaments that will allow them to develop a naturally-loving bond with kids.

Maltese Poodle

One of the oldest toy dog breeds in existence, Maltese Poodles are known to be both gentle and well-mannered. These dogs are docile and are sure to provide your family with plenty of affection- just make sure to reciprocate frequently as this breed is known to suffer from separation anxiety if they spend too much time away from their owners.

While Maltese Poodles sure have spunk, they are people-pleasers- a trait that makes them easily trainable! Interestingly enough, these dogs do their best to remain obedient so that they can nurture their bond with their owners.

Shih Tzu

One of the most ancient dog breeds still in existence, some estimates state that Shih Tzus have been around since 8,000BC! Bred to be the lapdogs of Chinese Royalty, Shih Tzus are known to be affectionate and attentive to their owners’ emotions.

These dogs are typically confident and dignified, which does sometimes result in an air of stubbornness! While it may take a while to housebreak these dogs, Shih Tzus will prove to be some of the most trusting and loving dogs for your family, and will surely get along well with any other pets you may have.

Miniature Schnauzer

Yet another case of small dogs with big personalities, Miniature Schnauzers love to be the center of attention. These dogs are curious and playful, making them great companions for kids. As people-lovers, Miniature Schnauzers are sure to follow you wherever you go, making sure that they are always involved in the action!

Due to being so energetic, Miniature Schnauzers do typically require a significant amount of physical activities. You may also want to consider that some of the dogs in this breed do not always get along well with other animals, however this does vary between each individual dog. So long as you socialize them, Miniature Schnauzers make strong-willed yet loyal friends.

Vizsla

These adventurous dogs are perfect for families who enjoy spending time outdoors and doing physical activities. Of course, this means that if your family spends a lot of time indoors or you live in a small apartment, then this probably isn’t the dog for you.

If your family is quite active, then a Vizsla will prove to be a loyal companion, as they do show great dedication to their families. They are also easy-going dogs that will allow their personalities to be shaped depending on the way you train them. While these muscular dogs are natural hunters, they are actually very gentle, making them ideal playmates for smaller children!

Great Dane

Despite their massive size, Great Danes are some of the most gentle and even-tempered dog breeds around. These traits make them loving companions to their other family members. Seemingly unaware of their size, Great Danes love being a part of every aspect of their owners lives and will even try to behave as lap dogs when given the opportunity!

While these dogs can get lonely when their owners are away for long periods, they are noble dogs that will appreciate even the smallest gestures of love from their families. So long as you make sure to socialize your Great Dane from an early age, this dog will be an outgoing and sociable life partner that will not be so severely affected by their natural tendency to be timid.

Chihuahua

This is yet another case of a small dog with a larger than life personality! Chihuahuas are known to be loyal and loving dogs, who are willing to go anywhere with their owners. While they may have sassy personalities, these tiny dogs will remain true to their families and are even effective as miniature watchdogs.

Because these dogs are such good listeners, they are highly trainable and will happily perform tricks provided you have a treat on hand for them! While they are sure to provide your kids with tons of entertainment, you may only want to adopt this breed of dog as your children get older, as they are not built for the rough play of small children.

Dachshund

While these small dogs are known to sometimes be suspicious of other dogs and strangers, they are no doubt good with kids and even make effective watchdogs. This dog breed is known for being intelligent and independent, and Dachshunds can often be found digging, sniffing around, and exploring unfamiliar surroundings.

While they can become stubborn and frustrated because of not being in charge, you can eliminate this problem by thoroughly training these dogs from a young age. Despite this, Dachshunds can be incredibly friendly and will always be up for a game of fetch with you or your children!

English Springer Spaniel

This particular breed is known to show affection to family members and be equally as welcoming to strangers. Due to their longing for human affection, these dogs will follow their family members around the house and accompany them on any activity that they may be involved in.P

Due to their tendency to suffer from separation anxiety, it is important to provide these dogs with enough attention each day. If you do so, these dogs will be easy and enjoyable to train and will be sure to integrate well into the household.

Mastiff

While Mastiffs were originally bred for combat, their mellow natures and protective instincts make them ideal guardians for family members. Even while doing their utmost to protect their families, Mastiffs will still dedicate themselves to nurturing and showing patience towards children.

This dog breed is historically known for being good-natured, and loves running around and playing in large open areas. Despite their large size, Mastiffs love cuddling up with their owners and will even try to sit on the couch or in the bed! These dogs will be loving companions for any children.

Papillon

With their warm and outgoing personalities, this dog breed thrives on showering family members with love. In fact, these dogs were purposefully bred to provide comfort and support to their human counterparts!

Papillon dogs are considered to be the most obedient and easily trainable of all the toy breeds. While they can be injured easily if unsupervised, these dogs are full of energy and can spend ages playing with children outdoors.

Pomeranian

As the descendant of sled dogs, Pomeranians are active, capable, obedient dogs despite their small statures. These dogs are excellent watchdogs and are even used to assist people with hearing disabilities- just make sure to train your Pomeranian to not bark too often!

While these dogs may not be suitable for small children, they nevertheless prove to be cute, feisty, and playful pals for children who are old enough to be able to play gently and show restraint. These delightful dogs are also often used as therapy dogs due to their uplifting spirits!

Siberian Husky

These working dogs are independent and mischievous, yet are also known to be playful, curious, and affectionate. While these dogs are not recommended for first-time dog owners, they are certainly trainable, easy to please, and sociable if left in the right hands.

Siberian Huskies are usually excellent with kids, as their levelheadedness and playfulness allow them to get excited along with small children. Because of their intelligence, Siberian Huskies are able to distinguish between adults and small children and are therefore able to be gentle with them so as not to cause any injuries.

Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

These dogs were bred as herders and hunters, and consequently remain alert and vigilant. Despite this, they do not show aggression towards strangers and will only be hostile if they sense a genuine threat. This breed is well-tempered and affable by nature.

These charismatic dogs love to play and will get along famously with children- in fact, it is recommended that they socialize with children and other pets from a young age in order to acclimate to their environments. These docile dogs are always fun to have around.

St Bernard

These gentle giants are famous for their gentle and loving natures. While they love showering their family members with love and attention, they are not actually such big attention-seekers themselves.

These dogs are always eager to please their families and are welcoming towards visitors. While they do require significant room in order to move around, they are the perfect companions for small children. They exhibit love and patience, which allows them to remain calm even when children play roughly with them. With their finely tuned intuitions, they can differentiate between adults and children and treat each person accordingly.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

These dogs come from a combat background and consequently have lean and muscular builds. Despite these intimidating looks, this breed is actually warm, friendly and affectionate. While they love exercise and the outdoors, these dogs are just as happy to cuddle with family members on the couch!

Once these dogs are adequately trained, they will show complete obedience and loyalty to their families. These patient and loving dogs will be a perfect addition to any family!