Best Family Dog Breeds

There's a world of difference between dog breeds. There' a world of difference between families. Both need to be considered when selecting the "best family dog".

Select a Dog Breed Matches Your Family's Life Style

The best family dog breeds totally depends on your family. No two families are alike. No one breed is good for every family. The goal is to select the best family dog that fits your particular family's lifestyle. The goal is for you and your family to be happy and for your dog to be happy...not just healthy. Taking the time necessary to select the best dog breed for your family would significantly reduce the number of dogs abandoned to shelters, being dumped, or being neglected.

Families and their pets can be so much happier if their activity levels match. Some people are very active in the outdoors. They're on the go every weekend loving to jog, bike, hike, or whatever. For a family fitting this description, a large, active breed is the best choice. Active dogs for active people...makes sense, doesn't it?

Other people who work all day like nothing more than to sit around and relax in the evenings and on the weekend. Curling up with a good book is their idea of a great Saturday afternoon. How much happier people in this type of family would be with a small "lap dog" that doesn't require a lot of energy. How much happier would this family be with a dog that has been bred to be a companion and not to herd sheep all day. And please don't forget the other side of this equation. Imagine how much happier your dog will be.

Some larger dog breeds need lots of activity. These dogs need considerable time outdoors to be happy. If the dog isn't happy, you and your family will almost always not be happy with the dog. The reverse is true as well. Your dog can read your body language like a book.

Once you have seriously evaluated your lifestyle and have decided on an overall classification of breeds it is time to consider the characteristics of specific breeds. There are tons or resources on the web that you can use to help determine the best family dog for you.

Look for characteristics most important to you. If you have small children you obviously want a breed that's tolerant of small children. Is shedding a problem? Do you have allergies that makes one breed more suitable than another? Don't forget to consider issues of independence. Some dog breeds require much more attention than others. Make a list of characteristics that you feel represent the perfect dog and then find the breed that most closely matches you requirements.