Welcome Home One of These 9 Best Dog Breeds for Your Family

Searching for your family’s newest member can be an exciting time for everyone. But you may be overwhelmed by the many choices available to you—dog sizes, temperaments, and breeds vary widely.

Learn more about the best protective dog breeds for families. Then, explore the next steps for bringing your new furry friend home.

Best Protective Dog Breeds for Families

Dogs can bring out the best in children. They can teach them responsibility, care, and understanding. They also make great playmates for single children and large households alike.

Choosing the best dog for your family is highly personal. The right pet will fit within your budget, schedule, and be at the right activity level for you to manage. For great all-around family pets, you can count on these nine breeds to be consistent and good with kids.

Beagles

Beagles abound with energy and playfulness, making them great play partners to your kids. Active and friendly small dogs, beagles are great for families where constant activity and action are present.

Ensure that a beagle is not left home alone too long. This can cause them to be rambunctious or display bad behaviors over the long-term.

Labrador Retrievers

Labrador retrievers are a reliable and steady large dog breed with lots of loyalty and friendly energy. They are smart and can be trained to do tricks.

They have a great, calm temperament and can get along well with other pets or children in the home. Have fun with your labrador retriever by playing catch or taking a hike together.

Cocker Spaniels

Cocker Spaniels are great mid-sized dogs that help complete your family. Friendly and playful, they can be excitable and crave attention and affection.

With a history of hunting, cocker spaniel dogs enjoy the outdoors and running or playing with kids. They are also incredibly smart and easy to train.

Golden Retrievers

Golden retrievers are all-around great family dogs that enjoy playing fetch as much as cuddling with their humans in front of the television. They have a mild and friendly temperament, which makes it easy for them to get along with small children.

Golden retrievers are large dogs that need daily exercise and stimulation. They can be trained to do tricks and love going swimming.

Newfoundlands

Newfoundland dogs are gentle and happy-go-lucky in all circumstances. They love children and even have a reputation for being able to nanny!

They are big pets and need lots of outdoor space to roam and romp. This makes them a perfect companion if you have a large yard or access to lots of outdoor space nearby.

Basset Hounds

Basset hounds are excitable and energetic. They love attention and human affection, including pets and kisses. Basset hounds are sweet and attentive around kids and make great family dogs.

They can have loud barks and should not be left alone at home for long stretches of time. But with training, they can be well-behaved and happy dogs.

Greyhounds

Greyhounds a medium-sized dogs with gentle, if sometimes skittish, temperaments. They bond closely with their humans. They love cuddling on the couch and will always stay calm in stressful situations.

Many greyhounds are used as racing dogs and then given up once they have aged out of usefulness. Adopting a greyhound in adulthood is a great way to give your dog a second chance at a new life.

Poodles

Poodles are known for their hypoallergenic fur. If you want a smart and loyal large dog with less mess, poodles are a great choice.

Poodles are intelligent and can learn many tricks. They are great for small children and growing kids alike because they have easy temperaments and love to play.

Collies

Collies are an extremely loyal breed and love children. They are especially protective of the little ones and bond easily with them.

A great overall family dog, collies enjoy spending time with their humans indoors and out. They are sweet and gentle large dogs that need daily exercise but also love cuddling up on the couch.

Bringing Your Furry Friend Home

Once you’ve selected the breed of dog that best fits your family, there are a few more things to consider before buying or adopting your next pet.

First, you will need to think about your budget. Do you have a lot of expendable income to use on grooming and daycare? Or do you need a dog that is lower maintenance and needs less brushing? Thinking about these things ahead of time will ensure that you aren’t spending more than you can afford once you buy your puppy.

Next, think about your schedule and who is around the house daily. Will your dog need lots of attention during the day? Does everyone in your household go to work or school for the majority of the day? And, how much time will your family need to devote to exercising your dog for its health and wellness?

Finally, if you have small children or other pets in the household, you may want to look into purchasing a breed that has an easy temperament and can handle hair tugging by little hands.

Nobody wants to have to give up their new family member due to a bad fit. This is why scheduling a home visit can be helpful once you’ve selected your dog. That way, you will know if your family and new dog mesh well.

Now it’s time to kickstart the process! Take a look online and research pets for sale to start your search.

Dogs Bring Happiness to Your Home

One of the best joys of dog ownership is the happiness and joy they bring to your home. Selecting from the best protective dog breeds for families begins with research and honest conversations with the members of your household. Bring everyone into the loop before bringing a new pet into the home to ensure long-term happiness.

Once you have talked it over and selected the best breed for you, now comes the fun part. You now have the chance to meet your new family member.