Top 10 Dogs Good With Children Part I
Many people have asked “Are specific breeds of dogs good with children?” I have often heard that regardless of breed most dogs raised with children and with proper training can learn to be a wonderful childhood companion. However, that being said, some dog breeds are better with children then others.
Dog Scoring System
How did I compile my Top 10 Dogs Good With Children list. A good majority comes from the internet, but I wanted my list to be at least slightly different from everyone else’s top 10 list so I’m going to grade each dog in 5 child friendly categories:
- Energy Level (excitability) - You don’t want a dog that is too excitable and knocks down your child.
- Size - Small dogs may be too fragile while a large breed of dog may not know it’s own strength/size and injure a child.
- Temperament - You don’t want your dog to be the dominant member of the family.
- Intelligence (trainability) - Highly trainable is ideal.
- Intangibles - Any special trait that either helps or hurts the dogs desirability.
Each dog will receive a subjective score between 1 and 10 in each category. The best overall score a dog can receive is a 50 and the lowest score is a 5.
Choosing The Breeds
You may be wondering how I chose this wonderful list of 10 dog breeds who are good with children. Well my first step was to research the many sites on the internet that already have lists of dogs who are good with children. Of course depending on which site you visit there is a lot of variation. I took all the breeds and narrowed it down to 50 by eliminating several hybrid breeds like Labradoodle and Goldendoodle. Next, I took out any dog that wasn’t in the AKC’s top 100 list (just a way to narrow the list so I wouldn’t have as many dogs to evaluate - also it’s more difficult to find information on the more rare breeds). That left me with 38 candidates and with those 38 remaining breeds I made my own subjective scores using the following information.
| Dog Rating Categories | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CATEGORY | 1-3pts. | 4-6pt. | 7-10pts. |
| Energy Level | High | Medium-High | Low-Medium |
| Size | <10lbs or >100lbs | 10-25lbs or 50-100lbs | 25-50lbs |
| Temperament | Dominant | Balanced | Submissive |
| Intelligence | Low (<50) | Medium (25-50) | High (top 25) |
| Intangibles | Negative traits | Even | Positive traits |
***The Disclaimer - This is my personal opinion. Please do your own due diligence when searching for a breed of dog. The personality of a dog is often influenced by several factors including line, breeder, and owner more so than the actual breed of the dog. This list does not imply that all other dog breeds are unsuitable for children. Individual dogs may not show all or any of the traits associated with the breed. Training, socialization with children, education, line, breeder, and living conditions with the family will all heavily influence your dogs personality.
Now, what you’ve all been waiting for…the list or Top 10 Dogs Good With Children:
Number 10 - Bulldog
The Bulldog is the first dog on our list coming in at number 10. The positives I saw in the Bulldog were it’s lower energy and sturdy size. Sturdy size is nice with kids who can often be a little rough when learning to interact with a dog. Some of the negatives with this dog were their trainability and common health issues with the breed. From Wikipedia:
The temperament of the Bulldog is generally docile, friendly and gregarious but are known to be fiercely loyal.
I’ve never personally known any Bulldogs. However, I have heard they are great dogs and tend not to leave the yard withouth their owners. The most exposure I’ve actually had to a Bulldog is on the MTV show Rob and Big and their dog Meaty.
Energy Level: 9
Size: 9
Temperament: 8
Intelligence: 3
Intangibles: 5.1
TOTAL: 34.1
…
Number 9 - German Shepherd
The German Shepherd comes in at number 9. This is a very versatile dog and has been used as police, search and rescue, guide, and therapy dogs. From Wikipedia:
Direct, fearless, eager, alert, bold, cheerful, obedient, eager to learn, loyal, courageous, calmly confident, serious, protective
Of course I have a special place in my heart for the German Shepherd. I fostered GSD puppies and the GSD breed makes up 15% of the dogs bred at Guide Dogs of America.
