The 20 Most Kid Friendly Dog Breeds

Not all kids and dogs are made for one another. In fact, some kids and some dogs will never get along. If you and your family are interested in getting a dog, perhaps you might choose one that is good with kids. While you cannot predict whether or not your kids will appreciate having a new ‘baby’ in the house that demands so much of your attention, chances are pretty good that they will fall madly in love with your new pet and welcome him or her with open arms. To make sure that you have the best chances of this, it’s a good idea to choose a dog breed that is good with kids. After all, you don’t want the kids to love the dog and the dog to wish the kids were not part of the family, do you? Read on to find out which dogs are best for families with children.

Photo by Getty Images

Shelter Dogs

These could be called mutts, but some of them are not. So we’re going to call them shelter dogs. These aren’t a specific breed, but they are great family pets. Many of them have been there so long that they will immediately become attached to your entire family and begin to show its loyalty and appreciation to you for bringing it home right away. These are dogs that sometimes have a known history, and that might make your decision a bit easier.

Photo by Getty Images

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

There are many that might disagree, stating that this is a breed that is considered dangerous, but it’s simply not the truth. This particular breed is very good with kids, very patient with children and has a very high pain tolerance. What this means is that you’re going to find that everyone gets along splendidly and there is nothing to worry about at home.

Photo by Getty Images

Labrador Retriever

This is a breed well-known for being great with kids, and it’s the kind of dog that families just love. This is why it is one of the most popular dogs in the world. It’s sweet and protective, kind and it’s the type of dog that makes you want to have one for your kids. It’s one that will play with the kids, protect them and get along with them so well you’ll think they’re best friends.

Photo by Getty Images

Golden Retriever

This is the other breed of dog that is well-known for being amazing with kids. It’s one of the most famous and most popular dogs in the world, and it has the patience of a saint. It’s good with kids, it’s good with other animals, fun, playful and very loyal and protective. This is an amazing family dog, and you will be hard-pressed to find another dog with this much love and affection for the kids in your house.

Photo by Getty Images

Puggle

It’s a cross breed that’s so good with kids. It’s friendly and playful, stays pretty small and will just love your kids. It’s going to love the attention that kids have for animals, which is what makes this such a good dog for families. You will not have to worry about this dog around babies or older kids, which is just another plus to having this one around the house. It’s going to make a lovely addition to your little family.

Photo by Getty Images

Irish Wolfhound

These are absolutely stunning dogs that bring so much to a family. They’re going to make sure that you have something to look forward to at the end of the day with the kids, such as a long walk around the neighborhood or even a romp in the park or the backyard. They’re dogs that require a lot of attention and work, so having kids around will help keep this dog from becoming potentially bored and destructive.

Photo by Getty Images

English Setter

A very sweet dog, this breed is amazing with children. It’s going to be gentle but playful, have fun and always protect your kids. It seems that this breed bonds very well with the smallest people in your home, which might actually make you feel a bit left out as a result, but that’s all right. You’re going to adore this sweet dog and all that it has to offer.

Photo by Getty Images

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

There is nothing cuter than one of these dogs. They are so sweet, and so amazing and so wonderful to have. They’re adorable in every which way. That’s why you love them. Your kids love them because they are small, friendly and very affectionate. They’re going to love to cuddle with the kids and make sure that everyone feels the love and affection they have for the people in your household.

 Photo by Getty Images

Welsh Corgi

Corgis are great with kids, and everyone knows this to be true. The only issue with this particular breed is that it can be quite excited and a little bit of a hyperactive dog. The good news is that kids have an innate ability of making just about everyone in their lives feel overwhelmed, exhausted and tired in about 5 minutes, so that should work out just fine. The kids and the dog can wear each other out and everyone wins.

Photo by Getty Images

Newfoundland

If you live in the snow and get tired of pulling your kids around in their sled, this is the dog for you. This is a very, very large dog that loves to work. It needs a job at all times, or it is not happy. This is a dog that will play with the kids, be very gentle with the kids and scare people off just by being there. That’s not a bad dog to have, too, since it’s not at all aggressive, but it’s so large that others will immediately find it too scary to approach.

