Dogs can be great for kids. In fact, studies have shown that children benefit from pets in lots of ways. They help them develop empathy, responsibility and higher self-esteem. They provide support and comfort, lower stress, boost mood along with other mental health benefits. They help kids become more physically active, develop strong immune systems and reduce the chance of allergies. Children can even improve their cognitive skills and development just by talking to their pet. So, you may be wondering what kind of dog to get when you have kids. Here are 26 dog breeds generally thought to be some of the best with children.
Note: Many types of dogs can be good with children, especially with training. The following list includes generalizations. It’s important to remember that dogs are individuals with unique personalities and thus, one particular dog of a breed may act completely differently than another.
Myths About Breed-Specific Behaviors And Stereotypes
A new study published in Science finds that breed is a poor predictor of a dog’s behavior and temperament. They sequenced the DNA of over 2,000 dogs (purebred and mixed-breed) and surveyed the owners about their personalities and behaviors. The results found that behavior and temperament were quite variable among individual dogs, even those of the same breed. 78 breeds were analyzed and the research showed that breed only accounted for 9% of variability in behavior.
Certain behaviors (such as barking and sociability) were more correlated to breed and breed group, especially the behaviors they were bred to do (e.g. herding, retrieving, running, hunting, swimming, etc.). Other behaviors though, like aggression, were least correlated to breed. This suggests that, for example, the assumptions about pit bulls and other misunderstood breeds are just that – assumptions. This also supports the notion that aggression in dogs is more likely from negligent owners, not breed.
So it’s important to go through this list with that understanding that every dog is an individual with its own personality and that a particular dog who’s breed is on this list may not act the same as another dog of the same breed. This list was created based on general recommendations. It is in alphabetical order and includes the breed’s average weight, height and life expectancy:
Basset Hound
Height: 12–15 inches (male), 11–14 inches (female)
Weight: 55–75 lbs (male) 44–64 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 10–12 years
Beagle
Height: 14–16 inches (male), 13–15 inches (female)
Weight: 22–24 lbs (male), 20–22 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Bernese Mountain Dog
Height: 25–28 inches (male), 23–26 inches (female)
Weight: 84–110 lbs (male), 79–110 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 6–8 years
Boston Terrier
Height: 9–15 inches
Weight: 10 – 25 lbs
Life expectancy: 13–15 years
Boxer
Height: 22–25 inches (male), 21–24 inches (female)
Weight: 60–71 lbs (male), 55–64 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 10–12 years
Height: 19–20 inches (male), 18–20 inches (female)
Weight: 30–40 lbs (male), 30–40 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Bull Terrier
Height: 20–22 inches (male), 18–20 inches (female)
Weight: 55–65 lbs (male), 45–55 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 10–14 years
Cairn Terrier
Height: 9–13 inches
Weight: 13–16 lbs
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Hypoallergenic: Yes
Height: 24–28 inches (male), 23–26 inches (female)
Weight: 99–110 lbs (male), 88–99 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 10–12 years
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Height: 12–13 inches
Weight: 13–18 lbs
Life expectancy: 9–14 years
Cocker Spaniel
Height: 15–17 inches (male), 14–16 inches (female)
Weight: 29–35 lbs (male), 26–33 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Collie
Height: 22–24 inches (male), 20–22 inches (female)
Weight: 45–65 lbs (male), 40–55 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 14–16 years
English Bulldog
Height: 12–16 inches (male), 12–16 inches (female)
Weight: 51–55 lbs (male), 40–51 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 8 – 10 years
French Bulldog
Height: 11–13
Weight: 16–28 lbs
Life expectancy: 10–14 years
Golden Retriever
Height: 22–24 inches (male), 20–22 inches (female)
Weight: 65–75 lbs (male), 55–71 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 10–12 years
Height: 8–12 inches
Weight: 7–13 lbs
Life expectancy: 13–15 years
Hypoallergenic: Yes
Irish Setter
Height: 25–26 inches (male), 22–24 inches (female)
Weight: 60–71 lbs (male), 53–64 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Labrador Retreiver
Height: 22–24 inches (male), 22–24 inches (female)
Weight: 64–79 lbs (male), 55–71 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 10–12 years
Newfoundland
Height: 27–29 inches (male), 25–27 inches (female)
Weight: 130–150 lbs (male), 99–120 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 8–10 years
Pit Bull Terrier
Height: 18–21 inches (male), 17–20 inches (female)
Weight: 35–60 lbs (male), 30–50 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 8–15 years
Height: 18–24 inches (standard), 11–14 inches (miniature), 9–11 inches (toy)
Weight: 45–70 lbs (standard), 12–20 lbs (miniature), 6–9 lbs (toy)
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Height: 12–14 inches (male), 10–12 inches (female)
Weight: 14–20 lbs (male), 14–18 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 12–15 years
Height: 28–35 inches (male), 26–31 inches (female)
Weight: 140–180 lbs (male), 120–140 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 8–10 years
Shetland Sheepdog
Height: 13–16 inches (male), 13–16 inches (female)
Weight: 14–27 lbs (male), 14–27 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 12–13 years
Height: 18–19 inches (male), 17–18 inches (female)
Weight: 55–70 lbs (male), 40–55 lbs (female)
Life expectancy: 12–16 years
Don’t overlook mutts and rescues as family pets! There are lots of pros to them. For starters, mutts tend to be healthier so will usually have a longer life expectancy. Also, while they may demonstrate a mix of breed tendencies and characteristics, those instincts may not be as strong as those in purebreds and are thus more manageable or trainable. For instance, our younger dog is a retriever mix (27%) and a natural swimmer but she won’t immediately jump in the water just to swim like another retriever might. She needs the motivation of water-friendly ball that she can fetch. In addition, mutts are one of a kind and this can show kids the beauty in being uniquely you and that perfection isn’t a requirement for happiness.
Adopting a rescue dog is also a great way to teach kids the importance of second chances and that being unwanted by one person doesn’t mean you’re undesirable. Children can also learn that there are different kinds of wounds (both physical and emotional) and how to help heal those wounds. They’ll learn that compassion and love can help heal, that helping others often helps themselves and that everyone’s needs are different. Plus, rescue dogs tend to show appreciation, which can help teach kids several things – the importance of appreciating who and what’s around you; that you can bounce back and love again even if you’ve been hurt; and that adversity can make you stronger. Many shelters and organizations will be able to advise you on which adoptable dogs are good with children too.