The souls that come in with fur and wagging tails light up your home with the warmth of their love and gentleness. These friends may come to your life wrapped in the frame of a large dog, like a Golden Retriever, or in fluffy balls like Poodles. But the traits they share will repute them as gentle ones with tender hearts and smart brains.
It looks adorable when kids show their trust by crawling all over these calm canines. With this gentle temperament, they will always be adored by families. You should know that dogs are those living beings who show unselfishness without being asked.
They focus on the present and do not hold grudges, reflecting their softness. Here are some interesting breeds that will do the same for anyone and anytime.
Gentle Dog Breeds That Bring Joy to Your Home Every Day
1. Maltese
Beauty with a calm demeanor is cherished by everyone. The tiny Maltese is one of the oldest toy breeds, loved by royals and nobles.
These adaptable toy companions are famous for having a breathtaking floor-length silky coat. It is one of the small white dog breeds with a sturdy build, moving with elegance and balance. Maltese are blessed with a charming, playful, and relaxed nature.
Being an irresistible small dog, this lively spirit enjoys making new friends of all ages. These easy-going minis thrive on human interactions and make wonderful companions. As lapdogs, they love to form strong bonds and be the focus of admiration. Maltese blends two traits perfectly, playful yet gentle.
This cute dog breed lives from 12 to 15 years, according to AKC. If socialized at puppyhood, they tend to be more friendly to humans as well as other pets. The small size and low energy needs make them a perfect option for apartment living.
2. Pomeranian
This timeless canine companion with its luxurious coat ranks among the breeds that look like a fox. Moreover, its vivacious personality wrapped in a small body makes it a popular toy breed in the world.
Pomeranian is an amiable and upbeat soul. With its affectionate nature, this extroverted dog excels in closeness to humans.
Poms love to learn tricks and obey commands from their favorite members. These watchful companions with gentle temperament offer love and protection together. Mastering the tricks with ease and laughter makes them one of the intelligent dog breeds. They are the favorite of everyone.
Pomeranians are highly trainable and suitable for watching over. Their exercise needs can be satisfied with short walks and home games, and it makes a good option for families with small spaces. They need proper training and early socialization to overcome their frequent barking at strangers.
3. Japanese Chin
This dog breed came from the royalty of China to Japan, and then to England, and has now been passed down into the laps of thousands of dog lovers.
The defined aristocratic personality, together with a calm nature, makes it the right breed for first-time dog parents. This fastidious lapdog with its affectionate nature makes strong attachments with family members.
The round dark eyes of Chin give a look of astonishment that blends perfectly with its calm nature. This small dog breed has an extremely gentle nature and makes a perfect indoor companion.
Though they are very affectionate dogs, they are guarded around strangers. With less barking tendency, they prove to be good watchdogs.
PetMD notes that they love to be snuggled on the sofa or the arms of a chair, exhibiting feline-like traits. They restrict themselves around new ones, which means early socialization is important for them, generally at the age of 12-16 weeks. These small intelligent dogs are easy to train and travel with.
4. Silky Terrier
Silky Terrier was developed from Yorkshire Terriers and Australian Terriers to improve the colour of the coat and originally bred for hunting Vermin, according to Purina.
The silky coat dog breed with high energy levels is a true terrier. Interestingly, its blue and tan glossy coat looks like human hair. This friendly dog has the virtues of loyalty and affection.
They love being around their families and are also suitable for older kids. Silky Terrier, with moderate energy levels, is an excellent companion for active families. They enjoy physical activity of at least one hour, exercise, and agility courses. Their long, silky hair coat also needs weekly brushing to avoid matting.
They have a strong prey drive, which makes them chase small pets in homes. That’s why they are not well-suited with other pets and dogs without proper training and leash training.
With smartness and an eager-to-please attitude, they learn things quickly. Mental stimulation is a must if Silky is staying inside to keep him happy.
5. English Toy Spaniel
With its silky coat, feathered ears, chest, legs, and tail, the English Toy Spaniel has long been adored as a royal lapdog. This breed became especially popular with King Charles II of England, whose love of the little spaniels gave them their regal name.
