With their wagging tails, soft coats, wet noses, and doe-like eyes, dog companionship helps individuals with their daily routine, reduces the risk of mental illness, prolongs the human lifespan, and gives them something to look forward to when they come home each day. Due to this, dogs are often a perfect choice for growing families, and chances are, if you’re reading this, your family might be considering bringing a canine member aboard.
However, it can be easy to get carried away when you are scrolling through Gumtree puppy listings or staring at a row of small, adorable faces at your local dog shelter and end up walking away with a puppy that isn’t the right fit for your family. Picking out a family dog is a tough decision, as there are many considerations to be made before you start picking out names, which is why you should conduct research beforehand to make an informed decision.
From determining if your personal and professional schedule can work around your new canine companion to deciding the outcome between Golden Retriever vs. Labrador, you’ll have a lot to think about before you’re ready to make your choice. To make your decision easier, we’ve created this list of the best dog breeds for families below:
Irish Setter
Known for their flashy red coat, Irish Setters are famously known for their active, sweet-natured, and outgoing personality that is perfect for older adults and families. Due to their easy-going temperament, they love rollicking with other playmates, fetching tennis balls for children, and being around people twenty-four-seven.
Especially if you have younger children, an Irish Setter puppy is one of the best breeds you could consider purchasing. Being an active hunting breed, they require much exercise to be content, and failure to get enough can cause various physical and mental health problems. As a rule of thumb, Irish Setters need around one to two hours of exercise per day during adulthood and may need as much as three to four hours of activity in their puppy years.
The only downside of letting an Irish Setter into your life is that your home may not stay sparkling clean as much as it used to since their infamous mahogany-colored coat is prone to shedding or matting if not regularly maintained. Plus, their loveable personality makes them want to be around people all the time, so they suffer from separation anxiety if left alone.
Labrador
Next to Golden Retrievers, Labradors are one of the most popular choices for a family dog since they are loving, playful, energetic, patient, and protective. Due to this, you and your family may have already had the Golden Retriever vs. Labrador argument since they boast physical similarities and are two of the most well-known dog breeds for families looking for a canine companion.
Whether you’ve been considering a Black Labrador, Chocolate Labrador, White Labrador, or Yellow Labrador, they are an excellent choice for families with small children or other pets since they get along well with other animals and love to play with young children. Another advantage of the Labrador breed is that they are highly intelligent, making them an excellent choice for owners who enjoy training animals for professional shows or training animals in general.
Unlike Irish Setter’s, Labradors have a short coat, so you and your family won’t have to worry about running around the house vacuum-in-hand every day – instead, they require a thorough combing once per week to keep them looking well-groomed and healthy. However, they shed, so the vacuum may have to appear occasionally.
In conjunction with regular grooming, you should also consider feeding your Labrador puppy using targeted nutrition and supplements like the ones produced by Native Pet. From omega oil, probiotic powder, allergy chews, and much more, they have a range of innovative products designed to combat a wide range of issues like anxiety, boredom, or allergies/skin issues.
Consider visiting their website to view their entire product catalog, look at customer reviews, and read their informative blog posts explaining everything from telling the difference between a Golden Retriever and a Labrador Retriever to superfoods for dogs you can find in your kitchen. Learn more on their website or contact them directly for specific inquiries today.
Golden Retriever
Continuing the Golden Retriever vs. Labrador debate, the ever-popular Golden Retriever is another popular choice for families looking to purchase a dog. Described as an intelligent, loyal, sweet, confident companion, the Golden Retriever is perfect for older adults or those with children as they love being around people and other animals.
Ever fun-loving, your Golden Retriever puppy will love spending countless hours in the garden with your children playing retrieving games (much like their name suggests). As well as being extremely playful, this breed is also known for being incredibly affectionate, meaning that your children and your puppy will likely quickly become inseparable.
The only disadvantage of owning a Golden Retriever is that they require much grooming to prevent their coat from looking knotted or matted. It is often recommended that you should brush your Golden Retriever’s coat twice per week. So, if a Golden Retriever is at the top of your puppy list, ensure that you have a schedule that can accommodate this maintenance.
Newfoundland
Providing that you have a lot of outdoor space and an energetic family, a Newfoundland puppy is sure to be a welcome addition to your household. Whether you have older or younger children, Newfoundland’s are often called Nature’s Babysitter due to their love of children, as shown in J. M. Barrie’s iconic novel ‘Peter Pan.’
As well as their strong parental instincts, Newfoundland’s are described as intelligent, sweet, and courageous, who turn into couch potatoes as soon as the day is done. Even when they’re young, Newfoundland’s are known for their striking appearance, so if you decide to purchase one, we’re sure that it will have no shortage of fans.
Due to their sheer size, Newfoundland’s require an ample, open space so that they can get as much exercise as possible during the day – so if you’re not fortunate enough to have a house with a sizeable garden, we recommend giving this breed a miss. Another complication with this breed is that they are known to shed and drool excessively, so they will require a decent amount of grooming which can be an annoyance if you have a lot of other things on your plate.
Bull Terrier
Although this breed gets a bad rep’ for being an ‘aggressive dog,’ Bull Terriers are perfect family dogs. These dogs were bred to be companion dogs, which is why they intensely love people, young or old.
Described as gentle, protective, active, affectionate, and mischievous, Bull Terriers are known for getting into playful mischief, whether rifling through the bins or tearing up rolls of toilet roll – there will never be a dull moment with a Bull Terrier in the house.
Yet, this mischievous side can always be combatted by enlisting the services of a behaviorist, which can help reign in your Bull Terrier’s naughty side if it is too much for you and your family to deal with.
Aside from their odd moments of mischief, Bull Terriers are relatively easier to care for, and since they have short-haired coats, you won’t have to worry about shedding or matting like the other dogs on this list!
