Probably, any parent sooner or later comes across a request from a child or children for a dog. Not surprisingly, boys and girls are generally drawn to all living things. A funny dog can become the best companion in any games, and in certain cases a reliable defender. Therefore, many parents decide to have a dog for their child. But it is worth remembering that this is a very serious decision that cannot be taken hastily.
Is it worth it?
Before starting a dog for a child, carefully weigh the pros and cons. Remember that you are not buying a toy that you can always put away in a closet or on the mezzanine. You acquire a living being who will faithfully love you all your life. At the same time, a considerable part of the responsibility will fall not on the children, but on you. The dog will have to be fed, walked, combed, trimmed his nails, taken to the veterinarian and performed many other tasks with it that require a lot of time. It’s not always that children will be happy to walk with her, especially if it is raining or freezing outside.
On the other hand, experts have long proved that the presence of a dog in the house has a positive effect on the development of the child. So, there are a lot of advantages to this solution. Children get used to responsibility, understanding that the comfort and well-being of the pet depends on them. In addition, the dog is an inexhaustible source of games and entertainment. With such a favorite, it will never be boring, even if parents are busy all day at work and can not devote enough time to their child.
Having gone out into the yard with a beloved dog, a child almost always finds himself in the spotlight of peers. Everyone wants to play with the dog, pet her, ask questions. As a result, children increase their socialization skills and develop sociability, which is an extremely important step on the path to success in life. Finally, it is the dog - that faithful friend who without hesitation will die in order to protect his beloved master. In our troubled times, this can be a salvation for your child - you should not forget about this either.
At what age is the child ready for the appearance of the dog
The next important question: at what age to have a pet? Even the best dog breeds for a home with children can be an unfortunate choice if you start them at the wrong time.
According to experts, it would be better if the dog appears in the apartment when the youngest of the children is at least 6-7 years old. At this age, the child already perfectly understands what is possible and what is not, thereby reducing the risk of conflict between him and the animal. In addition, the six-year-old boy (or girl) is already old enough to take on at least part of the care of the pet - combing, feeding. Yes, and for a walk with a dog it is quite possible to let him out without fear that he will forget his way home or be carried away by a flying butterfly and leave the yard.
True, children cannot take full care of pets at this age. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that part of the work will still fall on you. First of all, this is the training and hygiene of the pet, perhaps the most difficult and very crucial parts of care.
Small or big?
Another very important issue that needs to be dealt with when starting a dog for a child is the size of the pet. The absence and presence of problems in the future depends on this. Some parents, completely unaware of the psychology and characteristics of different breeds, are sure that all small dogs for children will be a good choice. And subsequently they bitterly regret their incompetence and haste of choice.
It would seem that a tiny chihuahua would be a great choice for a child. Small and agile, she must become a reliable friend and companion for games. However, many parents simply do not know that this breed does not have the most stable psyche. And even more so, its representatives do not know how to endure pain and are frankly afraid of it. Unsuccessfully grabbing the dog or accidentally stepping on her paw, the child will surely become the object of attack. And the teeth of indoor dogs, although small, are very sharp. Therefore, any experienced breeder will say with confidence: small size is not an indicator of good nature of a dog. Rather, on the contrary, weakness leads to constant stress and eternal readiness to fight for your life. Therefore, any careless movement on the part of the child can be perceived as aggression.
And vice versa, it would seem scary to leave a six-year-old child with a huge Newfoundland or a killer bullterrier. But in fact, in such a company, children remain in maximum safety. The lazy giant Newfoundland and the fast-moving merciless bull terrier, without hesitation, will die for their little master. In addition, they easily suffer pain if it is thoughtlessly inflicted by a child, and they will not answer aggression for anything.
So, it is advisable to choose a suitable breed, not only in size, but also in character. Nevertheless, care must be taken so that the child can cope with the dog during the walk.
Choose the right breed
Now we move on to the most important stage - directly choosing the right breed. The choice today is very large. Even if you talk only about dogs that love children, you get a whole book. Therefore, we will select the most suitable options that differ in character, exactingness, size and purpose. Then any reader can easily choose the pet that will be a successful acquisition for his family. So, we list the 10 best dog breeds for children with a brief description. You can rest assured that not a single dog from this list will disappoint if you carefully approach your choice.
Labrador retriever
Speaking about the best dog breeds for children, you can not forget about this pet. Dogs are quite large: males - up to 57 centimeters at the withers, and females - up to 56 cm. Therefore, it is better to start them for adolescents, not children. They are distinguished by amazing optimism, vitality. At the same time, they share an endless stream of positive with all family members, creating an atmosphere of special comfort and security in the apartment.
