7 Best Dog Breeds For A Family

Dogs are generally known to be a loving, loyal, and caring companion that make great friends. Your children will learn the quality of responsibility, how to be selfless, compassionate, and cooperative from owning a dog.

Making the best choice of canine breeds for your family depends on your time, living situation, activity level, and resources. You need to seriously think about their level of activeness, behavior, size, and how to care for them properly.

Types of Family Dogs and Specifications

Choosing the best dog breed might not be easy. I have listed the best species you can gladly base your choice on; all of them have distinct personalities; some bad, some good, and they have different sizes and colors. Some dogs serve as better playmates for energetic older children, while some are gentle and patient for smaller kids.

1. BOSTON TERRIER

They are patient, playful, and have a firm body structure despite their small size, and they have black and white body color. Boston Terrier weighs under 25 pounds and adapts to living in apartments. They enjoy long walks around the neighborhood and playing games with children.

Boston terrier is called American gentleman because of the markings that make them look like a tuxedo. They are very affectionate and can be playful with all members of the family. They are also ferociously loyal. Terrier Hub shares that Boston terriers are very lovable dogs but can be stubborn sometimes due to their spurts of hyperactivity. They belong to a class known as brachycephalic (that is, dogs with short heads).

 

 

Pros

• Requires minimal grooming while shedding them.
• They are not bordered with other pets living in the same household with them.
• Lively and playful with kids.
• Good family dog, energetic, and very playful with children.

Cons

• Prone to develop eye and breathing issues.
• Extremely quick when running, especially when there is no leash on them.
• Stubborn to teach while training them and hard to listen.

2. PUG

According to https://pugshome.com/pug-tips/, most pugs are attention seekers; their short noses cause them to snore loudly. They roughly breathe in and out. They are mild and easy to take care of them, can develop health issues during cold weather. They enjoy the human connection and have a great sense of humor. Therefore, they don’t enjoy being alone for long hours.

They are a very playful breed of dogs that get along well with people. They are alert and need lots of exercise. They are knowledgeable and highly lovable dogs. However, pugs can be stubborn at times. You can check here for more information about pugs.

 

 

Pros

• Outgoing and very social nature, simply brushing their bodies’ hair is enough for daily grooming.
• Friendly and enjoys being around humans, entirely affectionate for humans.
• Since they have a solid built, they are excellent family dogs because of their playfulness, loving and caring around children, like to snuggle.

Cons

• Risk of developing health issues during cold weather
• Not good guard or watchdogs because of their upbeat nature.
• Likelihood of becoming too fat without the necessary exercise and diet.

3. KEESHOND

Attention seekers love people and resemble a smaller version of a Husky or Samoyed. The majority of times, they often look as if they are laughing or wearing an eyeglass because of the hair color difference around their eyes. Keeshond quickly adjusts when they become members of a family.

They love to engage in activities with their families. They are an intelligent breed, very lively, and can be very alert. However, their very alert nature can make them bark frequently. Just like the pug breed, they don’t enjoy being alone for long hours.

 

 

Pros

• Quickly adjust when they become a member of a family and are great playmates for children.
• Grooming and taking care of them is easy.
• Barking loudly to alert families of what is happenings around, but not offensive markers.
• Very friendly to people and other dogs.
• Brilliant, loving, and great around families.

Cons

• Experience overheating during hot weather.
• Undergoes intense shedding two times a year.
• Seeking constant attention and doesn’t bond well with families that are always on the move.

4. LABRADOR RETRIEVER 

They have chocolate, black or yellow, suitable for always active families and on the move. They enjoy outdoor activities, like swimming, playing catch, hiking in the snow, and many more outdoor activities. They are famous and readily available to get. This breed of dog is friendly and has a muscular build. They are intelligent and are considered a capable assistant for people with disabilities.

Labrador retrievers are hopeless as watchdogs. With their playful and friendly nature, they are likely to welcome intruders into the home. Labradors love to eat and are likely to become obese when overfed; they are high-energy dogs trained/bred for demanding jobs. Labrador retrievers were known to help fishermen.

 

 

Pros

• Very brilliant and do well as therapy service or assistive pet.
• Good with children, dogs, and other pets, also friendly with humans.
• Undergoes training easily
• Good for active families that love outdoor activities like camping, swimming, hiking, and many others.
• Majority of times they are happy

Cons

• Requires regular and intensive exercise to maintain a healthy weight.
• Have a high destructive tendency to get out excessive energy.
• They are prone to genetic problems like hip dysplasia, heart problems, and some others.

5. GOLDEN RETRIEVER 

They are the sweetest, fun, and friendly breeds; they were majorly bred to hunt birds, especially waterfowl. They enjoy swimming and running. The name golden retriever was coined from their ability to retrieve games while hunting.

Golden Retrievers are very playful and are also gentle with children. They get along very well with other pets. However, Golden Retrievers are not skillful watchdogs because they lack guarding skills.

 

 

Pros

• Easy to train and please; their gentle nature suits kids.
• Suitable for any size of the home, even smaller apartments if they undergo exercise daily.
• They are intelligent, and they are also affectionate.

Cons

• Demands more tremendous amount of exercise
• Little guard of watchdog instinct.
• Requires constant attention of parting their bodies.
• They are prone to have health issues.

6. BOXERS

Physically they look rugged and masculine but are generally gentle. Boxers love kids and sometimes develop the feeling that the kids are theirs. Typically, they like staying inside and, as such, requires lots of training and walking.

Boxers are family-friendly, higher energy dogs, and they have the advantage of being easy to groom. Boxers have a playful nature despite their muscular look and are considered the dog with the longest puppyhood. They take a whole three years to mature.

 

 

Pros

• Exclusively affectionate and able to mix well with any family.
• Adjust well to any living situations when undergoing the proper exercise.
• Minimal upkeep because it is easy to care for their coats.
• Great with kids of any age that loves to play with them.
• They don’t require lots of exercise because of their playful nature.

Cons

• In extremely hot or cold seasons, they don’t adapt well.
• Some of them snot while drooling excessively.
• Always have a high need to expel energy.

7. BICHON FRISE

Puppy-like dogs have the energy to keep up with the life of a busy family. Loyal and affectionate but needs regular taking care of and frequent initial training. They are small, sturdy, and are considered personality dogs. They have soft white, plush-to-the-touch hairs. Even though they are small, they make excellent watchdogs.

They enjoy attention and love to perform. They are also confident and intelligent.

The Bichon Frise is very beautiful, and their appealing looks result from their tiny bodies covered in fluffy white plush hairs. Though small, they can be very hard-headed and confident.

 

 

Pros

• Friendly and loving to children at home and loves to play.
• Adapts very well in smaller homes and new environments.
• Don’t always need a cage because they don’t shed.

Cons

• Becomes fearful around noisy environments or situations.
• Requires you to take care of it very well and demands lots of training.
• Takes a more extended period to train them to adapt to a family.
• Dental and coat care is essential and needs to be frequently done.

Conclusion

Take your time to decide the type of dog breed you need because dogs can become lifelong companions, loving, and wonderful friends. Most dogs can be kept as pets, but some may require grooming that can be demanding.