While they share ancestry with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the two are recognized today as distinct breeds, with the English Toy Spaniel being smaller, more compact, and shorter-nosed.
The English Toy Spaniel is gentle, affectionate, and sweet-natured. They often form a close bond with one person in the household, making them loyal companions. More reserved than their Cavalier cousins, they prefer a quiet life filled with love and attention.
These lapdogs don’t need much exercise beyond short walks and indoor play, but they thrive on frequent human interaction.
With proper socialization, they get along well with other pets and children, though they may be shy around strangers. Their calm temperament, charming looks, and history as royal companions make them a delightful choice for anyone seeking a devoted little dog with a regal past.
6. Papillon
Small package full of life. Papillon is one of the friendliest dog breeds. They are most known for their butterfly ears, as their name in French suggests.
There is another breed of Papillon in Europe called Continental Toy Spaniel due to Phalene ears. They thrive in constant companionship and love the presence of their owners around them.
These happy-go-lucky dogs have an easy-going nature. They adapt themselves according to the climate, even if it’s cold or hot.
Since they crave companionship, active families can adopt them with other pets to comfort Papillon in their absence. However, being a yappy breed, the Papillon is not suitable for an apartment with shared walls.
Brushing Papillon’s coat once a week is enough, which makes it a low-maintenance dog breed. These fun-loving and active dogs need daily exercise such as long walks and indoor play. Despite being an intelligent one, Papillon needs extra time to master house training. Consistency is the key.
7. Shih Tzu
Little lion, but not for a fight. They were bred in China for the royal with the sole purpose to “love and to be loved”. These born companions walk with elegance, featuring a curled-up tail and a luxurious coat.
Despite having a playful nature, it easily transitions from active buddy to sofa mate. Bold Shih Tzu never minds being with strangers or new pets; it adapts to situations effectively.
As one of the intelligent small dog breeds, the Shih Tzu learns things quickly. But obedience training is crucial for this toy-sized dog breed. They bloom in the company of their favourite ones and love to follow them. Their happy and lively temperament makes them a good family dog for kids.
Typically, they live up to 16 years, but the oldest Shih Tzu that has lived on earth is 23 years old and named Smokey. Crate training for travelling with this tiny-sized dog is vital.
The Shih Tzu is a hypoallergenic dog breed. They are perfect for apartment living since their energy needs can be met with a small amount of exercise.
8. Toy Poodle
There is so much to tell about this cute bear-looking dog breed. The smiling eyes, friendly face, and calm disposition will make anyone fall in love with Toy Poodles.
The poodle is the National dog of France, but was bred in Germany. This breed has remained a status symbol in the 18th to 19th centuries.
This fun-loving breed excels after recognition of its talent. They love to have humans around to make them feel loved and cared for. They are suitable for families with older children.
Having the nature of nipping and growling in confusion, little ones may provoke toy poodles. Yet, they get along with other pets.
Poodles are among the intelligent dog breeds and learn commands quickly, thanks to their smartness and eagerness to please others. They may misbehave if they get bored.
They need as much exercise as playtime indoors. They rank in the list of water dog breeds and love swimming and other canine sports.
9. Yorkshire Terrier
Portable size and fun-loving. Yorkshire is a friendly toy breed with a long, silky coat that sweeps the floor. Hailing from England, this little dog with a bossy and brave personality has all the attributes of a true terrier.
Full of entertainment and love, Yorkies are delighted to have companionship. These tenacious dogs are known to have traits of affection and loyalty.
They love to snuggle, but they also have an active and vigilant nature. Yorkies are vocal by nature, and this makes them excellent watchdogs, alerting the families about unusual things. They are more than just lapdogs. This small-stature dog possesses an oversized personality, which may cause a stubborn attitude.
However, they are equally loving to their family and strangers. With adult supervision, they also show gentleness towards children. To limit their barking habit, consistent training is integral. As an active dog breed, they need daily walks of 15-20 minutes at a medium pace.
Conclusion
Gentle dogs, regardless of their size, have the ability to transform a house into a home by bringing love and warmth together. Their adaptability to merge into any household makes them wonderful family pets. Their calmness and trustworthiness create strong bonds that last forever.
