Top 10 kid-friendly dogs that makes good family pets

Dogs make for great companions and especially for kids, they can be great joys. Did you have one as a child? Are you thinking about adding a canine member to your family? If you are, there are a lot of options to choose from. Knowing which breed or size is the right one for you and your family depends on many factors: the size of your family, your kid's age, your lifestyle and your willingness to groom and train your pet dog.

If you're thinking small dog, you should know that some of them are high maintenance when it comes to the grooming needs. All dogs need a bath, to have their teeth brushed, their ears cleaned, their nails clipped and their furs brushed. You can do that yourself (which is a great bonding experience between you and your dog) or if you could afford it, send him to a professional groomer.

If after some consideration, you have decided that you don't want to spend every day brushing your little dog's fur or having to bath him on a regular basis, you should be in the lookout for a low maintenance dog.
Keep reading because we'll provide you with some kid-friendly small and low maintenance dogs that could be just the right companion for your kids and you.  

Would you fancy and "American gentleman"? That's the Boston Terrier's nickname and it's quite fitting. If you're looking for a breed that's sociable and silly, this little dog is a joy to have around. He is a very intelligent dog, lively and extremely lovable. All these characteristics are what makes the Boston Terrier a great family pet and companion.

He is an incredibly kid-friendly dog, easy to groom and easy to train. You can brush him once a week with a bristle brush and you can wash him with a dry shampoo. He adapts beautifully in small surroundings, so if you live in an apartment, they're a great choice. 

The Pocket Beagle is smaller than the average beagle, he's a compact scenthound so his nose is the most important part of his anatomy and his head will tend to be near the floor. If you're looking for a small merry and fun-loving dog, this is the breed to get. The beagle is kind of stubborn because of the hound instinct, so you have to be very patient and come up with very creative techniques to overcome that stubborn nature of his.

He's very adaptable, so don't worry if you and your family live in an apartment, he'll adapt beautifully. The Pocket Beagle is super kid-friendly, it is very easy to groom, it's not so easy to train, but as we said, if you're patient and creative, it can be done. He tends to bark or howl, so be prepared because he may decide to wake your neighbors at 6 am.

To the destruction of your decor, you need to take him for daily walks or do some active playing with him. Just take into consideration that he's not a brisk walker, he moseys and sniffs everything around him. 

Looking for a dog with a great sense of humor? Then look no more, the Pug is the breed you need. This dog is part of the American Kennel Club's Toy group, he is sturdy and compact and such a clown! He likes to show off and thrives on human companionship. Sounds like the ideal kid-friendly dog, right?
 
Training a Pug is not so easy because he can be willful, so there's a challenge for you. he is easy to groom but he sheds a lot, so we suggest a vacuum cleaner. The Pug is a happy and affectionate small dog, he's also loyal and charming. He has a very playful and mischievous personality.

While Pugs are clowns at heart, they are very intelligent and carry themselves with dignity (so cute). The Pug loves to be the center of attention, so please don't ignore him, he'll get heartsick.

Small dogs are so cute, the ones on the list above are totally kid-friendly. But if you want one a little bit bigger but still a family pet dog then take a look at this next 4 choices.  

They range from 25 to 65 pounds, that's a medium size dog; not too small but not too large also.

The Basset Hound (a.k.a Hush Puppy) is more than just an icon, he's good nature and an easygoing pet dog. He has a great sense of humor and he's well known as one of the best family pets. The Basset Hound was bred for hunting and in some regions, it is still used for that purpose.   
 
When he's not on the tail of rabbits, he loves the couch, in fact, he has a couch-potato sensibility and the most important thing is that he loves kids. The Basset Hound is easy to groom but sheds moderately, the training could prove challenging because they are stubborn.

The Basset Hound originally was bred as a pack dog, so they love the company and be around families. He really hates to be alone and will cause destruction and do a lot of howling if you left him alone for long periods of time. He's a heavy eater (take that into consideration) and not very active so he can gain weight if not exercise regularly.