Photo by Getty Images

Dalmatian

The Dalmatian is known as the spotted dog you see with firemen, though this is not entirely true. The dog is one that has a lot of energy and a big personality, which means it is a wonderful family dog. It bonds instantly with children and loves to exhibit a lot of love and affection for those it deems family. It will keep the kids active in the yard running around all day long, and everyone will be exhausted by bedtime.

Photo by Getty Images

German Shepherd

There are some people who are a little intimidated by this large dog, but it is a wonderful family dog. Large and in charge, this is a dog with an exceptionally high level of intelligence and a very loyal personality. It’s smart, easy to train and very lovable, and it loves to play. It gets along so well with kids because everyone is playful and this dog is very loving toward its family. It’s going to make a great addition to any family.

Photo by Getty Images

Beagle

These are sweet dogs with a lot of love to give to the people in their lives. What this means for you is that you’re going to find your dog and your kids together more often than not. This particular breed finds a way to bond with children that will make them friends for life, enabling them to all have the kind of fun that no one else believes really exists. It’s the kind of dog that will make life a lot more fun and enjoyable for your little ones.

Photo by Getty Images

Bichon Frise

This is a small dog, which might make you nervous if you have rambunctious kids, but it’s not a problem. This is an energetic and wonderful little dog with a big personality. It loves kids and people in general, and it has the energy and level of activity required to keep up with kids that are busy doing anything and everything. We love this dog for that, and we love that it is such a sweet, cute dog with such an adorable little face. It’s very sweet.

Photo by Getty Images

Basset Hound

Basset hounds are dogs that not only love to hunt, they love to play with kids. Your kids and your dog will have endless hours of fun and excitement exploring the yard together and making memories that are not easily forgotten. Your kids will never want another dog once they have one like this, and that’s just one of the many benefits this kind of breed has to offer your family. You’ll love this sweet dog, but nowhere near as much as your kids.

Photo by Getty Images

Bulldogs

Why do you think that this dog is used as a mascot at so many different schools? Aside from the fact that it loves kids and gets along with them famously, I actually have no idea, but it really did sound pretty good. This is a dog that loves to be with kids, protect them and make them their own. With an English bulldog in the midst of your family, you’re going to find that your dog and your kids are usually always right on top of one another, which is always sweet.

Photo by Getty Images

Bull Terrier

It’s the Target dog. Why would Target choose a dog to be its mascot if it wasn’t the kind of dog that is completely amazing with children? Well, we don’t know. But we do know that this breed is amazing with kids and that is part of the reason that so many people choose this particular breed to call their own. There is something uniquely special about this dog that makes it a wonderful family pet, and it’s really cute.

Photo by Getty Images

Mastiff

These are huge dogs, and that sometimes worries parents with kids. It’s natural, but this is a dog with a surprisingly gentle nature and the ability to keep kids feeling safe without intimidating them. What is great about this breed is that he’s going to do whatever it takes to keep your kids safe, including knocking dangerous people or intruders over and then sitting on them until someone comes to their aid. They’re big, heavy dogs that usually scare strangers away just by looking at them, too.

Photo by Getty Images

American Water Spaniel

It’s a breed that might not be as famous as some of the other breeds on this list, but that doesn’t mean anything in terms of what a great dog this is to have with kids. They are very good with kids and they are worth putting on the list just because of that simple fact. These are very sweet dogs with a lot to offer those who are part of their family, particular when we’re talking about kids. It is high time to look into this dog.

Photo by Getty Images

Boxer

This is a dog that loves people in general. They are pack dogs that will consider your family their pack and will not want them getting too far away. What this means for your kids is a constant companion and a protector. This is a breed that is not about to let anything happen to the kids in your life, and he will protect them to the death if it ever came down to battling a poisonous snake or a big animal with bad intentions.

Photo by Getty Images