We love our pets. But it’s also important that when you have kids you take some time and research what the best dog breed for children is, too. Some breeds do better with kids than others, and getting the right type that suits your lifestyles and the needs of your family will help make sure you’re all happy with the choice you made. It’s not just a matter of protecting your children (though that should be your #1 priority of course!) – you will also want to make sure the dog is safe and happy as well!
The first thing to do is ask yourself this:
Is your family really ready for a pet?
Depending on the ages of your children, you may want to consider if it will add stress to your lifestyle or not. A dog should not be taken lightly – and it will be yet another person in your family who needs fed and potty trained and attention. All dog breeds need exercise and food and love, and so you have to be sure that you can give your pet those things.
When discussing pets as a family, here are some things to consider:
How Much Time Do You Have? Most of us don’t have a lot of time. But, pets deserve time just like any other member of the family does. If most of the family is away from the house during the day for school or work, what will you do? Hire a pet sitter? Schedule someone to come home?
Are You Active? Even the calmest of dogs need exercise in order to prevent a lot of common pet discipline problems. Taking your dog for a walk or to play in the park are just as important as check ups with the vet.
Does Your Budget Allow for It? Pets, just like kids, are not cheap. An average vet bill can be several hundreds of dollars, if not thousands. You’ll also have to consider purchases such as bedding, collars, food, toys, treats, and more. Some will argue money shouldn’t matter, but if you’re already on a tight budget, you may want to consider saving a little first.
Now that you’ve answered those three questions clearly and you’ve decided that yes, you can give a pet an excellent home, you are then ready to start considering which breeds are best for children.
Should You Consider Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds For Children?:
Many people are allergic to pet dander, so you may want to consider a hypoallergenic breed if that may be an issue your kids. Kid allergies can lead to a lot of sinus problems or ear infections, or even behavioral problems (weird, but true! My son goes nuts anytime he is around a cat!), so it’s important to consider this before committing to a pet for a lifetime – you won’t want your kids to be heart broken that their pet has to go away because it makes them sneeze and have problems breathing! Good options for this include Poodles, Labradoodles, Lagotto Romagnolo breeds, Bichon Frisé (this was my husband’s first dog), Coton de Tulear, Bergamasco, and Irish Water Spaniels.
What are Other Breeds to Consider?
If you are certain that allergies are not an issue with your family, then you have many more options in addition to the great puppies listed above. Beagles, Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, and Labradors are all popular “family dogs”. One of the best dogs we ever had was a German Shepherd/Yellow Lab/Beagle Mix – but shedding was an issue! Mixed breeds can sometimes be nice, but you’ll want to make sure you carefully research the different breeds to make sure each individual one is okay and so you know what you may expect.
What Size Dog Is Best With Kids?
With kids, it will greatly depends on the size and personality of your kids in choosing what size of pet to get. For example, if your children are big and active, they could accidentally hurt very small pets. On the other hand, if you have toddlers, you may not want an extremely large dog because they are also huge and could easily knock a child down by accident.
What Age Should the Dog/Puppy Be?
Many people wonder if they should get a dog or a puppy with kids. Puppies are often best for a family with active kids because it will allow for the dog to grow up with the children, and so many issues can be avoided that you can sometimes get with older dogs who may not be used to children. It will greatly depend on the breed, and what the animal’s past history has been. Obviously, even the best of breeds may not be a good choice if the dog has a history of abuse or is temperamental.
Do you have a dog? What do you think? What kind of dog breed is best for families with kids? Share your thoughts and ideas on best types of dogs for children below!
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