Best Family Dog Breeds

Beware that dogs never grow up! They will always have the maturity of a two-year-old. Keep that in mind. Next, you need to understand that no matter what breed you select, they will need exercise and lots of it! This is one of the most important things to consider. Exercise means going to the park for a run. Are you prepared to drag your baby out in the winter months to the park so you can exercise your dog? It's a huge commitment! Sitting in your backyard is no life for a dog, and will most likely result in unfavorable behavior due to boredom. Consider renting some tapes of the Dog Whisperer from your local library. This will give you a good indication of what can go wrong if you are not diligent and disciplined with a canine.
We have two dogs. One is a Shar-pei(wrinkly dogs) and one a border collie. Both are great with our daughter. She loves them very much and they are a huge asset when it comes to keeping her entertained. The down side is that I vacuum EVERY day! We go to the park a minimum of four times a week. If we go any less they are so full of energy that I am ready to strangle them both. They are not young dogs either. The shar-pei is eight.
Dogs are wonderful, but unless you are willing to make the commitment of caring for their needs just as much as any family member I would advise against a dog. Consider a cat. They are much easier to care for.

We have two jack russell mix dogs that got their cuteness from the jack side and the calm, odedient tendencies from their father. They are wonderful dogs with our two little boys, but the biggest factor I will look at the next time we get puppies is whether they SHED or not. We are animal lovers, but I am at wits end with having hair all over my house. There are many breeds that are good for kids that DON'T SHED and I would definately recommend one of them. On another note, I find it MUCH easier to own two dogs rather than just one. They keep each other company when we are out of the house and provide a constant playmate when we are busy.

PUGS! We have two. I have had three in my life. First one when I was younger in an apartment. They are sturdy and don't have a yappy bark. You can find a calm one...you just make sure and get a puppy from calm parents and be sure to ask the breeder...Which one is really laid back? I just got my 3rd pug in July. She is 4 months today. She is potty-trained, fetches and sits great. We took her camping and she was a dream. Just lovs to sit on our laps. My older girls haul her everywhere like a baby. She just hangs there and does not mind at all.

I would stay away from Bassets. We had one. They do have a really sweet disposition, but they also have a very musky smell, shed a lot, happy pee when they meet you or anyone else and whine whine whine.

So a Pug is my choice. My husband finally agreed and said we are pug people. They are easy to take with you anywhere you go. They are so sweet when they turn their head like they are listening to you. They are just great dogs to raise with kids and they can live to be between 10 and 14...but I know some that are over 16...so you never know. My old guy is 11. He is just wonderful too. LOVE MY PUGGIES!

Oh I also want to add. For us it was always best to get a puppy...that way would could raise it the way we want it to be. You just don't know what kind of problems come with a dog that is older. Not that it is bad to adopt an older dog, but you will run a risk not knowing the background really well.

Best wishes,
D.

I have a four year old Boston Terrier that we got as a puppy. She is the absolute BEST dog ever! Ihave a one year old son who pulls and tugs on her face, her ears , her nose, tail, you name it he takes a handfull. She just sits there and takes it. I have to pay more attention that my son is not hurting her instead of the other way around. Up until we had our son we had always lived in small apartments and she did very well. I have talked to other BT owners adn they have had the same experiences> We go to the park and every kid wants to stop and pet her and she's so patient and sweet. I love my Boston Terrier!

We've always had Westies (West Highland White Terriers) in our family. Just love the breed- great with kids, smart, barking can be kept under control, not a big hair shedder, etc. We just love them!!
K.

Bird dogs are good for kids because they are bred to not bite down on delicate things they have in their mouths, so less danger of biting. Spaniels, labs, you get the idea. Also, there is a reason why every family with kids has a labrador or a golden retriever. They are super good with kids. Old english sheep dogs are called "nanny dogs" because they are so good with kids. And surprisingly boxers are considered a really good kids dog.

