The editors of The Dog Portal consider it their task to introduce responsible pet ownership to all dog owners, including families raising the future generation, and thus children living in families. The editors pay special attention to educating children in responsible love for animals and responsible pet ownership, as well as helping to acquire the proper handling of dogs. Our portal tries to assist parents raising children, families, and thus even the older children themselves with useful articles within this topic.
A dog alongside a child – How to choose?
The question naturally arises for our readers: how do we choose the ideal dog breed for our child according to their age and mentality? Our article tries to offer help on this topic, providing many useful tips to assist families in selecting the appropriate dog breed for the child.
When a child sees a puppy that is cute to them, they will nag their parents until they buy it for them and bring the puppy home to the family. Every parent wants the best for their child, so they give a dog as a gift that the child can play with and who can be a devoted friend throughout childhood.
In most cases, the dog and the child make a fantastic pair, often bonded by a very close and special connection. But when people ask which is the best dog breed for a child, it cannot be answered simply with a good or bad choice. This is because not only the breed itself determines how the child and the chosen dog will get along.
What are the factors to keep in mind that must be paid attention to? Let's list them:
- Type of dog breed
- Origin of the dog
- Socialization of the puppy by the breeder and later by the new owner.
- Further training and education within the family.
Children and dogs – That is, how can the best relationship between them be established?
Dogs accompany us throughout our childhood and play a significant role in our growing up. Most people look back with affection remembering their first dog, with whom they spent many happy years as a little child. Many have their earliest favorite childhood memories connected with the family dog. Beyond the fact that dogs provide fun and pleasant company for children, they also teach them responsibility, empathy, and caring for another living being. These few good pieces of advice will surely help many ensure that the relationship between the child and the dog can be safe and happy.
- First of all, the child must be taught the boundaries of what behavior is acceptable around the dog and what is not. As a parent, it is your duty that your child learns as soon as possible how to behave around the dog.
- Avoid larger, unruly breeds. While no dog intends to harm a child (or anyone else), their size, irritability, and strength can easily and quickly cause injury.
- Your chances of having a healthy, stable-nerved, good-tempered, balanced dog significantly increase if you purchase it from a reputable dog breeder.
- When we bring the puppy home to our family, the socialization process can be interrupted.
- It can never be too early to start obedience training.
- Never leave the child or children and the dog alone without supervision – it simply is not worth the risk, because a dog is never 100% safe. Children under 6 generally require extra supervision when interacting with dogs, but beyond that age, a close friendly bond can begin to form between the child and the dog.
Many breeds have proven over the years to be particularly gentle, accepting children, treating them patiently, and approaching them with affection. It is also a fact supported by studies that dogs are gentler and more tolerant towards children than towards adult family members.
We now know some useful things that should be considered when choosing a dog for our child, and thus essentially for the family as well. But let us not forget that an adult must always supervise the interaction and relationship between the dog and the child, and the child must be taught to handle the new arrival, the new puppy, cautiously and respectfully by observing boundaries!
Dog breeds recommended for children
Let's get to know in detail some recommended child-friendly dog breeds. Further breeds will be available in the second part of our article.
Beagle
The Beagle, thanks to its friendly and lively nature, is an ideal breed for children, which with its wonderful temperament steals the hearts of the whole family. The breed exhibits many gentle characteristics, seasoned with a playful temperament, so these two can play and have fun in complete harmony with the child from morning till night. Due to the high intelligence of the Beagle, it can truly make the times spent playing and having fun enjoyable for children. The Beagle will keep an eye on the child around the house and yard with half an eye, while protecting them from trouble with the other half.
The Beagle is sweet, gentle and loving with children, happy in the company of people and gets along well with other types of dogs. It is smart, friendly, happy and also gets along with other pets (although it sometimes chases them here and there).
Without proper exercise and attention, the Beagle can become uncoordinated, lively and very barky, but this can be easily prevented with training.
The Beagle is also recommended for active children as it loves to walk and play as much as possible with its dear friend. And of course, a good parent is needed who teaches the dog good manners because the Beagle is a curious little guy, a small dog with a big ego.
Bichon Frise
This white fluff ball can be a great companion for older children.
The Bichon Frise is a lively, friendly, lively and energetic breed. It loves city life as much as running around in the countryside garden. It should be emphasized that it can be kept in an apartment, but daily exercise must be ensured, whether it is a walk or just playing and running around in the garden.
Due to its small size, it may develop the "small dog" syndrome, where it thinks it is the leader of the family. We must pay close attention to this; it needs proper training and education, in which older children can also participate.
If there is a very young child in the family, meeting and playing with the dog should always be supervised by an adult; never leave the young child alone with the dog.
The average lifespan of the breed is 12-15 years, but during its longer life it can suffer from various diseases such as Cushing's disease, various allergic conditions, patellar luxation, cataracts, hip dysplasia, or liver disease.
American Cocker Spaniel
This popular breed wins the hearts of families with its intelligent, gentle and cheerful nature.
Despite its small size, the Cocker Spaniel is an active, sporty breed, so they need proper daily exercise. With proper training, it can be a good friend and companion for our children, with whom they can play for long hours.
