Dogs make excellent pets and have done so through the ages. They indeed are man’s best friends in terms of loyalty and love. But bringing home a dog is a huge decision. It is not as simple as going down to the pet store and picking up the cutest puppy you see!
Families with children contemplating bringing a dog home as a pet will need to consider various factors before they make a final decision on the breed. Not all dogs are good with children. You can have dogs that get jealous of the attention you give the child. Some dogs are more watchdogs than pets. It really depends on what your needs are.
Let us look at some dog breeds that are highly recommended as pets for families with children.
Labrador Retrievers were bred initially for fishing and hunting, but they are excellent household pets. The dogs are very good with children though they remain in the puppy stage far longer than other breeds. This can be a good thing as your children will have a lovely furry friend to play with for years. Since the breed has short hair, they do not shed copiously. Labs are good-natured and easily trained. You will have to watch out for certain cancers that they are prone to regarding health matters. Common varieties of the labs include Black, Yellow, Chocolate, and Silver.
Golden Retrievers are absolutely super dogs, well-known for their loyalty and companionship abilities. These dogs are generally not known to get aggressive with children even though they will defend the family. The breed is not jealous, and integrating a dog into a home with children will not be a problem. The one downside to this breed is the amount of vacuuming you will have to do as they shed profusely. Constant brushing daily will help to some extent, provided you can find the time!
Collies are lovely dogs and great with families and children. Known for their gentle behavior with children, they sense that kids need protection. The breed is highly sensitive, mild in manner, and relatively easy to train. Let’s not forget their loyalty. They are good with other pets and, of course, children. They are not aggressive but tend to be suspicious of strangers–your collie will need active socialization to keep it happy.
There are many breeds of dogs, and you will need to decide on the one that best suits your family’s needs according to the factors mentioned in this article. Black Labs are certainly among the best for families with children, but as you can see, there are other choices as well!
We haven’t mentioned many excellent choices yet, so feel free to nominate other breeds with your comments. 🙂