All in all, the Basset Hound would be a great choice for your kids.

In the U.S the Golden Retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds, he has a friendly and tolerant attitude and that's what makes him a great family pet, he's definitely kid-friendly. The Golden Retriever needs bigger living spaces, so he will not adapt well to apartment living. He's very intelligent and very sensible.

He sheds a lot, so you'll have to spend time cleaning or you'll have a lot of pet hair around the house. He's very easy to train because of his intelligence. The Golden Retriever needs daily exercise (a walk or a jog or a game of fetch) because he has high energy levels  He retains the silly and playfulness of a puppy until he's like 3 or 4 years of age.

He's also a working dog (because of his intelligence) so you need to give him jobs to do: retrieving the paper or waking up a family member or you can sign him up for competing in dog sports and enjoy the competition process with your kids.

The Bulldog has a bloody past, because once upon a time he was used in a bloody sport called bullbaiting. But, don't worry, those days are gone. Now, he is a sweet dog with a loving disposition who would make a great family pet.

He has good adaptability to small places, so he'll do well in an apartment, he's incredibly kid-friendly and his grooming is easy because he doesn't shed a lot. In some cartoons, the Bulldog is depicted as a ferocious dog but in reality, they are affectionate and kind. He is courageous and resolute but he won't pick a fight.

The Bulldog loves people and he's constantly seeking their attention and he loves nothing more than to languish next to his owner. He's kid-friendly but he won't engage in games like chasing a ball or running with your kids in the backyard. He may do it for a while but then he will lay down by your side and watch all the action from the side.

Remember Lassie? Well, she was a Collie dog. Collie dogs are extremely intelligent and also extremely sensitive with an uncanny ability to know when something is wrong. The Collie is a medium size dog, very easy to train, He's very friendly with people and devoted and very protective of his human family.

He is playful and gentle and totally kid-friendly, a good watchdog but no aggressive. He requires a moderate amount of exercise and be prepared with the vacuum too, because he will shed a lot.

You may think that just small or medium size dogs are great for your family and kids but that's not necessarily the case. How about getting a large dog that doubles as a guard? Despite their reputation of being big and vicious a lot of large guard dogs make for great family pets. If you trained them right they can become the most loyal and loving of protectors.

Let's take a look at 3 of them. 

The Boxer was originally bred to be a guard dog, now he makes a lovely companion. He has a high sensitivity level and adapts somewhat well to apartment living as long as you provide him with walks and runs on a daily basis.
 
He is called the "Peter Pan" of dogs because of his playful nature and boundless energy. He is an intelligent, alert and fearless dog, but he's also kid-friendly, totally loyal to his family and loves to play with them. Training him could prove challenging because his headstrong, so you'll need patience there.

The Boxer is an excellent watchdog too, he will restrain an intruder in the same way as a Mastiff, he excels in obedience and agility.

The German Shepherd is one of the most popular dog breeds and there's a reason for that. He's extremely intelligent and has an unmatched devotion and courage. He's a delight to train because of his versatility and he excels at it, but most importantly he's a great companion.

He must be kept busy learning, playing and working, so you need to exercise him daily both physically and mentally, he's very kid-friendly and a super guard dog. but you'll need to train him from the puppy stage so he can be raised as a social and well-behaved dog. He sheds a lot! so brush him frequently and use the vacuum. 

Now here's a really large dog, The Great Dane is truly a great dog breed, he's referred to as a gentle giant, you know: large and noble. He looks terribly imposing but he's such a good nature dog, he's sweet and affectionate, loves to play and is incredibly kid-friendly.

Makes for a great guard dog, because just his size will scare the wits out of a burglar, he is courageous and he would not hesitate to defend his family. He demands a lot of attention and needs regular exercise.  
 

A kid and a dog could form the greatest of friendships, especially if you manage to find the right one. We gave you some very good choices so you could find the best kid-friendly dog your family could love and play with.