But there is a downside here. It lies in the fact that the Labrador Retriever tolerates loneliness very poorly. When describing dog breeds for children, it is very important to mention this. If your child and you spend most of the day outside the house, then the dog will be bored. And for sure this will lead to gnawed furniture, torn books, destroyed TV remotes and other troubles.
It is also worth remembering that a dog of this breed is not intended to guard the house. She is too friendly and often ready to make friends even with strangers. Although the Labrador Retriever can be trained very well thanks to his sharp intellect, it can be very difficult to instill a healthy aggression in him.
Do not forget about physical activity. Two short walks a day for such a pet is clearly not enough. The dog must actively run, bring a stick, play with other pets. Only then will she be happy.
Care is generally quite simple. It is not necessary to wash the representatives of this breed often - the undercoat of the Labrador Retriever is almost waterproof, due to which the dirt does not adhere well to the coat. But you need to comb out at least once a week so that everything around is not covered with fur.
Beagle
But if you are wondering which dog is suitable for a child of 6-8 years old, then you can without hesitation recommend recommending a beagle. The name itself is translated from Old English as "small." Indeed, pets are quite compact - no more than 40 centimeters at the withers. True, they cannot be called miniature - they are shot down quite firmly, albeit very neatly. Males weigh about 10-11 kilograms, and bitches, as a rule, are one kilogram less.
Despite their small size, the beagles are distinguished by their determination and courage. So, if you are interested in the best breed of dogs for children and guards, which will not attract too much attention, then this choice can clearly be called successful. Moreover, they are very friendly to people and other dogs. True, the beagle is usually perceived by cats, hamsters, chinchillas and other small pets as prey. Not surprisingly, they were initially bred as hunting dogs.
It is very important that the instinct of dominance is suppressed in the breed. A dog will perceive even a small child as a master. Moreover, sometimes they consider a playmate to be the main one in the family.
True, Beagle training is not too good. Despite their intelligence, they try to go against the rules, which makes it difficult to teach them how to execute even the simplest commands.
Collie
Many experts believe that the representatives of this breed are nanny dogs for children. Bred as assistants to shepherds, they take their “flock” very carefully, play with children with pleasure, and at the same time protect them to the last. Cheerful and active, they will make the company in any game, no matter what the child came up with.
At the same time, like any other shepherd dogs, they are perfectly amenable to training. They are distinguished by endurance and love for outdoor games. So, letting the child and the dog go to the park, you can not worry about them - the dog will protect the small owner from any threat and at the same time an excess of energy will splash out.
True, collies need serious hair care. It is very long and soft, so you need to comb the pet at least a couple of times a week. And washing the dog that got dirty during the walk is not at all easy.
Pug
Do you need the best breed of dog for children and families that are not very active? If for your child the best leisure is not running around the site, but thoughtful reading of books or assembling models, then you should think about starting a pug. This is a compact dog, but a very big personality. Pugs do not like heavy loads. Moreover, they are simply not physically prepared for them.
These little dogs with children can sit for hours, carefully watching what they are doing. Games pugs need calm, not too active. However, you can’t call them lodgers - sometimes dogs (especially young ones) take part in outdoor games with pleasure. The main thing is that they are not too long. And as a partner in lying on the couch, pugs simply have no equal.
They will also please the elderly inhabitants of the apartment, representing a wonderful family dog.
It is worth considering that, despite the short hair, pugs molt very much. Therefore, you need to comb them regularly. In addition, due to the special arrangement of the nose, they make amazing sounds - sneezing, snoring, snorting. It touches someone, but it can annoy someone.
Welsh Corgi
Speaking of small and medium-sized breeds of dogs for children, it is worth mentioning the Welsh Corgi. Bred in Wales, these dogs received the status of the most smiling and cheerful. Indeed, they are always happy to have fun in the company of friends. And the black rim around the mouth looks a lot like a smile. It's nice that the dogs are not too noisy - for small city apartments this is a very valuable quality.
The dimensions are very tiny - at the withers of the dog they are about 25-30 centimeters tall. Males weigh about 13.5 kg, and bitches weigh a little less.
On the one hand, Welsh Corgi are very unpretentious. On the other, they are very loyal and sweet. They get along easily with cats, rabbits, even hamsters. And they treat young children very reverently, protecting from any adversities.
Despite the outward absurdity, they like physical activity very much. So, they can make the company a morning run. They can be trained very easily - they are not only smart, but they also love to please the owner. For praise and stroking the head are ready to just break into a cake. The care is quite simple, shedding a little and only twice a year. But the heat is poorly tolerated. Therefore, in the summer it is worth taking care of the possibility of cooling the room, otherwise the dog will not feel too comfortable.
Irish setter
This dog is very large: at the withers up to 66 centimeters - for males and up to 63 - for females. The weight is up to 32 and 27 kilograms, respectively.
Representatives of the breed are distinguished by their energy and courage. They need long walks, jogging and other sports activities. After spending all his life in four walls, the setter is unlikely to be happy.
