No matter what breed of dog you get, you always have to be careful with children. Although most dogs are absolutely fine with kids they can be very unpredictable, so it's important to be vigilant at all times. Never leave your kids unattended with a dog, not matter how much you think you can trust them. If you are thinking about getting a dog you need to think about what breed might be best suited to your family. The type of dog you get will also depend how old your children are. Very young kids and toddlers will not be well suited to high energy, bouncy dogs. The dog might be perfectly friendly and well behaved but too strong and energetic for fragile little kids. Older children over the age of about eight are better at coping with bouncy dogs, but they still need to know how to act around them. Before you even think about which breed of dog to get you need to try and get your children used to being around dogs. Get them to spend time with lots of different dogs that you know are well mannered and friendly. Teach your kids about how they should behave around dogs and how to stay safe. Take a look at our and how to Some dog breeds are naturally more comfortable being around kids. A few dog breeds appear to adore being around kids of all ages. However, the breed that's right for you really does depend on your personal situation, lifestyle and the ages of your children. A great way to find out what breed might be best suited to your family is to go to Discover Dogs. Here you and your family can meet all the different breeds and ask questions about their temperament and background. Here is a selection of different dogs that are likely to be good with children to get you started. However, no dog breed is guaranteed to be good with kids, it depends on their individual characteristics.
- Bulldog
- Newfoundland
- King Charles Spaniel
- Bichon Frise
- Irish Setter
- Poodle
- Bull Terrier
- Beagle
- Hungarian Vizsla
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- Boxer
- Labradoodle
- Cockerpoo
- Cavapoo
- Cavashon