As a family, you want to provide the best life for you and your children. This often means safety, entertainment, and a comfortable life that can be enjoyable for all. Finding this balance is not the easiest of tasks, but it is also important that your children love the life they have – and the same goes for you too. How can this be achieved? Well, for starters, being a supportive parent is the best beginning but there are certainly ways to warm up the home, so to speak.

Dogs are considered man’s best friend, and having a pet in the home can improve everyone’s happiness levels. When looking for a dog for the home, you need to consider how well it can coexist with everyone. Finding a child-friendly dog breed is an easy task. 

Here are some of the most popular breeds for families with small children.

Labrador Retrievers

Arguably one of the most popular dog breeds for a family household is the labrador retriever. These dogs are a great mixture of size, smarts, and silliness. Possibly the most important part of this breeds compatibility for a home setting is the fact that they are incredibly loyal. Finding a good dog breed means having a good mixture of qualities and labrador retrievers are certainly a wonderful combination that will provide a fun friend in your home.

Shetland Sheepdogs

Shetland Sheepdogs, also known as Shelties, are a popular dog breed that hails from Scotland. These dogs are great for families because they are an active dog when they want to be, but are also very intelligent with a friendly personality. According to Luke Stevens with Puppy Joy, households with children make a great environment for Shetland Sheepdogs, as this breed is calm, gentle, and loyal to their families. Likewise, this breed is on the smaller end of medium with a good life span which makes them great for growing up with children.

Beagles

Coming in on the list as a fun-loving dog is the Beagle. Beagles are great for families because they can provide fun and entertainment for kids due in part to the personality of this breed. Beagles are a smaller dog which is good for taking them with you on trips or out to a park as well as limiting how much space they take up in your home. Their energy levels make them a bit of a handful at times, but it is also important to have a dog that can play with your children as well, and Beagles provide that in spades.

Poodles

Poodles are often overlooked when it comes to finding a family-friendly dog, but they provide some excellent companionship for a household with children. In fact, poodles consistently rank as a smart breed, which is great news if you intend to do a lot of the training yourself. Being able to train your dog from home is a benefit for your budget and it means your dog will likely be better around kids. It is also worth mentioning that mixed breed dogs are excellent and poodle mixes are a popular choice for families and prospective dog owners.

German Shepherd

While a bit on the bigger side, and certainly intimidating in their own right, German Shepherds are natural protectors and loyal dogs. Families who feel they would like a little extra safety for their home can rest easy at night if they have this medium to large-sized dog patrolling the home. There is the option of choosing the sex of the dog which can determine the size and personality. Female German Shepherds are slightly smaller and a little calmer, but a well-trained dog is going to be a great addition to the home regardless.

Border Collie

An excellent choice for families that need a dog around the house that can offer a great mix of intelligence and athletic ability. Border Collies were originally used on farms and for herding, but they can be a wonderful dog to have around children as well. Protective, energetic, smart, and a lovable furry friend makes them a breed that is good for kids. One thing to remember when it comes to Border Collies is that they need a lot of activity so frequent walks or play in your yard is a must to maintain their health and happiness but should not be a problem for many families.

Newfoundlands

Definitely the heftiest sized dog on this list, the Newfoundland is a big mass of fluff and love. While the size might turn off some families, these dogs are natural caregiving animals and make a fine addition, even with kids. They are large but thankfully they are not a super energetic breed so you will not need to worry about it barreling around your home. It is a considerable amount of grooming to keep this furry pal comfortable, but you have to provide them comfort. They can also shed and drool so be wary of this when considering this docile dog.

Golden Retriever

Last but not least is another crowd favorite: the Golden Retriever. This dog is a simple breed that is very similar in size and characteristics as the Labrador. Golden retrievers are also often bred with other dogs to create mixed breeds, which some claim are healthier than purebred. Even a purebred Golden Retriever is a wonderful dog for families because they are energetic yet loving, especially with children. They range in size but are usually on the medium to large size, which might be perfect depending on the size of your home/backyard. It is hard to create a list of family-friendly dogs without including this lovable dog.

After reading this list you get the idea of what kinds of factors go into finding a dog to bring into your child-friendly home. Sometimes it can take a dog to provide a fun and safe home environment and size, energy, personality, and care-levels are all things that need to be considered when looking for a pet. These dogs range dramatically in those factors, but all represent the best of domestic dog breeds for a family environment.