Children and dogs make wonderful companions. Your child can make a lot of memories having a dog by their side. They get a playful companion who’s always up for adventure, who comforts them while listening to their childhood stories.
Dogs not only bring happiness, warmth, and joy to your home, but they also help your child lead a more active lifestyle. Kids with dogs tend to exercise eleven minutes more than their peers who don’t own a dog, explains Purina.
Kids growing up with dogs learn about responsibility. Making sure the family pet gets food, water, and daily exercise instills a sense of accountability and obligation in your child. Exposure to pet dander and microbes boosts your child’s immunity, so they get sick less often.
If you are looking for a dog breed that follows kids around houses lovingly, then this article is the right place to find out some dog breeds that are lively around kids.
Dog Breeds That Follow Kids Around Houses Lovingly
1. Bichon Frise
Bichon Frise is a toy dog known for having a great personality and a beautiful, low-shedding coat. These playful fellows get along well with kids and make perfect lap dogs. They always stay by their owner’s side, due to which they are often referred to as “Velcro dogs.”
Their compact size, cheerful temperament, and sweet nature make them well-suited for houses with small children. These gentle fellows love attention and have a knack for making everyone laugh. Due to their moderate energy levels, they can adjust to pet parents having a low-key lifestyle.
Bichon Frise is one of the best family dogs that doesn’t require a large amount of exercise, explains PDSA. Their coat needs regular grooming and trimming every couple of months by a professional groomer.
2. Irish Setter
Irish Setters are known for their overly friendly nature and striking appearance. Their energy, charm, and playful nature make them well-suited for homes with kids. They can play, swim, and hike alongside their human family.
Your Irish Setter will always be ready to chase a ball with your little ones. However, these sporting dogs need a lot of exercise to stay happy and healthy. They do best in homes with large spaces and yards. Irish Setters are the sweet-natured canines who become rambunctious friends with your children.
According to the American Kennel Club, these active and outgoing pups excel at canine sports like agility, tracking, rally, and obedience.
3. Collie
Collies are medium-sized herding dogs with pointed snouts. They are famously fond of children and make excellent family dogs. Collies are devoted, adaptable, and playful dogs who will make loving companions for your kids.
Collies are very intelligent and easy to train. They are often used as service dogs and therapy dogs. These gentle and incredibly loyal canines are well-suited for active families who can fulfill their exercise needs.
These athletic and fast dogs need regular exercise and plenty of playtime. According to WebMD, Collies are sensitive dogs but respond well to positive reinforcement training methods.
4. Havanese
Havanese is a tiny dog packed with personality. These playful dogs tend to be more fun-loving than any other toy dog breed. Havanese are the social butterflies who love getting attention from everybody, including kids.
Originating from Cuba, these low-maintenance dogs are very smart and love pleasing your kids by learning and showing off new tricks. These affectionate dogs have a gentle nature that makes them suitable for many types of homes.
You can also travel with your Havanese dog because they are small and do not bark too much. But Havanese are prone to separation anxiety, so adopt them only if you have enough time to spend with them.
5. Beagle
Beagles are curious dogs that have bundles of energy. These happy-go-lucky canines have a zest for life and thrive in families with active kids. Beagles have very strong noses, and they love exploring, playing, and sniffing around.
Attentive training can turn these hound dogs into great companions. They are good with other dogs and make wonderful playmates for your kids, provided that their exercise needs are being met. These cheerful and clever dogs love to howl.
Beagles are the small, adaptable fellows, perfect for living in apartments as well as big backyards. They are always up for playing fun games with your kids, whether it’s hide and seek, chasing a ball around the yard, or a walk in the park.
6. Poodle
Poodles are the smartypants who love the spotlight. These fun-loving pups adore their humans and are easy to train due to their high intellect. Their beautiful curly coats are hypoallergenic, due to which they make excellent pets for allergy sufferers.
Poodles are gentle and even-tempered dogs who get along well with children. PetPlan claims Standard Poodles to be the best for families, as smaller Poodle breeds can be a bit snappy with kids. Their playful nature means they can keep up with very active children.
These loving canines do not like alone time and prefer staying at the heart of their family. Poodles are prone to separation anxiety, so do not leave your Poodle alone for more than a few hours.
7. Pomeranian
Pomeranians are small dogs who seem like a perfect match for small children. Weighing around 3 to 7 pounds, Poms are quite friendly and make ideal playmates for children.
Poms are the Spitz-type dogs that are highly intelligent and easy to train, so you can teach them plenty of good manners. Their energy needs can be easily fulfilled with indoor play sessions. Poms are highly affectionate towards their loved ones.
They have a life span of 12-16 years, so your kid will get to spend many years with their furry friend. However, Poms are fragile, so you have to teach your children how to treat them nicely.
8. Maltese
Maltese are affectionate dogs with a friendly disposition. They thrive on companionship and are a great choice for homes with kids due to their small size and adorable looks. They tend to bond closely with their family members.
Maltese are energetic and playful as puppies, but get calmer as they grow up. These outgoing and social fellows love making new friends. They are gentle and patient with kids of all ages. Maltese dogs are highly adaptable and do well with active as well as laid-back families.
Like all other dogs, Maltese need consistent training and socialization. Pet parents should also teach their children to be responsible and respect the set boundaries.
9. Pug
Pugs are small dogs with big personalities. Their wrinkled faces and playful personalities will bring joy and endless laughter to your home. These lovable clowns have lower energy levels than many other breeds, making them ideal for families who prefer a relaxed canine companion.
Pugs have a friendly temperament and are fond of children. But their small size means kids can easily hurt them. Adult supervision can help keep a Pug safe from accidental harm. These cheerful and funny dogs love attention.
Pugs are smart and eager to please, and can be trained easily. These small dogs are not territorial and usually welcome new people enthusiastically.
10. Shih Tzu
Shih Tzus are affectionate and loyal companions who thrive on human companionship. Their small size makes them safer than a large dog when it comes to playing with children. These soft and gentle canines are known for their patience; they handle kids’ energy well.
Shih Tzus are highly adaptable pups—they will be comfortable whether you live in an apartment or a big home. However, their luxurious coats require constant grooming to stay in top-notch condition. Regular brushing, bathing, and occasional trims help.
These intelligent dogs can be trained easily, but early socialization is required to turn them into well-behaved canines.
Conclusion
Several dog breeds make excellent companions for kids due to their gentle and calm demeanor. These affectionate fellows become wonderful playmates for your children due to their size, energy, and patience. Remember, early training, proper socialization, and lots of love lead to a well-mannered dog.
Having kid-friendly dogs in the house offers help to parents who do not always have time to play with their kids. These companion dogs love to spend time with kids and become your kids’ playmate during evening play in the backyard or the nearby playground.
