What is the best breed of dog to have with small children?
Forget the toy breeds and terriers now (except for the few bull-terrier breeds; english bull terrier, staffordshire bull terrier, boston terrier, american staffordshire terrier, american pit bull terrier – these dogs are all excellent with kids). Mixing small dogs and children is like mixing ammonia and bleach, and many of the terriers are just too high strung and snappy for children. The two best breed groups to look at are the various breeds of mastiffs and bulldogs. They are all good with children, just bear in mind that many members of the mastiff family are VERY protective. This link should also help you out. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/children.
A couple of the best family dogs are Labrador Retrievers, Boxers, Pit Bulls, Golden Retrievers, and Newfoundlands. I know these are all rather large dogs, but they tend to have the best track record with children. Smaller dogs tend to become overly protective. Newfoundlands in particular are great family dogs. If you ave ever seen the Disney movie Peter Pan, the dog Nana is supposed to be a Newfoundland, not a St. Bernard as many believe. Many people refer to them as Gentle Giants. :EDIT:- I just saw your addition that you wanted a dog that was not terribly active, could go for walks, but would also lounge around the house. Newfies are couch potatoes as well. They are a bit on the large side, but a close cousin to the Newfie is the Labrador. Either one is a great family dog that love to lay around the house.
Generally, the big friendly breeds with a high tolerance to pain are best with toddlers. No matter how how nice toddlers intend to be with dogs they inevitably step & fall on them. A Lab would be my first choice. Goldens and Rotts (yes, Rotts that are indoor pets & raised with kids!) are also good choices. I’d avoid all the very little breeds. If you want to avoid the hyper puppy & housebreaking stage contact your local breed rescue. They usually house their rescues with families so they get to know their individual dogs very well. A Beagle is a good choice if you don’t want a big dog. They’re usually great with kids but they really tend to be escape artists & wanderers. Best wishes!
There is a wonderful book U should read called “Family Dog” by Richard Wolters. The first two chapters are on picking out a puppy for your family. He has lists of breeds that are safe for children. Read up on any breed that U fancy before going to buy a puppy. I am so glad that U R doing your homework. Also consider a mixed breed that has been fixed and screened by a foster home. If they are honest they will tell U if the dog is good with kids or not. Look on Petfinder.com U can look for a location by zip code or city or state. Good Luck.