The most important thing is to make sure that (assuming you are getting a specific breed) you meet the breeder and the parents of the dog to make sure that the breeder is someone you trust and the dog's parents have the disposition that you want. You should get the impression that the breeder is interviewing you to see if you are qualified to have the dog, not that the breeder is trying to get rid of puppies to anyone who will take them. Whatever you do, don't buy a dog on impulse and don't buy one from a petstore. Educate yourself about "puppymills"--impulse buys and petstore sales support horrible practices.

Lots of people poo poo breeds and love mutts, and there is nothing wrong with loving mutts (they deserve happiness too!), but I prefer purebreds because you do have more certainty about their traits. One surprisingly great resource, if you don't have your heart set on a puppy, is a breed rescue organization. There are lots of dogs that won't be a good fit for a family, but when the great family dog comes through, everyone involved tries super hard to find a good home for that dog. Good luck! :)

Jennifer,
The size of your area is really small, but there are some breeds that are excellent for kids.

Golden retreivers are very excellent dogs (the best) as well as labs; however, labs are very excitable and energetic. Ours is 11yrs and he still runs around our kids like he is a puppy. Bassit hounds, german sheppard, welsh corgie.

I know most of them are large breeds, but they are protective to kids and loyal to their families.

We have a doberman mix from the shelter and she is very protective of any child on our property. She loves the family and loves it when people come to visit. Mixed breeds / Mutts are a good choice because it seems that they don't have health issues like pure breeds.

Here is a list of dogs to aviod: Chow, sharpei, dalmation (they have medical issues), Lhasa apso (nippy), rat & fox terriers (bark constantly, bite & hyper), pit bull. Any dog that has been bred for a specific color like blue doberman, chocolate doberman, etc. They have been bred for specific color and according to our vet have major health issues.

Check with your local vet as to a good pet for your home. Also my choice on good and bad dogs is from personal experience and working in a vet clinic for over 10 yrs.

Good luck.

Hello! I just recently adopted an older Pug and he is the greatest! He's very mellow, but also likes to play and take short walks. He's a great (as are all Pugs) city dog bc they don't need a ton of exercise or large back yards. Younger Pugs are VERY playful but after age 2-3, they mellow out and just want to hang out and be lap dogs. The breed is great with children, but not too small- due to their bulging eyes. Small hands may want to poke. I have a 6 and 8 year old boys that love him to death! I suggest you go to the Pacific Pug Fest this sunday 1-5 at Dogs Dig It Daycare= you can get to know the breed! Also: check Pacific Pug Rescue. org. It's a great place to start. That's where I got my doggy, Chopper. Good luck! AMy

I have a rat terrier in a similar situation. She is small (14 pounds) but all dog. Unhappy dogs bark and yap - out of boredom, anxiety or need for attention. Keep your dog active when possible at parks, playing fetch inside and out, teach them tricks, and give them puzzles and games. Most puppies do some chewing, Keep things, like shoes, put away, and discipline them when caught in the act. When I go to work, my dog sleeps most of the time. There are other terriers - like Jack Russells who have a harder time slowing down and will eat your furniture. Rat terriers also live a much longer life span than most dogs - even up to 20 plus years. Mine is 16 and still healthy.

Hi - I went through this process just 21 months ago and have a few suggestions. Hopefully my experience will help! Our situation was slightly different from yours in that we have lots of space. I researched breeds carefully, read books and spoke with breeders and my vet (I had a cat previously. I ended up making my decision not purely based on what I was advised and learned, but also because I had this breed when I was young - I went with a German Shepherd. I am NOT recommeding this for you... they are absolutely great dogs, but not a city/small area dog of course, and soooo much work to keep exercised and keep my home hair-free(well, no such thing as that anymore, but at least keep the hair in control)!!! In hindsight, it was not the best choice, I added more complexity to my life than I needed! Was I recapturing my youth?!?! He He He

