The Best Dog Breeds For FamiliesWhen you're thinking about the best dog breeds for families, it's a good idea to remember that families come in all shapes and sizes...... and so do the best family dogs! 
When we think about the best dog breeds for families, many of us tend to conjure up an image of the trusty Labrador Retriever, or something very similar. But while the Labrador usually does make an excellent family pet, there are lots of other breeds that make good family dogs. If you're ready to add a new puppy or dog to your family, this is where you'll find tips and advice on finding the best 'fit' for you, your children and your lifestyle.... First Things First!Getting a new puppy is one of those situations that easily lends itself to 'impulse buying'. ALL puppies are adorable, and pretty much irresistable, so it's definitely a good idea to do some research and have a good idea of the type of dog that you want BEFORE you start actually looking at puppies. If you don't have some sort of guidelines to follow, the first pair of puppy-dog eyes you see could be your downfall!So, what do you think about when you're considering the best dog breeds for families? Easy - YOUR FAMILY! This may sound just too obvious, but it's amazing how easy it is to overlook some very important points. These are the things that you need to think about -
This might seem like a long list, and perhaps you're thinking that many of them really don't matter....... that any puppy can 'fit in' with your family, and grow up to be the sort of dog you're imagining. Think again! You definitely want to take your time when considering the best dog breeds for families, because many dog breeds are the result of breeding programs with a very specific 'job' or 'role' in mind. The original purpose of many 'pet' dogs today can make them a great 'fit' for one particular family, but a disaster for another. Imagine this scenario ..... Say you're a fairly home-loving family, with two small children, and you live in a modest-sized home with a small yard, in a city environment. You decide to add a puppy to the family, and someone you know tells you about the Border Collie puppies he knows are available. You visit them, fall in love with a black and white furball and take him home.... and everyone lives happily ever after..... .... well, maybe you will, but the chances of the happy ending are slimmer than they should be. Why? Because Border Collies are high energy, active dogs who need a job to do and plenty of vigorous exercise to keep them happy and healthy. Being 'herders' they have a strong desire to round up any small (or not so small) moving creatures, often nipping at their heels to get the job done. So as soon as your little Collie pup begins to feel at home, he starts to 'herd' the kids, making them scream and cry, and that only makes him 'herd' them more vigorously. You don't have acres for him to run and play in, enough time to take him for long walks or vigorous games, or the money (or time) for training classes. He gets stressed and takes out his anxiety and pent up energy on your shoes, table legs, rugs and anything else he can get his teeth into. In an attempt to 'let off steam' he devises his own exercise routine - running around the house like a crazy thing, jumping on furniture and knocking the kids over, even snapping at them as he races past them. When this game is stopped, maybe he starts to act out in other ways, his anxiety leading to OCD behaviors like tail-chasing or 'spinning'. No one's happy, not you, not the kids and certainly not the dog.... can you see where this is going? The scenario I just described isn't a 'one-off' either, it's happened time and time again in homes all across the country, and that adorable little black and white puppy may end up as a statistic - one of the millions of dogs sitting in shelters or pounds, waiting for a second chance at the right home. Does this mean that Border Collies aren't one of the best dog breeds for families? NOT NECESSARILY! They often make the 'good family dogs' lists, and can make wonderful family pets, bringing love, joy and companionship into a home - but it has to be the right home, the right environment, the RIGHT FAMILY. Our little puppy above could have had a whole different life if he had gone to live with an active family, with school-age or older children, who enjoyed walking/hiking, had plenty of space for him to run and who enjoyed teaching him to play frisbee, learn obedience commands and join Dog Agility classes. Not a bad dog, or a bad family - just a bad match. What breeds would have been considered the best family dogs for the family above? There are several to choose from, but a Cocker Spaniel, Bichon Frise, Pug or Miniature Schnauzer would have been a much better choice.
Finding the best family dogs - for YOUR family
Now that you know what to consider when you're looking at the best dog breeds for families, and you've seen what can go wrong, you're ready to pick the best dog for your family. If you've decided on a purebred pup, some research (see my Dog Breeds and Choosing The Right Breed pages for more on this) will give you some idea of which dog breeds will be the best fit for you. Then you need to actually go and visit some breeders. See their adult dogs, see the puppies, make sure all the dogs look clean, healthy and are sound temperamentally. My Choosing A Healthy Puppy page has lots of tips and advice that will help you make sure that the puppy you take home isn't sickly. If anyone in your family has allergies to pet hair, dander etc., it's doubly important to spend time around the dog breed that you're considering. Not everyone reacts the same way to a certain breed, the allergy response is a very individual one. There are no 'allergy-free' dogs, but see my Hypoallergenic Dogs to find out which breeds are less likely to cause problems, and may also be considered among the best dog breeds for families. Don't forget some of the newer 'hybrid' or designer dog breeds either, some of them are low-allergy and definitely contenders in the 'best dog breeds for families' category.
