What makes the best family dog?
Picking the best family dog is about choosing the right size for your household space, matching their exercise needs to your lifestyle and finding a good personality fit for your family.
Key traits of the best family dogs include:
- Personality - The best family dogs are big-hearted with enough love to spread across everybody in your ‘pack’. A calm dog is also much better suited to a noisy and hectic home environment.
- Size - The ideal size of dog for your family should be determined by the size of your home and garden. Smaller dogs suit a compact domestic set up, while a larger dog can become frustrated in an over-crowded environment.
- Exercise - While all dogs need daily exercise, the amount of exercise that you can give your dog is a crucial factor in choosing the best family dog for you. Some breeds will be happy with a walk around the local park on the lead, while others have higher energy levels and a natural instinct to run freely.
- Coat - Certain breeds, such as Labradoodles, can be better for those prone to dog allergies. The level of grooming required for the breed is also part of choosing the best family dog for you, as a grooming session every 6 weeks costs between £30-£60.
- Training - Although most dogs will respond to training, you may want to opt for a breed that is naturally more obedient. While a puppy may initially take more effort, it can be trained from an early age, whereas older dogs can be set in their ways. This said, an adult dog may already be house-trained, socialised with kids and ready to love a new family.
Finding the best family dog for you
Just like humans, every dog is an individual so it’s always best to meet them first and decide if they’re the right fit for your family. When choosing the right dog for you, try to observe how they interact with their toys or other puppies in the litter. Are they shy and a little nervous or pushing themselves forward with confidence and energy? Early behaviour may indicate how the dog will behave when they are an adult. A natural bond between you and the dog may also be evident even at this first meeting. If a puppy approaches you, it’s a good indication that they feel safe in your company. It may take a little more effort to get an older dog to respond to you, especially if they’ve had a difficult past, so it’s important to spend time to earn their initial trust and get a feel for the fit within your family.
List of our top 10 best family dog breeds
Finding the right dog group or breed for you is a great place to start the journey toward welcoming a new canine into your home. Based on personality, size and exercise needs, we would recommend the following to suit different family lifestyles:
Mixed breeds
A mixed breed is unbeatable for family life as they can combine the best characteristics of different breeds and often have very even temperaments which makes them superb child-friendly dogs. They also tend to be healthier because particular breed conditions have been lessened by mating from a more diverse gene pool.
Why not give a loving home to a dog from your local rescue centre using our shelter finder? Many dogs are in shelters because their owners are moving or getting divorced rather than due to behavioural issues. Just be sure to check all the information available to find a good match for your lifestyle and home. Why not read more about rescue dog misconceptions and arrange a visit to meet any potential canine companions.
Key traits:
- Can make great family dogs
- Lower chance of genetic problems in some cases
- They can look truly unique
A Whippet can make a great family pet as they are affectionate companions as well as getting on well with other dogs. Compact and easy to keep clean, they only need a minimum amount of grooming, and surprisingly don’t clamour for a huge amount of exercise beyond a daily walk. It’s a good idea to give their amazingly graceful speed full reign though, with an extra 15 minute burst off the lead as part of their regime.
Key traits:
- Affectionate and good with kids and other dogs
- Require minimal grooming
- Thrive best when given off-lead time to run
This gentle and kind-faced breed is known for its placid nature and their tolerance of boisterous younger kids makes them popular child-friendly family dogs. As companionship is important to Retrievers, they are better suited to a home that’s usually occupied as they will get upset if left alone for too long. As larger dogs, a bigger house and garden are also ideal.
Key traits:
- Gentle-natured and playful
- Good with kids and other dogs
- Love being around their family - prefer not to be alone
Despite their show-ring reputation, dogs that are good with kids include Poodles as they are bright and enjoy being trained to do tricks. Surprisingly, Poodles will also protect the family as a loyal guard dog. The breed gets on well with other household pets, and there are three sizes to suit your space and garden, from larger Standard Poodles down to the smallest Toy variety. Although regular grooming is required, they are well-suited to families with allergies as they don’t shed their fur.
Key traits:
- Intelligent and easy to train
- Lively and fun-loving
- Very loyal and form strong bonds
Fun-loving, active, sociable and eager to please are just a few of the characteristics that make Labradors some of the best family dogs. While medium-sized, the breed (and especially males) can be fairly heavy in build and boisterous, so it’s important to consider how they’ll mix with little ones and provide lots of outside space for them to expel energy. Their nature is incredibly good-hearted though, so they’ll usually be part of kids’ playtime and will keep them entertained for hours.
Key traits:
- Fun-loving and playful
- Gentle-natured and affectionate
- Full of energy - need plenty of exercise
This amiable and loyal medium-sized dog is one of the best dog breeds for kids, especially as it’s unlikely to be nervous or aggressive even under lively circumstances. The ideal family for a Beagle is one where canine entertainment and exercise (often on the lead as these scent hounds may take off after a whiff of something interesting) is a priority. A secure garden will also be required as Beagles can sometimes dig holes near fences. If you want a real character in the family though, a Beagle is one of the most cheeky child-friendly dogs to choose.
Key traits:
- Even-tempered and gentle
- Active, curious and cheeky
- Can be tricky to housebreak
For cuddling and cuteness, the Bichon Frise is certainly one of the best family dogs. It is a small dog with a big heart and will quickly become part of the family. Their even temperament means that these dogs are good with kids, equally up for a fun game as they are quietly snuggling on the sofa. At only 27cm tall and weighing an average of just 7kg, the size of the Bichon Frise means that they are highly portable, suit urban locations and the smallest of gardens, while having the bonus of being more suitable for people with dog allergies because they don’t shed their fur as much as other breeds.
Key traits:
- Intelligent and highly trainable
- Affectionate and love attention
- Can be good for people with dog allergies
As a tolerant protector of children, the Boxer is the one of the best family dogs for a busy household, full of noise, play and general chaos! Boxers are loving and faithful as well as being easily trained, while their agile build and natural energy means they like nothing better than a good walk, hike or even a jog with their human family. With an average height of 60cm, this medium-sized dog requires little grooming or maintenance. They are prone to dental problems though so will need a good daily oral care routine.
Key traits:
- High-energy and need a lot of exercise
- Silly and playful
- Loyal and loving - prefer to have company
Before you make your final decision about the best family dog for you, why not find out more about all the things you need to know before getting a dog and how to prepare your children for getting a dog.
