There are many reasons why your child should have a dog while growing up, ranging from medical benefits (living in the same house with a dog can strengthen the immune system) to personal and social ones (the child can gain self-confidence, affection and develop their communication skills from an early age). There are plenty of website where you can find dogs for sale, but not all breeds are suitable for children. Some are known to have an aggressive personality, while others are not exactly sociable and patient. Here are the breeds that are known to interact well with kids and the ones that should be avoided.
Golden retriever – the most popular choice
Golden retrievers are universally loved and for good reason. Dogs of this breed are gentle, intelligent and loyal and, throughout their 12 years of life, they can become true members of your family. A golden retriever is neither aggressive nor shy and has a lot of patience – just the right qualities a dog needs to be allowed around children. Besides, golden retrievers are very energetic and playful, so they can keep with hyperactive kids without getting bored.
Puddles – intelligent and patient companions
Puddles are excellent for kids, not only because they are gentle and intelligent dogs, but also because they are hypoallergenic and rarely shed. Unlike dogs from other breeds, which grown attached only to one master, the puddle can equally love and obey more family members. Besides, they make playful and active pets that can go on long walks and play catch for hours.
English bulldogs – a calm and patient breed
English bulldogs are known for befriending children quite quickly and they also get along with other pets, including cats. A puppy from this breed has a heart of gold and grows very attached of its master, but without becoming clingy or aggressive. On the contrary, they are extremely calm and patient and will not bark or bite a hyperactive kid. However, they can be quite lazy, so they’re not exactly the best breed to go jogging with.
What dog breeds to avoid if you have kids
For your child’s safety, you should avoid impulsive and aggressive breeds and one of the best examples is chow chow. As beautiful as they might be, these pets are very high maintenance and have little patience for someone who grabs their fur, for example. Another breed that requires more attention is the Rottweiler, which has an aggressive and unpredictable nature and can easily bite when challenged. The same goes for Pit bulls, which have a high pain threshold, but little patience. Last, but not least, you should avoid getting a Chihuahua, not because they are dangerous for kids, but because kids can harm them, since they are very small. These breeds are not necessarily bad and they can actually make loyal and loving pets, but only when trained with care and supervised by adults. Children can be very unpredictable and erratic and now all dog breeds can handle this behaviour.