Energy Level: 3
Size: 5
Temperament: 7
Intelligence: 10
Intangibles: 10
TOTAL: 35
…
Number 8 - Brittany Spaniel
At number 8 we have the Brittany Spaniel. The Brittany is a nice sized dog at 30-40lbs big enough to rough house with the kids, but still not too large to be overbearing. This dog is also said to be very good with strangers and other animals. From Wikipedia:
The breed is noted for being easy to train, sensitive, and sweet-natured
Another breed I’ve had recent contact with. The Brittany Spaniel in our obedience training was a wonderful dog. One thing I did notice was how alert the Brittany was to the birds flying overhead.
Energy Level: 2
Size: 10
Temperament: 9
Intelligence: 8
Intangibles: 6.1
TOTAL: 35.1
…
Number 7 - Miniature Schnauzer
At number 7 is the Miniature Schnauzer. This dog is said to recognize the need to be gentle with children, but does require a lot of attention. From Wikipedia:
Very perky, bright-eyed, loving, intelligent, energetic, affectionate, obedient, playful, happy, alert, feisty (Temperament can be quite variable)
A good friend of mine was taking care of a Miniature Schnauzer. The dog seemed very confident and easy going. He did like being dominant over my Aussie mix Linus. From what I could see the Miniature Schnauzer seemed like a great dog, but might be a little small and fragile for some children.
Energy Level: 8
Size: 4
Temperament: 7
Intelligence: 9
Intangibles: 7.2
TOTAL: 35.2
…
Number 6 - Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel…what a regal name…comes in at number 6. The two drawbacks I saw from online research is the small size and only average intelligence. From Wikipedia:
The breed is highly affectionate, and some have called them”the ultimate lap dog” Most dogs of the breed are playful, extremely patient and eager to please. As such, dogs of the breed are usually good with children and other dogs.
Another dog I’ve been in close contact with recently. Another friend did extensive research looking for a good family dog and came up with the Cavaliar King Charles Spaniel. Their dog is very docile and easy going. The only time I saw him truly excited was when he got a chance to get on your lap. One funny thing I saw this dog do was try to catch the embers from a fire we were having in the backyard…probably not the best thing for the dogs mouth.
Energy Level: 10
Size: 4
Temperament: 9
Intelligence: 4
Intangibles: 8.3
TOTAL: 35.3
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To Be Continued…
Here’s a link to the second part of this series Top 10 Dogs Good With Children Part II.
What do you think about the first five dogs on our Top 10 Dogs Good With Children list?
Internal Tags:Children, Dogs, Pure Bred
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We chose a Giant Schnauzer over a mini and standard because of the excitability level. She’s in the higher weight category, but she is an absolutely perfect dog for a family with toddlers. The children climb all over her and she’ll lay there wagging her little tail. When the whole family is out, we’re usually stopped by people to ask what she and comment on her stature. Not many people seem to know about the Giants.
The Giant Schnauzer didn’t show up on my list, but the Mini and Standard did. The Mini was the only one to make it into the top 10.
I did read that in general larger breeds have slower metabolisms resulting in less energy and less food consumption per pound of dog. That’s great to hear that the Giant Schnauzer is so tolerant of your children.
[...] Puppy In Training A Guide Dog Puppy Raiser’s Blog To Raising Dogs And Puppies « Top 10 Dogs Good With Children Part I [...]
As an owner of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, I wholeheartedly believe every family should own one of these beautiful dogs. However, a couple of thoughts here - your post seems to suggest these dogs are fairly calm. They can also be VERY energetic. They love long walks and lots of play time. Because of their size, they may be a bit afraid of small children who can be unintentionally rough. But with proper supervision and patience, they do make great family dogs.
To learn more about this breed, visit http://www.I-Love-Cavaliers.com.
Hi Lindsey, Thanks for your feedback. I gave the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel a score of 10 on energy level based on two things. First was my experience with the breed (which is very limited) and second, several sites including Wikipedia gave them a moderate energy level rating.
You as a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owner are probably much more knowledgeable on the breed then me. I really appreciate your feedback to help my readers better understand this breed of dog.
I’ll definitely check out your website.
