Discovering the adorable and lovable dog breeds for your family is something that is very exciting and fun! Deciding which pup you are going to love and bring into your family for years is something that we all should plan. The breeds in this article serve as wonderful pets to keep at home, especially if you have a family. These dog breeds are great with children and have gentle and loving personalities. Some of them are high-energy dogs and, despite their loving nature, would require a decent amount of exercise to spend their energy. Others don’t require that much exercise. They can be exercised at home and are also suitable for apartment life.
Here are some lovable companions to consider.
1. Collie
Collies are athletic dogs that were initially used for herding purposes. These dogs love being around families and can easily be trained. They have calm and loyal personalities and are great with children. Collie’s are energetic dogs and love the outdoors. They love sports and can participate in any fun activity with their favorite humans. These dogs are usually in tune with their owners and share an emotional connection. However, care needs to be taken as Collies can often nip people due to their strong desire to herd all they feel responsible for.
2. Golden Retriever
Yep, it’s the glorious golden! The Golden retriever is one of the most popular and friendliest dog breeds. Goldens radiate positive energy and love to socialize. They thrive at engaging with people and other animals. They have a cheerful outlook and are confident dogs, which helps. They are also easy to train and love to obey commands. Golden Retrievers have consistently remained one of the most popular dog breeds in the US. These dogs are excellent family dogs and are great with children. However, this is an energetic breed and will need its daily dose of exercise. Playtime is also a must to keep your lovely Golden happy.
3. Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever was bred to be a companion. Initially, labs were companions to fishers and hunters. Labs are sweet-natured, friendly dogs that love to be around people. They are also easy to train due to their enthusiastic nature and are absolute family dogs. However, labs are also highly energetic and need to be exercised daily. It is possible to keep a lab if you live in an apartment, but you will have to visit the nearby dog park every day. Remember, your lab will grow to be at least 80 pounds and require a hearty exercise routine.
4. Newfoundland
The Newfoundland is a large dog breed that can weigh up to 100-150 lbs. These gentle giants have been nicknamed ‘nanny dogs’ due to their loving, watchful and calm nature. This is a sweet-tempered breed and is the ultimate family dog, especially if you have young children. One of the friendliest dog breeds, the Newfoundland is great to keep at home if you have enough space. These dogs are also excellent swimmers and previously used to be water rescue dogs. They have immaculate protective instincts and are known to physically step between their owners and strangers in uncertain situations. The dogs are known to bring love and gentleness to any household, despite their large size.
5. Poodle
Poodles are similar to Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. They are friendly, loving, and people-oriented dogs. They love physical activity and are great family dogs. Poodles are also a hypoallergenic dog breed, so they can be kept even if you suffer from allergies. Poodles come in different sizes as well, depending on your preference. You can get a miniature poodle, top sized poodle, or a standard size one.
Poodles are also extremely accommodating dogs and are a great option to keep if you have kids. Poodles come in many different colors, such as apricot, brown, gray, white, and black.
6. