Deciding to get a furry, four-legged friend can be one of the best decisions a person can make in life. These days, there are many ethical organisations that offer puppies for sale in UK that have been bred in a humane way. One should always support these moral breeders instead of the unscrupulous and cruel puppy mills.
Why Should You Get a Dog?
Dogs are great companions for adults and children alike. They encourage everyone in the family to be more active and exercise, especially in the great outdoors, and act as mood uplifters when times are tough. Dogs can be fiercely protective and faithful towards their family members and can, therefore, help keep the children in the family safe. They can also help the young ones develop their social skills while at the same time improving their own. Having a pet dog can also teach children to be responsible, compassionate, and caring towards both animals and human beings.
All said and done, however, choosing the right family dog can be a tricky affair as different dog breeds and individual dogs have different personality traits and all dog breeds might not be well adapted to deal with children. Read on to learn about some family-oriented and child-friendly dog breeds available in the UK.
The Best Dogs for Your Family
Labrador: Labradors are considered to be one of the best dogs for families because of their kind and devoted nature. They love being around children and get along well with other family pets too. They are very intelligent and energetic dogs and therefore, perfect for families who like to exercise and partake in a lot of different recreational activities. However, if a family has very small children, they should consider getting an older Labrador instead of a Labrador puppy. This is because Lab puppies can be very frisky and they tend to tirelessly jump around everywhere and on anything and everything.
Poodle: Poodles have a posh and elitist image and are often typecast as celebrity pets; however, in reality, they were originally bred as working dogs and they make very good family pets due to their kind, spirited and clever nature. They are good with children and are generally well-behaved if provided with enough exercise opportunities and amusement. Poodles also shed a lot less than many other dog breeds and are, therefore, considered to be hypoallergenic dogs. Thus, if any member of the family suffers from allergies, a Poodle would be a good fit as a family dog.
Bernese Mountain dog: Bernese Mountain dogs are large, strong dogs and have been systematically bred for hard work over many generations. While they may look like big, scary dogs, they are actually very kind and affectionate in nature. These gentle giants have a very calm demeanour and when well-trained and socialised, they can be very good and patient with children. They are particularly well suited to older children who love participating in outdoor activities like camping, hiking, trail running, fishing, and so on. However, because of their size, they may not be the ideal candidate for the role of a family dog if there are very small children in the family. This is because they can end up inadvertently knocking them over or accidentally injuring them while playing.
Beagle: Beagles make for great family dogs. They are one of the friendliest dog breeds around and they can be very gentle and even-tempered with children. These small, happy dogs have good energy levels and mischievous personalities, making them ideal companions for small children. Beagles are low-maintenance dogs as they generally tend to be healthy and have short fur which does not require frequent and expensive trips to the groomer. They can, however, be quite loud, especially when left alone. This is something to consider if one lives in an apartment building with lots of neighbours around. But overall, Beagles, especially Beagle puppies are an excellent choice for families with very young children and there are many ethical breeders in the UK that offer Beagle puppies for sale.
Golden Retriever: Golden Retrievers are wildly popular the world over as family pets. This is also reflected in various TV shows and movies where they are made to play the role of the loyal and loving family dog. Golden Retrievers have kind and affable personalities and love energetically playing with small kids. They are trustworthy, curious, and fearless dogs and are known to follow children around in a protective manner but also in search of the next opportunity to play. There is a reason why these dogs have emerged as one of the top choices for family pets the world over and one should definitely check out Golden Retriever puppies for sale in UK.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: These adorable little dogs have very sweet and affectionate personalities. They rarely if ever show any aggression and are generally very relaxed and easy-going. They adapt very well to the presence of other family pets and are very patient and compassionate towards children. These Spaniels love attention and enjoy playing with their family members.
Final take
Getting a family dog is a great idea especially if one is raising children. There are numerous life lessons that young children can learn from interacting with dogs, above all, they learn how to be respectful and empathetic towards other sentient beings. Whether one is on the lookout for Labradors or Beagle puppies for sale or any other breed of puppies for sale in UK, one should always economically support humane dog breeding businesses that do things the right way and should never patronise amoral puppy mills where dogs and puppies suffer rampant abuse.
This post carries useful information regarding various family and kid-friendly dog breeds which will help one zero in on the dog most suitable for his or her family.