Best Dog Breeds for Children

Training and socializing is even more important for a family pet who is going to be around children. The dog should be comfortable with things that children do, such as yelling, jumping, moving suddenly and acting silly. I always encouraged people to bring their children to my puppy kindergarten classes so that the puppies become accustomed to children.

An important practice is to never leave someone alone with a dog that they cannot control. That means don’t leave a small child alone with a dog, no matter what breed or how gentle that dog has always been. Until the child is old enough to handle a leash and give commands to the dog that are obeyed, he or she should always be supervised when interacting with the dog. One statistic I ran across said that 95% of fatal dog attacks on young children happened when they were unsupervised

While there are statistics kept on dog bites in the US, they are very misleading. Many of the breeds who are represented on these lists are in the high numbers because there are so many of them in the population. Not all bites are reported, especially bites from small dogs. 

Many of the toy breeds can be very fragile. A dog such a Papillion can easily sustain a injury if handled roughly. Some toy dogs will fight back as much as they are able. While your child may be very gentle and loving with a small dog, visiting playmates may not be. A friend of mine was shocked when she caught a visiting child throwing her small dog across the room.  You could put the dog in a crate every time other children come to visit, but that can be a chore and one that can easily be forgotten.

^{photo by Papillon.cz}

Terriers can be wonderful pets and come in many sizes. My only reservation is that the basic terrier temperament is to respond to pain by biting. There are, of course, terriers who would simply never think of harming a child. I adopted a wonderful small dog, who was biting at the family children. They were pulling his ears and otherwise annoying the little dog and his response was to bite. He didn’t bite hard enough to break the skin and I personally think he was justified, yet it’s not a good situation for the dog or the children. I took him out of that situation and trained him. He really was a lovely dog when he wasn’t subjected to rowdy children.

The bull terrier (not the same as a  pit bull) is also listed as a great dog with kids. They have been bred as a companion dog and really are wonderful dogs. They are energetic and good for active kids and families.

Some other terriers recommended on many lists are the miniature Schnauzer and the Airedale. I would recommend finding a good breeder who could guide you in the selection of a puppy. They know their dogs and want to find the best home for them. 

Many of the larger dogs, especially the working and hunting breeds, tend to be less physically sensitive. As a rule, they can tolerate pain better and have always been a good choice for children. Breeds scoring low for aggression included Basset Hounds, Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Siberian Huskies and Greyhounds.  Golden retrievers and Labs are some of the first dogs people think about when considering dogs for children.

Beagles are another breed that also has the advantage of being a smaller dog. Hounds in general have a couple of drawbacks in that many will roam if given the chance, and some breeds can be quite noisy.

The non-sporting group is an assortment of dogs grouped together primarily, I suspect, because they didn’t fit in any other group. Some, like the bulldog, are said to be great with kids. Others, like chows and Dalmatians may not be a good choice. You'd have to do your homework with this group and find the right dog for you.

Herding dogs can be great with kids if they are raised with them. Shetland Sheepdogs and most of the collie type dogs have a good reputation as a child’s companion.  Livestock guarding dogs can be good pets but they are usually very large and with a lot of coat. Newfoundlands also are gentle dogs that make good companions for children. They have a sweet disposition, but their size and heavy coat could be a drawback. Interestingly, while the Newfoundland has a great reputation as a family dog, the St. Bernard can be a bit more aggressive.

^{photo by Chris}

Dogs of mixed ancestry have been wonderful companions and playmates of children for thousands of years. But it is hard to predict anything about a dog, let alone one who’s background you don’t know. If you’re considering adopting, you will have to depend on what the shelter workers say about the dog, as well as your gut instinct. If you can tell what breeds make up the dogs heritage that can perhaps give you a clue. Training and socializing your adopted dog is of utmost importance.