The Best Dog Breeds for Kids
“This is easy to do in the foster care system, especially in foster care systems, where dogs live with their family, who discuss their specific behavior at home.
Besides that, many dogs are abandoned through no fault of their own, but rather for financial and medical reasons (in the people). The perfectly well-behaved and loved family dog is suddenly left without a home in the shelter system.
People often want to have puppies, thinking it is the only way to keep dogs happy with their children. To be honest, this may be the least true thing, but it is the common number one mistake. Beyond that, the perception that purebred puppies with a known history are better creates three false hopes… that belief leads to too many dogs dying in shelters each year.
The thing about puppies is people believe that a blank slate is better than a known one—but they end up not writing enough—or worse, writing the wrong things on it. People all too often end up with something different than what they wanted—much of it being their reinforcement of the wrong behaviors—and then they think there is something wrong with the dog.
Some of the most unsocial and fearful (aka destroyed) dogs we have seen come from good families with children who get them when they do, but they are too busy to socialize and train them. They ruined the perfect family dog!
Sadly, these people often then go on to get another puppy, thinking there was something wrong with that breed (or whatever the excuse), never realizing their culpability in failing to help mold the dog they wanted. And even then, just like kids, dogs will still grow up with their personalities, which may be very different from the dog the family wanted.
One thing I also believe doesn’t work well is when people want smart dogs—often working/herding dogs—for family dogs, without understanding how those often deeply ingrained tendencies can work against them. Those dogs can have very intense qualities and behaviors because they are bred specifically to do a job—one they won’t be doing as your family dog. The resulting anxiety or behaviors when these desires are not satisfied can lead to herding and nipping children, for example, especially if the dog isn’t given excessive exercise and other ways to channel their desires.
Finally, regardless of the breed, it is not easy to train smart dogs. It’s more difficult because they think for themselves, so having a smart dog won’t make it a better family pet. You’d better keep a fun, cute, stupid dog for your family because they may prefer to please you than themselves.
The important thing to think about when finding a dog that is good with kids is to consider that what you see is what you get (especially when it comes to any known history). If the dog is friendly, outgoing, and social—of any breed—then chances are it will continue to be this way in your home with your children.
A second-hand dog is not a bad thing for finding what you want in a family dog. Tried and true has merit when it comes to adopting dogs! Don’t underestimate the millions of great family dogs sitting in your local shelter or foster care with a nearby rescue group. Many are purebred, and many have done nothing wrong to land themselves there. Just because people failed them doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with them!”
