Last Updated on May 10, 2023 by Kunthida
Looking to add a four-legged furball to your family portrait? Choosing the right dog breed for family is like finding the missing puzzle piece. With our comprehensive guide, you’ll navigate through wagging tails and floppy ears to find the perfect canine match!
From the gentle giants to pint-sized pups, we’ve got heartwarming tales, irresistible breeds, and expert tips to help you pick your family’s new best friend. Ready to embark on this tail-wagging adventure? Let’s fetch!
Choosing the best dog breed for the family is a bigger decision than you may initially think. There are about 330 pure breeds and almost another 80 that were developed by breeders by mixing different combinations of pure breeds.
Some breeds were mixed in ways that kept the characteristics, yet caused the dogs to be larger or smaller than the original breed.
Choosing the Best Dog Breed For Family
With so many choices, you have to think of each dog breed as having specific characteristics, temperament, size, function, and abilities.
Each dog within that breed will share some common elements. For example, some dogs who were hunting dogs in times past have been bred differently to reduce the hunting instinct and make the dog more suitable as the pet for a family whose only “hunting” is stopping at the grocery store or fast food to bring home dinner.
Major categories of dog breeds include toys, companions, guards, working, spaniels, terriers, sighthound, scent hounds, spitz, and herding.
This doesn’t include the famous “Heinz 57” – or pound mutt, whose exact heritage is unknown.
Each of the breeds is known for its ability to perform certain jobs. Historically, all dogs were working dogs – helping with sheep herding, cattle tending, fetching game, guarding property, or tracking escapees.
House pets were not common as they are today.
Each dog breed still carries the genetic code for its original type of work.
You need to know how that dog is genetically programmed before you bring him home.
The dog that’s naturally a watchdog won’t be the cuddly playmate for your small children.
The greyhound, particularly the rescued greyhound, is gentle and quiet, but they must have plenty of outdoor time to run.
Like a dog that can gain speeds of up to 45 mph, the greyhound is not a dog for couch potatoes.
If you want a medium to large dog that will be easily trained and protective over your children, then choose a pastoral or herding dog like the Old English sheepdog, Collie or Welsh Corgi.
The instincts they have for keeping sheep in the pasture adapt to keeping your children inside the backyard while keeping intruders outside.
Small Dog Breeds For Family
When having a dog means a smaller pet that’s purely for amusement with little expectation, then look at the toy dog breed.
Among this group, you find Chihuahua, Poodle, Manchester Terrier, Pug, Pekingese, Shih Tzu, and King Charles Spaniel. Don’t expect any work from this group. Toy dogs are masterful at finding ways for you to work for them.
10 Best Dog Breeds For Family
1. Poodle (Bichon Frises)
The Poodle dog is one of the best breeds for children. Although the poodle is small in size, it is quite sturdy. Younger children may need to be educated to be nice to these dogs, but they are wonderful companions for slightly older children. Happy and playful, poodles go hand in hand with their young, energetic playmates.
2. Pug
Pugs are good companions with children, even small ones. It’s hard to find more carefree pets for a child. Carlini has a stronger constitution than the average puppy and are quite resilient. While they do not possess a great guard instinct, they are loving companions for children. They easily keep up with the action and are almost always ready for action, adventure, and play.
3. Dwarf poodles
It’s no secret that Dwarf Poodles are intelligent and easily trainable. While these qualities can be found in all three varieties of Poodles, Toy Poodles are a bit too delicate for young children. Dwarves are a bit more resilient, so they are a better choice as children’s playmates.
4. Shetland Sheepdog
Also known as Sheltie, this dog shows great intelligence and a tendency to watch over his fellow children. These dogs have a natural talent for agility sports, so they are ideal companions for children.
5. Golden Retriever
The Golden is another dog commonly chosen by families for its goodness with children. These dogs are safe, loyal, and affectionate and are always ready to have fun. Golden dogs are ideal companions for play, trust in children and become better as they get older.
6. Belgian Shepherd Dog
This dog develops a relationship of absolute love towards the family. The affection for one’s family is one of the Belgian shepherd’s merits. This animal manages to develop a relationship of absolute love with the members of his family in every context.
Both when it is inside the home, and therefore finds itself sharing the most relaxing environments of the house with its family, and when it is outdoors. In this context, we see some of the most important qualities of the Belgian shepherd, his unparalleled sense of protection towards family members and members of the family circle. He can easily be considered among the dogs who adore the family.
7. Chihuahua
As an excellent pet dog, such as the Chihuahua, he is able to develop an excellent relationship of affection with his family.
This type of relationship must be able to count on a full and satisfying daily life for the dog, which needs a lot of attention and can not help but share most of the day with the owner. It is a natural inclination that is predominant in Chihuahua, in love with the family and its entourage.
8. Samoyed
Very affectionate towards his family. The famous Samoyed smile is also a mirror of his character.
This dog is extremely sweet and affectionate towards his family, whom he loves with all his heart.
Cuddly, playful, and extrovert, he will show you his affection at all times, wagging his tail or barking with joy.
If you like lively and loving dogs, the Samoyed is for you.
9. Saint Bernard
Saint Bernardo is notoriously a very affectionate dog towards his family, which he loves with boundless and eternal love. He is a rescue dog, therefore made to risk his life for perfect strangers. So imagine the affection he feels for the people he lives with and who are part of his pack. He must be rightly considered one of the dogs who adore family.
10. Italian Volpino breed
This dog is very affectionate towards the family. The Italian Volpino is one of the favorite breeds for families, as it is able to develop a relationship of absolute affection with the owner and his family members.
It is a dog able to guarantee a pleasant interaction and quick acclimatization within the family itself, thanks above all to an approach characterized by meekness and the ability to develop a special interaction with its members.
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