As we edge up on October, you will hear a lot about it being National Adopt-A-Dog month, an annual awareness campaign established by the American Humane Association. Maybe you’ve been thinking about adopting a dog, but are concerned about which breed would be good with your small children.
It’s crucial to do the research to find out which breed would be a good fit for your family. You’ll want a dog that is patient, gentle, easily trained and affectionate if you have small children. While each dog has its own unique traits, the breeds below, in general, can handle the excitement, stress and love of growing up around youngsters.
On the flip side, some dogs simply don’t do well in homes with children. They can become jealous of the children and even growl or snap at them. So, we’ve included a list of breeds you may want to avoid.
Keep in mind that any dog you adopt will need your love, attention and care to become a good fit for your family. Training to establish good behaviors is crucial in a home with small children.
Dog Breeds Good with Children
- Afghan Hound
- Airedale Terrier
- American Bulldog
- American Eskimo Dog
- Australian Shepherd
- Basset Hound
- Beagle
- Bearded Collie
- Belgian Sheepdog
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Bichon Frise
- Bloodhound
- Border Collie
- Border Terrier
- Boston Terrier
- Boxer
- Brittany Spaniel
- Bullmastiff
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Chesapeake Bay Retriever
- Cocker Spaniel
- Dachshund
- Doberman Pinscher
- English Bulldog
- English Mastiff
- English Setter
- English Springer Spaniel
- Flat-Coated Retriever
- French Bulldog
- German Shepherd
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- German Wirehaired Pointer
- Giant Schnauzer
- Golden Retriever
- Great Dane
- Great Pyrenees
- Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
- Greyhound
- Irish Setter
- Irish Wolfhound
- Italian Greyhound
- Labrador Retriever
- Miniature Dachshund
- Miniature Pinscher
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Neapolitan Mastiff
- Newfoundland
- Old English Sheepdog
- Parson Russell Terrier
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Pug
- Rottweiler
- Saint Bernard
- Samoyed
- Siberian Huskie
- Silky Terrier
- Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Standard Poodle
- Toy Fox Terrier
- Toy Poodle
- Vizsla
- Weimaraner
- Welsh Springer Spaniel
- West Highland White Terrier
- Whippet
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
- Yorkshire Terrier
Dog Breeds to Avoid
- Akita
- Alaskan Malamute
- Black and Tan Coonhound
- Brussels Griffon
- Bull Terrier (note that these are different from so-called “pit bulls”)
- Chihuahua
- Dalmatian
- Japanese Chin
- Lhasa Apso
- Maltese
- Miniature Poodle
- Norfolk Terrier
- Papillon
- Pekingese
- Pomeranian
- Scottish Terrier
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Shih Tzu
Other Issues to Consider
Picking the right breed for your home size, your lifestyle or your personality can be somewhat confusing, but well worth the effort. Perhaps you don’t have children but you have some other requirements. Here are links to some guides that can help you choose your dog by size, activity level, trainability, shedding amount and more.
This blog is brought to you by Under the Weather®, provider of a new line of freeze-dried bland diets for your dog. Your newly adopted dog may have digestive upset, such as vomiting or diarrhea, when they first come home. A bland diet is often recommended to help soothe their digestive system until they return to normal. No cooking required, just add water!
Under the Weather is also an avid supporter of finding homes for shelter dogs. We finance the Ruffy Rescue Transport Fund to cover the transport cost of bringing dogs from overpopulated kill shelters to Vermont for adoption. A portion of every dollar in sales is channeled to supporting this cause. Get to know more about Ruffy.
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