What are the Best Dog Breeds for Families?

Posted by Jeanne on August 4, 2009

There’s nothing quite like the family dog.  It’s almost a slice of Americana.  In ever cheesy fifties image of the Perfect American Family we see a nice little house with a white picket fence, Mom and Dad, two children (usually a boy and a girl), and a family pooch happily prancing around the yard.  As clichéd as that image may be, the fact remains that people love dogs and some families just don’t feel right without a family dog.

When choosing a dog for a family, there are important traits to keep in mind.  Some breeds of dog are wonderful for families while others simply don’t have the proper temperament to deal with family life.  They may be too rough with small children, to needy of their own space to deal with the incessant coming and going of a large family, or simply too naturally aggressive to respond well to a family setting.  Other breeds are just perfect fits for family life.  Here are some of the best dog breeds for families.

Golden Retrievers

Originally bred as a bird dog (like most retrievers), the Golden retriever is an amazingly loyal and very protective breed.  They are perfect for families that enjoy outdoor activities because they love to run, jump, and play.

Irish Setters

Irish Setters are known for their pleasant personalities and their eagerness to please humans.  They were also originally bred as hunting dogs and can serve well in this capacity, but it is their aptitude for companionship that makes them a beloved family breed.

Collies

The Collie may be one of the breeds most easily associated with the qualities of a family dog due to the popularity of the Lassie television programs.  Collies are characterized by a combination of intelligence and patience uncommon in other breeds.

Boxers

Boxers look large and scary and have a deep, resonating bark that makes intruders wary, but they are truly gentle, loving, and loyal dogs.  Their size may make families with small children want to wait a few years before owning one, but they are a perfect family pet once the kids are a little older.

Newfoundland

Remember the dog “Hooch” from the Tom Hanks movie Turner and Hooch?  This is Hooch, a big, friendly, loving pooch.  They tend to slobber and drool rather excessively, but the Newfoundland is a loving and protective pet.  Like the boxer, the dog’s size may be of some concern, but it will be hard to find a more loyal dog for a family than this breed.

Big Dogs – Are Working Dogs Good with Children?

Posted by Jeanne on May 27, 2009

The first time you see a real big dog like the Great Dane or the St. Bernard you might wonder if it’s really a dog. lt’s so big that you might mistake it for a little pony. If you saw the dog in some European countries, you would surely think it was a pony. Big dogs are still used by farmers to pull carts of milk and produce.

Most big dogs are working dogs, and they do many things. Some, like those mentioned above, pull carts, others like the Collies, the Kuvasok, and the English Sheepdogs are experts at tending sheep. Mastiffs, Boxers, and Dobermans are often used as guard dogs. The German Shepherds are well known as guide dogs for the blind. But not all “seeing eye” dogs are Shepherds. They are usually big dogs, but they can be any breed – even a mongrel – just so long as they have a will to learn.

Among the most famous big dogs are the sled dogs of Alaska and other snowy regions. The Samoyed, Siberian Husky, and Malemute and the Eskimo dog all are good sled dogs. Just as all guide dogs are not pure bred, the same is true with sled dogs – sometimes they are mixed with timber wolf. Mushers in Alaska say that these wolf-mixed dogs have more stamina than pure breeds, but they don’t care to work like a dog.

Another working dog that is at home in the snow is the St. Bernard. Many an injured mountain climber or skier owes his life to this breed. Immediately after a bad snowstorm, these dogs would be sent out of the hospice in groups of three in search of people in distress. When someone was found unconscious in the snow, two of the dogs would lie down on either side of the victim to keep him warm while the third St. Bernard would go back to the abbey for help. When help arrived, the three dogs would go off to find more people in need of help.

Working dogs are the best dogs for children. They would like nothing better than to be with a child all day and guard him or her. They do not wander as do hunting dogs, and their size will scare away anyone who might want to harm the child.