Best Dog Breeds For Kids

So you're considering getting your kids a dog for a pet. There are a lot of things you have to consider. Will they take good care of it? Can you afford to keep it? Do you have the right kind of house/yard/etc? These are all valid questions, but there's one a lot of people don't think about-what breed of dog should you look for? Believe it or not, this is a very important question. While every dog is different, there are certain traits (energy level, obedience, temperament, etc) that are innate with certain breeds. Even if you get a mixed breed or 'mutt', it's still a good idea to know which breeds are best suited to children in case your dog strongly shows the traits of a particular breed. While this isn't an exhaustive list, here are a few dog breeds that are good with children.

If you have active kids who love to run and play in the yard, you can't go wrong with a beagle. These dogs are sturdy, very energetic and friendly. They love to play and get into stuff, so it's good for them to have a lot of room to run around. Since they were originally bred as hunting dogs, they are very sensitive to smells and tend to 'follow their noses' into all sorts of messes! They also get along well with other dogs and cats. They aren't the easiest dogs to train, though, and need to be kept on a tight feeding schedule. Overall, they are sweet dogs who get along well with everyone.

Dachshunds, otherwise known as 'wiener dogs' or 'hot dogs', are very energetic and fun. While they tend to bond more with one person than with an entire family, they have sweet personalities and enjoy a lot of attention and play. While they can snap a bit at a child who is teasing them or being overly rough, they are playful and affectionate with children in general.

Another dog breed that works well with children is the pug. With their 'smooshed' faces, my mom used to say that they're 'so ugly, they're cute'! Whatever you think of their looks, they have very sweet dispositions. They are extremely loyal and need lots of attention from their 'humans'. They don't run and play as much as other dogs and have a tendency toward obesity, but they are very intelligent and don't need a lot of grooming.

Of course, no 'good-dog' list would be complete without the Lab! Labrador or Golden Retrievers are great dogs for kids because they are very patient. This is especially important if your kids haven't been around dogs before and don't really know how to deal with them. They are also very sweet, playful and good-natured. Their innate intelligence makes them relatively easy to train-definitely a plus, especially if you don't want them to get on your furniture!

If you'd like more information about the various dog breeds, visit http://www.justdogbreeds.com/good-with-children-dog-breeds.html. Ultimately a dog's behavior depends more on how it is trained and treated than what breed it is. However, there are some breeds that are easier to train, more protective, more friendly, etc. It just depends on what you are looking for in a dog. Good luck!