This is a question dog trainers get asked frequently. And it's great the people take the time to research what dog they want before they welcome it into their family. Who better to ask than people who spend every day training all different breeds of dog?
ALSO CHECK OUT Worst Breeds for Kids, the list may surprise you!
See Best SMALL Breeds for Kids
First of all, suitability for children depends mostly on the individual dog. Even with so-called "nice" breeds there are some individuals who are not going to be good for kids within that breed, and vice-versa. But we will allow ourselves to generalize in this instance. The dog does not have to be a purebred, a mixed breed dog can be great, too. See The 7 worst reasons to get a puppy
Some TRAITS we look for in any dog:
- Patience- tolerance to children, will not snap
- Low Reactivity, Low Fear- not easily startled or frightened by noises, movements, or touch
- Not Dominant- this is also training related, dominant or also possessive over resources
- Gentle- not exuberant to the point of jumping or clawing
- Low or controlled prey drive- a low desire to chase after moving objects
- Not too delicate in structure
Large breeds that are often good with kids:
- Labrador Retriever- loving, patient, trainable, and tolerant
- Newfoundland- gentle and tolerant, calm
- Golden Retriever- Willing to please, highly trainable
- Bernese Mountain Dog- Friendly and laid back
- German Shepherd- An intelligent and good companion when well trained, but protectiveness of the children should never be encouraged
- Black Russian Terrier- Not as well known, but a wonderfully devoted dog, high-energy
- Boxer- Playful and high spirited dog, but can be quite exuberant
- Weimaraner- A great family dog, but is very high-energy bred for hunting
- Collie- A "Lassie Dog" may be a great family companion
- Irish Wolfhound- A gentle giant
Especially with large breeds, training is always important. Introducing dogs to children should be a well thought-out process, and should involve obedience training. Never leave a dog around children unsupervised, no matter how nice you think they are, because it's never worth the risk, be safe. Although dogs are part of the family and we love them, they are still animals.
For Dog Training in Chicago, IL please visit Dynamic Dogs Training & Behavior
Best MEDIUM breeds of dog for kids
Best SMALL breeds of dog for kids
Comments
I totally agree that German Shepherds are good family dogs, although some people say the opposite. BUT ONLY THE GOOD ONES, NONE OF THE AMERICAN BRED LINES. I would never allow an American bloodlines AKC German Shepherd near my kids, they are too often bred for looks with no mental stability. Too many people breeding Shepherds with weak nerves.
I agree on German Spepherds. THey are very beautiful dogs.
Also Old English Sheepdogs are GREAT with kids! I have had several and they are phenomenal dogs. Gentle, yet protective!
The only shepherd I would consider would be shepherds bred from german blood lines - the working shepherd. I agree the american bred ones are crap.
I can't believe they didn't even mention the american pitbull terrier. the pitbull is the number 1 dog best suited for kids. In the 19th century they were known as the nanny dogs. In national temperment test they score an average of 88 percent. Higher than the Golden ret. Also american sheprads are are no good for kids. And labs, labs are ok for older kids. But for young ones they tend to be too erergtic and tend to run over the little ones. I know the apbt gets all the bad press,but this dog is by far the best family dog out there.
I agree 100%. Best dogs I've ever been around are pit bulls. Not saying other breeds of dogs aren't great, cuz they are, but the pit bull tops the list.
My mom's English Mastiff is a gentle giant.
I don't trust Shepards.
Response:
Actually, the "Nanny Dog" is not the Pit Bull. It is the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which is a different breed of dog than the APBT. The Staffy Bull is also smaller sized, so maybe that makes a difference. I do agree that many Pits are good with kids though. But I have also met some that are not safe for children. MOST Pits I know would be good around children as long as they're trained and the kids are respectful.
This list is just suggestions, it's not a rule. For instance, I've met plenty of German Shepherds who are bad with kids, or biters, yet they still made the list because they are probably the #3 most popular dog in America, many do live well with kids.
My biggest point is that no matter what dog you choose, remember- even though we love them, dogs are animals. They act on instinct, so safety first, plus training.
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