The best dog breeds for families?There are so many breeds that can fit the classification of 'best dogs for families', that I can't list them all. And it's interesting to see that some of the breeds on the list aren't necessarily the first ones that you might think of.A common mistake you might make is to think that a tiny dog would fit the 'good family dogs' criteria. But, that's often not true, especially if you have children that are younger than middle-school age. Very tiny, toy and teacup varieties generally aren't considered to be among the best dog breeds for families. This is because many of the tiny/toy breeds are very delicate and easily injured. Your toddler or young child could hurt a tiny breed pup (or even an adult dog) quite unintentionally. Dropping, stepping on, or even just handling the pup roughly, could cause big problems. Also, some tiny breeds are sometimes 'nervy' anxious or 'bossy', and this can lead to excessive barking, nipping and even biting or growling when they don't get their own way. Some terrier breeds (such as Jack Russell Terriers) can also be a bit 'sharp' in this way. However, you don't need to rule out the small - medium breeds altogether! There are still many small (or small-ish) dog breeds that make great family dogs. You can find out more about the different kinds of small dogs on my Types of Small Dogs page. It has all the info. you need. Extra large/giant breeds may not sound to you as though they could be considered among the best dog breeds for families, but again, not true. There are many BIG dogs that fit in well with family life and make wonderful companions. Often they're fairly laid-back and low-energy as adults. Great Danes, Newfoundlands, even St. Bernards are huge, but are usually wonderful with children. I have 6 children and have always owned Rottweilers, this is a great combination for us, but still a lot depends on your family lifestyle and environment. Obviously you have to use your common sense and judgment, if you have a toddler, adding a pup who weighs more than he does (and may end up weighing more than YOU do), could well lead to accidents. It's the accidental injury (such as a child or elderly person being knocked over by an over-enthusiastic greeting for example) that cause the most obvious problem. However, some large, guardian breeds may pose other difficulties, such as being possessive with their food/toys, 'herding' or exhibiting a strong 'prey-drive' and so on. All of these are potential dangers to young children. When you're considering the best dog breeds for families, don't forget the humble 'mixed-breed' dog. In some cases, these dogs of mixed heritage can be healthier (both physically and mentally) than some of the purebred dogs around. Just because they don't come with 'papers' doesn't mean that they're inferior in any way. Lots of us have fond memories of a family pet who was of 'doubtful parentage' but has a special place in our hearts and was one of the best family dogs ever. The main variable when choosing a mix breed, is that you can't be sure what size or breed-specific traits the pup may grow up to have. If you know what both parent dogs are, you can estimate that their puppies will grow up to fall somewhere in between their height/weight range, and knowing whether mom/dad are part Retriever or part German Shepherd may give you a few clues as to their temperament and personality, but it's generally just a 'wait and see' type deal. Whether you choose a purebred or mixed breed, don't forget that there are thousands of dogs in shelters and pounds, just waiting for a family to love them. These dogs are usually not there through any fault of their own (remember my hypothetical story above) and your perfect family pooch could be waiting for you right now. To find out more about adopting a puppy or dog, see my Adopt A Puppy page for lots of tips and advice and search tools that will help you find pups in your area who are looking for their 'forever' family. There are several breeds that have proven, over time, that they're some of the best dog breeds for families. See the table below for a list of the best family dogs...
Hopefully all this information will give you a good idea of where to start when you're considering the best dog breeds for families. Although all the breeds listed above make good family dogs, it's important to remember that all dogs are different, even those of the same breed. One Labrador Retriever may be laid back, tolerant and friendly, another could be high-strung, excitable and demanding. Visit breeders, spend time with different breeds, and different dogs within each breed. Take your time and don't rush it, that way you'll know when you've found the 'one'. The best dog breeds for families can sometimes take you by surprise. Best of luck, enjoy the hunt!
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Your site is glorious! Helpful, fun,well-organized. Just perfect.
Thank you for the service you provide.
- Rebecca
Awesome website and information, Sue.
Thank you so much!
- Larry
I will definitely be referring my friends and family to this site, whether they are new to puppies or lifers like me.
Thank you again for a wonderfully informative website!!
- Jennifer
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