[...] to the right to see what I mean. By the way, Spike is a Bulldog who if you recall from my article Top 10 Dogs Good With Children Part I was the number 10 breed on my [...]
I have to follow-up to the additional comment made about Cavaliers’ energy levels…not all of them are just easy going lap dogs. My 12-month old Cavalier can happily retrieve balls for hours, can keep up with my golden retriever on a long hike (through the snow, no less), is absolutely obsessed with chasing birds/squirrels/lures/anything smaller that moves, and is full of energy that goes on until the late evening. When she settles down she is as cuddly and sweet as can be, but she is very smart, energetic, and has a very substantial prey/chase drive. They are spaniels, after all.
In fact, i’ve had several people comment on the fact that she is much more sturdy, energetic and hardy than she looks.
Also, one thing you did not consider (but should) are health issues. Cavaliers are prone to many significant health problems, which make them somewhat short-lived for a smaller breed.
@Jenn, Thanks for the additional information on the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It appears that the energy level of the Cavalier might be much higher than my research originally reflected.
Most purebred dogs have specific health problems, but I did not know that the Cavalier had “significant” health problems as Jenn mentioned above. I agree that this should be taken into consideration before getting a dog. This is why it’s so important to find a responsible breeder who tests their dogs are free of genetic defects before they breed them.
[...] the biggest surprise to me was the Bulldog. The Bull Dog was on my list of Dogs Good With Children and also on the list of AKC’s Top Dog List. I would consider the Bull Dog a medium size breed [...]
well they r so cute but i typed in the top 100 dogs that stay small edited
hi german sheppeds are not good for kids they bite
ps my mum used to have one that is how i know
i really don’t think a bulldog would be good with children.I’m a kid and bulldogs are just too rough.I have a pug and a labrador retiever.They’re the best dogs I could ever have and they always want to play.To me a kid would love a pug,labrador,dauchsand,or even a beagle.Some of these dogs kids would have never even heard of.
@Bailey, I’ve never owned a bulldog before, but have met several that are very calm dogs. However, I have also seen bulldogs who tend to be a little rough when they play
I’ve seen the same with Labrador Retrievers. My lab is probably better suited for older kids as he can get rough when he plays. However, my friends lab is very easy going and just likes to lie around the house all day.
Not all dogs conform to the standard for their breed. Over time I’ve noticed that there is an extreme variance in behavior between all dogs even within a breed.
Actually Colby I think you make a pretty good point i’ll take that into advice. PS when are the next five dogs going to be realeased?
@Bailey, I’m glad you left a comment here because I noticed I originally didn’t have a link to the next 5 dogs. I added the link to the bottom of the article, but just in case here’s the link:
I was interested to see the Brittany Spaniel on your list. I was looking for information on the Springer. How would you compare the two…we have a toddler.
@Loren, I haven’t had any direct experience with Springer Spaniels. I did have Springers on my original list of dogs when I was reviewing breeds for this article (I reviewed over 50 breeds before narrowing it down to the top 10).
Regarding the Brittany Spaniel: Did you see the Brittany Spaniel, Star on the TV show Greatest American Dog? Star seemed like a very well-balanced dog with an even temperament. She seemed to be lower energy then most other Brittany’s I’ve come in to contact with.
As I’ve said before I’ve never had direct experience with Springer’s, but if you take a look at Wikipedia they have some very nice things to say about the breed:
“The Springer is an affectionate and easy-going family dog, and its alertness and attentiveness make it the ideal hunting companion. An intelligent dog, active and eager to please, an English Springer is easily incorporated into a family setting.
Although good with children, it tends to have a moderate to high energy level. Its long-legged build makes it among the fastest of the spaniels. It has exceptional stamina and needs plenty of activity, to focus its mind and to provide substantial exercise, although this is different for each dog.
Like any breed described as “good with children”, an English Springer Spaniel must be accustomed to children. Any dog that is not well socialised with children will not behave predictably around them.”
I hope that helps a little. If anyone else out there has experience with either Springer Spaniels or Brittany Spaniels I’d love to hear about them.