Since getting Niko (we got him at 8 wks - now he's almost 2 yrs), I have had the opportunity to also meet many other breeds (I take him to regular obedience and agility classes so I have lots of dog trainer/handler interactions.) I would strongly urge you to select a smaller breed (under 50 lbs)and not to select a LAB or GOLDEN as I see recommended below. They are lovely family dogs, but have high exercise needs (otherwise health and behavioral issues can arise), need more space, they shed profusely, can be high strung/excitable and thus difficult to deal with - they will stretch your patience to no end when young. One thing to keep in mind is that generally speaking working dogs (retrievers, shepherds) have higher prey drive and can be chewers or diggers, or just high strung if not getting enough exercise and given a clear purpose/job. So, I would recommend the following:

From the smaller (15 to 40 lbs) breeds:
WHIPPET (great city and family dog - loving and quiet, but also very playful)
BORDER TERRIER ("Benji"; great with kids and in city)
AMERICAN WATER SPANIEL (mellow and great with kids; low maintenance; looks more like a mid-size breed; not so dainty)
LAKELAND TERRIER (great with kids/generally not a biting breed; low maintenance coat; cute cute cute breed)
MANCHESTER TERRIER (great with kids, great in city, minimal exercise needs; on the smallish side)

Or for a bit larger than above:
CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER (up to 60 lbs; great with kids, quiet breed; pretty breed)

Or if you go a bit smaller (up to 25 lbs): PUG or CORGI (both act like big dogs in little bodies; good with kids, low maintenance although they both shed a lot).

There are so many lovely breed and dogs of different dispositions within each breed of course, but I learned my lesson after getting my big GSD and trying to recapture my youth! ;) While I love my pup, he's a TON OF WORK and SHEDS LIKE A FIEND...just more than I bargained for esp with a toddler as well. So, 13 years from now I'm going with a much smaller breed (or even a cat!);) LOL

This is a fun little selection guide to try also: http://www.selectsmart.com/dog/

By the way - I completely agree with the moms that said they prefer purebreds with the caveat that you really do your due diligence and check out the breeder- it's best if you can find someone local so that you can go out and meet them, see the kennel (how clean, well-kept is it?) and meet the mom dog (usually that's the one on site, dad may or may not be). Definitely review any of the dog's pedigree paperwork and discuss temperament. Also, you want a breeder who wants to know about you and your family and shows concern for where the dog is going. You want a breeder who is going to conduct a temperament test when they are roughly 7 weeks old and then tell you which puppy(ies) are suitable to your family, and NOT one that allows you to select your puppy yourself after they are born (RED FLAG). They are being careful about placement to make sure you get the right temperament and the pup gets a good home - that's a good breeder.

Go to:http://animal.discovery.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html - This website will give you a quiz that will give you a selection of dogs right for you.

I agree with Ashley G. We have a three year old Boston Terrier and a 2 month old son. The dog sniffs the baby, and then keeps at least a baby's arm length away so he doesnt get grabbed. Its funny the dog figured that out on his own. Also, Bostons are pretty low-energy. We can tire ours out playing fetch in the living room (we also have a small back yard). Bostons also have very fine hair, so you dont really notice the shedding. The breed has minimal tendencies toward genetic problems (like some purebreads do) and they are just funny and joyful little dogs. - No technically they are "medium" sized dogs. 10-25 lbs. Our guy is 17 lbs and looks our cats in the eye. The breeder we got our dog from was excellent. Let me know if you want more info.

Boxers are the most loyal; and loving. Here's what I know. Boxers donot bark, they are quiet and growl to let you know some strangers hanging around. Smart easy to train, Maggie was trained for outside at 2 months! Loves her crate and doesnot destroy my shrubs plants and things. has a place for poop and a place to dig.. Also she love kids wow more than ever!!
she acts like a clown but is very obedient. I had 10 different dogs every year for the past 7-10 yrs I've gone through every breed, always trying to make it work. My yorkies all 7 of them were great just not for me....... to much yapping, barkings like a bullet to the brain for me. I like quiet. I've had beagles they require ear care. Cockerspaniels get to many ear aches and they smell trust me they do... Doberman's are a mans dog too big and Mastiff an Rott, Labs are great but they tend to get big shed, golden retrievers shed like mad.... Boxers shed in the winter, lightly and in the summer and thats it..... they are short hair and are the best family dog like human., good luck