They give in to training quite easily, they grasp everything literally on the fly. At the same time they are good-natured and affectionate. It is a pleasure to meet new people, which does not prevent the setters from being reliable guards.
Suitable for teens than for children. The fact is that the dog is quite independent, it will not tolerate rough treatment and may very well respond with aggression. In general, the stick and carrot method is not worth it here. Praise for good behavior works better than punishment for bad behavior.
Bichon Frize
If you do not know which breed of dog is best for small children, then you should study this one. In fact, the Bichon Frize is a variety of lapdogs. Yes, he cannot be called a reliable guard, but quite a perfect companion. These dogs weigh quite a bit - on average from 3 to 6 kilograms with growth at the withers from 25 to 28 centimeters. Thanks to this miniature, they are suitable even for small children. And they really like to sit on their hands. An important plus is the fact that they do not cause allergies, unlike most other dogs. When getting such a pet, it is worth considering that their life span reaches 15-20 years - few breeds can boast of this.
Like many other dogs, they do not like loneliness too much. And they love to bark - immediately make sure that the neighbors will not be against such an innovation as barking at any time of the day.
They can be trained very easily - they simply love to please the owner with their quick wit. So, in a month of training a dozen teams will easily learn. Obviously, obedience should be encouraged - with affection, compliments, various goodies.
The downside is the difficulty in grooming. It grows constantly, which is why you have to cut it at least once every couple of months.
Airedale
A fairly large dog that will become a great companion for children, adults and the elderly. At the withers, males reach 61 centimeters, bitches - a little less. And by weight, some individuals reach up to 30 kilograms. They love an active lifestyle, so they will be happy to run with the owner-athlete. Truly tireless, therefore, they need to be given the opportunity to spend excess energy.
With children they get along just fine. But it is worth considering that the Airedale is a very active dog. So, it’s better for a teenager who loves long walks.
Learns teams very quickly. But prolonged training can be boring, so training should be carried out more often, but not too long. Be sure to train at least a few teams in childhood, otherwise it will be very difficult to manage an adult.
Dogs get along well. But hamsters, rabbits and even cats are usually perceived as prey.
A plus is the lack of molting. The downside is the need to comb out. The hair never falls out by itself and simply accumulates in lumps, giving the dog a very miserable appearance. Only regular combing will solve the problem.
Bull terrier
It will probably surprise many that the list of dogs loving children also includes a bull terrier that has earned the reputation of a killer dog. Indeed, this dog was bred for fighting with bears and bulls, but at the same time she is an ideal nanny. Moreover, you can trust her as a teenager or a baby.
Merciless in battle with the enemy, she has a very high pain threshold. And it allows a small child to stick his fingers in his nose, bite his ears, pull his tail and generally turn life into hell. Most other dogs obviously would not tolerate this, but the bull terrier stubbornly endures these hardships, knowing full well that the child is the younger brother, who needs to be protected always and everywhere.
Like many other dogs on the list, they need activity, otherwise they quickly gain weight, which causes heart problems with age. It is very important to train the main teams in a timely manner - from “Fu” to “Fas”. Then communication with him will bring your family maximum joy and happiness. In addition, the bull terrier remains a fighting dog, guaranteeing a high level of security for the apartment and children for a walk. Few decide to offend a teenager walking in the yard with such an impressive pet.
The downside is the need to dominate. The dog will regularly test you for hardness. Therefore, it will not suit weak people: having taken the leading position in the family, the bull terrier will become unhappy and may commit the most rash acts.
English bulldog
Finally, the last breed in our review is the English Bulldog. Despite the awesome appearance, she is very kind and peaceful. It perfectly controls its behavior and can tolerate such pranks from a child that it would never forgive adults. Not too active, although they love long walks, the main thing is that they be unhurried. Long loneliness is quite easily tolerated, although, of course, they prefer the owners to be near.
Small growth - at the withers usually no more than 40 centimeters. But the bulldog is shot down very tightly, because of which the weight can reach 25 kilograms, and sometimes more.
With all the outward absurdity, the English bulldog remains a real fighter. If necessary, he can stand up for himself and his masters. She joins any games with pleasure - she brings a ball, runs with children and even rolls down the hill!
With other dogs it gets along very well, but only if in childhood I spent a lot of time in the company of other puppies. Otherwise, he perceives any dogs as potential opponents, which can cause unnecessary problems.
Although short hair sprinkles all around, it is not particularly striking. And it’s very easy to take care of her - once a day it is enough to hold her whole body with a wet hand or a special glove to remove excess and reduce the amount of garbage at home.
Conclusion
On this our article comes to an end. In it, we tried to list the best dog breeds for children. Names, photos and a description will allow you to choose exactly the option that will delight you and your loved ones for many years.