Adding a dog to your family offers many benefits, including companionship and increased physical activity. Increasing your family by a four-legged member brings lots of joy and love, but not every breed is right for a home with kids.
Some kid-friendly dogs make gentle and loving playmates for your children, following them from room to room. Recent research shows that when kids and dogs play together, both parties experience an increased release of oxytocin.
This oxytocin release is associated with “prosocial emotional states,” meaning it promotes social behaviors that benefit other people, such as empathy and trust. Oxytocin also has antidepressant effects.
Here are the top dog breeds that will follow your children into every room, protect them, and contribute to their social well-being.
Dog Breeds That Follow Kids Into Every Room
1. Labrador Retriever
Whether black, yellow, or chocolate, Labrador Retrievers have an affectionate nature. These pawsome pooches are full of heart and have secured the position of the most popular breed for thirty consecutive years.
Friendly Disposition: Labs become friends with family and strangers alike. Their wagging tails and sparkling eyes say, “Let’s be friends.”
Adaptability: Their adaptability, intelligence, and eagerness to please mean you can train them easily. You can teach them household rules and family routines.
Playfulness: Labradors are bundles of energy; their playfulness is contagious. Sometimes they become a soft pillow for your kids, and sometimes their playmates.
Protective Nature: Their loyalty is not only an emotional bond; they can go to any extent to protect your child.
2. Golden Retriever
Are you looking for a gentle and easygoing canine partner for your little one? A Golden Retriever can be an ideal choice for you. These beautiful fellows make excellent family dogs.
Gentle Temperament: Golden Retrievers have a calm and gentle demeanor. These doggos stay patient around unpredictable children and cautious near smaller animals.
Playfulness: Golden’s boundless energy is a perfect match for your kid’s desire to play endlessly. Your family can take your Golden Retriever out for walks and teach them tricks like retrieving a flying disc.
Emotional Intelligence: These fur-tastic canines offer companionship in times of stress. They can be trained as therapy dogs and will stay by your child’s side if they are upset.
3. Beagle
Beagles are the rambunctious pups with lots of energy that match your kids’ vibes. They thrive in active households, but need to be supervised as their keen nose may lead them into mischief.
Playful Companions: Beagles were bred to follow scents in the pack. They are hardwired to chatter and provide companionship. Beagles are playful, but PetPlan recommends supervising them while playing with small children, as they can get carried away in playfulness.
Friendliness: Beagles are also very friendly. For a home with kids, where new people keep coming and going, a Beagle can be a great choice.
4. Boxer
Sturdy, outgoing, friendly, and playful, Boxers possess all the traits of a good family dog. These medium-to-large Mastiff-type dogs are known for their upbeat and playful nature.
Energetic: It is a high-energy breed; they can keep up with playful kids. Boxers themselves act like big kids, often jumping around with excitement. They can play all day long with kids if given a chance.
Patient: These muscular mutts are quite patient around kids and tolerate them very well. They make excellent companions for your children.
Low Maintenance: These low-maintenance dogs have a short coat that sheds moderately. It makes them well-suited for pet parents who have to take care of their kids and pets simultaneously.
5. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavaliers are happy little pooches who enjoy being surrounded by people. A parent replied to a Reddit thread, “Do cavaliers do well with children?” as:
“We got a Cavalier named Tango as a Christmas gift for our 12 year old boy. We have three kids and one of them is autistic. We had to get another Cavvie, Echo, two months later because our kids loved Tango so much.”
Sweet and friendly: Cavaliers interact positively with kids. The sweet and gentle pooches make excellent pets and fun-loving playmates for kids. Cavvies are quite friendly with strangers and other dogs as well.
Affectionate: These pawtastic pups are quite affectionate and form strong bonds with their family members, including kids.
Their small size makes them well-suited for apartment dwellers, but means they need to be supervised when playing with small kids.
6. Bernese Mountain Dog
Bernese Mountain Dogs are the gentle giants with playful personalities. Their adaptable nature means they can adapt to a variety of households. Berners’ shiny coat requires lots of brushing and grooming.
Calm Demeanor: Their loving nature, even temperament, and calm disposition make them suitable for homes with rowdy kids.
Strong Bonds with Owners: Berners are gentle and form close bonds with their family members, so they are usually happy to follow the children from one room to another.
Eagerness to Please: These claw-some doggos have a strong desire to please their owners. So, if your kids want a loving playmate, Berners can be the perfect pets.
7. Collie
Collies are the watchful dogs who often act like babysitters. These calm and loyal dogs stick close to the humans they love. They get along nicely with kids, but you have to take care of their long coats. Collies make one of the best family dogs.
Tolerant: Collies are quite tolerant around children, so many pet owners with kids prefer having them. Most of them are outgoing—you will rarely come across a timid Collie.
Sweet-Tempered: Hill’s Pet describes Collies as sweet dogs. Their soft temperament and affectionate demeanor make them ideal companions for kids.
However, they are better suited for older and dog-savvy kids, as little children tend to be a bit noisier and less predictable.
8. Newfoundland
Newfoundlands are called “nanny dogs” for a reason. These gentle giants are well-suited for families who can provide enough space to exercise and tolerate lots of drooling. Just prepare yourself for a little mess as their double coat sheds a bit.
Patience: Newfies are incredibly patient and tolerant around small children. These big, fluffy dogs are loyal and gentle with children.
Excellent Swimming Partners: Newfies love water, as they were bred to assist fishermen. They make amazing swimming partners for your kids.
Friendly Disposition: These mighty dogs are quite friendly and loving, making them ideal for kids.
9. Cocker Spaniel
Characterized by their soft eyes and luxurious coats, Cocker Spaniels are loved for their gentle and cheeky personalities. They enjoy walks with their loved ones and thrive on attention, but are not overly demanding.
Playfulness: These hunting dogs are always up for a good time with your children and form strong bonds with them. According to PDSA, these lively dogs love to play. So you can expect them to play “fetch the ball” with your kids and run in the yard.
High Trainability: Cocker Spaniels are easy to train, so you can teach them house rules and how to behave well around kids.
Loving Demeanor: Cocker Spaniels are so loving that they will follow you from room to room. If you have kids, they will follow them too.
10. Poodle
All three Poodle varieties, Standard, Miniature, and Toy, make the best house dogs. Their hypoallergenic coats make them ideal for allergy sufferers. These intelligent mutts adjust well to routines and like learning new games and tricks.
Energetic: If socialized through the early stages of their development, Poodles are fantastic around kids. These goofy and entertaining canines have bursts of energy, which enable them to match the vibe with children.
Friendliness: Their friendly temperament and unwavering loyalty make them ideal pets for people of all ages.
Watchdogs: Poodles make great watchdogs for your children due to their strong protective behavior.
Conclusion
Kid-friendly dogs are known for their gentle and friendly disposition. They are calm and tolerant around children and possess the energy to match their vibe. These loving companions not only enjoy playing with your kids but also follow them from room to room.
Remember, provide adequate physical and mental stimulation to your pup to unleash a well-behaved pet.