Due to their easily matted coat, frequent and regular grooming is necessary.
They love the company of people, crave attention and love. Do not leave them alone for long periods, as they do not tolerate it well if ignored for a long time, and they may engage in destructive behavior.
They are active and playful dogs but can also become stubborn, so we must be consistent, paying attention to their teaching, training, and discipline.
The American Cocker Spaniel is like a living bell, quickly alerting when a stranger arrives, but very friendly with visitors. They greet friends with quick tail wags.
These loyal, loving, sensitive little dogs can be great companions for our children.
English Cocker Spaniel
Similar to its American counterpart, the English Cocker Spaniel also has a cheerful and affectionate nature. It can be an excellent family companion due to its trainability.
Pug
Pugs are cheerful dogs, with a friendly attitude.
They are extremely gentle and witty with every member of the family. They love to play endlessly, thus are ideal playmates for children. At the same time, they are good watchdogs and very devoted to family members. They behave excellently with children as well.
It seems, every small dog falls into this category of "small dog with a big ego," but the Pug does it best.
They are very lovable, incredibly playful, friendly and happy dogs. However, a Pug can get bored easily if left alone.
They adore the family but are equally friendly to strangers. Pugs adapt well to different situations and are very trainable.
The Pug cannot tolerate heat and extreme temperature conditions, so we must always watch over them, especially on hot and humid days.
These affectionate little guys love to be the center of attention; they can be funny, cheeky, sensitive, and adorable all at once. Most Pugs are playful and easygoing, enjoying playing with children who treat them as companions rather than toys.
English Bulldog
The Bulldog is one of the cutest dogs you can buy for children. They exhibit traits such as excessive gentleness and affectionate behavior. Because of this, children love the breed.
The Bulldog is a trainable dog with a friendly temperament, which makes parents feel comfortable being around children and dogs together.
The English Bulldog is a good choice for children because they are considered hypoallergenic dogs and do not pose health risks for them.
The English Bulldog is used as a mascot in many American high schools, and Yale Bulldogs are the emblem of college athletes.
Yale was the first university in America to officially adopt the English Bulldog as a mascot. Despite the mascot Bulldog’s often intimidating appearance, the English Bulldog is a loving, kind, and very child-friendly family dog.
Due to its kind personality, the English Bulldog loves every member of the family but forms a strong bond especially with the children. Equipped with loyalty, courage, and a pleasant temperament, the English Bulldog is an excellent choice for children.
Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier is a playful, kind, and gentle breed that can be a great buddy for children.
This compact, intelligent breed requires minimal exercise, as well as a fair and consistent leader and appropriate training to prevent occasional bursts of restlessness. Boston Terriers are ideal for children, as they crave mental stimulation, physical activity, and enjoy playing both outdoors and indoors.
Playing with young small children should only happen under adult supervision.
Both females and males are generally quiet and bark little, usually only when it makes sense, making the breed an excellent choice for people living in apartment buildings.
The Boston Terrier enjoys the company of all family members, especially children and seniors. If properly socialized and trained, there will be no issues with them.
Cairn Terrier
The Cairn Terrier is brave, eager, resilient, curious, stubborn, smart, and also feisty, happily fulfilling every wish of its owner. The breed enjoys playing with children. It does not require much exercise and can live well in large houses or small apartments.
Typical terrier temperament traits: curious, bossy, combative, brave, and a bit mischievous. If you want to keep a garden full of wonderful flowers and plants, this breed is not recommended because they love to dig and can endanger smaller plants and flowers.
The breed rarely barks, except when bored or lonely. They love living in a family and eagerly seek affection and attention from them. In return, they protect the family with courage and dedication in the area entrusted to them. The breed is people-oriented and behaves friendly with everyone.
They enjoy long walks and like playing with a ball or simply being active with children in the garden. They remain active and playful even at eleven-plus years old.
These friendly, loyal, and loving dogs are mischievous playmates and good foot warmers for children. They are so-called “best little buddy in the world” type dogs.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
This adorable-looking breed is affectionate, very intelligent, and energetic, and at first glance, its sheer charm melts our hearts.
This breed is very devoted to children and loves to play with them. They love every family member and actively participate in family activities, making them ideal family pets based on these traits. Because the breed tends to chase anything that moves, even a car, keeping them is only recommended in securely fenced areas.
The Cavalier can adapt to any situation, able to take both short and long walks. The breed has wonderfully beautiful silky fur that is easy to maintain with regular grooming, so no professional grooming services are necessary.
The breed adores children, but because of their small size, some breeders do not allow them to be with very young children to prevent any harm.
These kind and trusting dogs fulfill every request. They are incredibly sensitive and empathetic; their expressive eyes reveal that they are aware of our mood in every situation. If they sense that we are sad, they immediately come and comfort us (hence the nickname) until we are happy and cheerful again. Thanks to this empathetic ability, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is also one of the best therapy dogs.
More dog breeds in the second part of our article!
Please share this article with your friends, families raising children and dogs, and other dog lovers, as it may be useful for them too! Thank you!
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