Family Dogs: Best Dog Breeds For All Ages

Dogs are awesome additions to families who are looking to open their doors to new members. But are all dog breeds suitable for families of all ages and sizes?

Personality is the major factor you should worry about, but the breed does play a role in how well a dog will fit into your family.

What Are The Best Dog Breeds For Families?

Some dog breeds are better suited than others to join a family, especially ones with children or older folk. These are based on certain character traits and the needs of the dogs from the puppy stage to adulthood.

Some examples include:

• Collies
• Golden retrievers
• Labradors
• Wheaten terriers

Collies are active dogs, but they can display calm demeanors when they are at home, or around infants and elders. Labradors and Golden retrievers are friendly by nature and are great with kids. They’re super active and generally have big personalities. Wheaten terriers are sort of hypoallergenic since they don’t shed and are a great fit for family members with allergies.

Note that this does not mean these are the only dogs suitable for families, nor are all dogs of these breeds suitable because of their personalities. Adoption centers and rescue centers are a great place to find dogs with suitable personalities since the staff has first-hand experience with them. Dogs from breeders generally don’t have fully formed personalities and may end up developing traits not suitable for a family.

Personality Traits To Look Out For

When looking for a family dog, you need one that will fit into your family seamlessly. Therefore, if you live an active lifestyle, you’ll need a dog who can keep up with your routine.

If you have kids, a dog with high energy is a perfect way to give yourself some downtime while the kids remain engaged. On the other hand, if you have a newborn or toddler, you’ll need a well-behaved and calm dog who won’t compete for your attention.

You should also pay close attention to temperament and demeanor before making a decision.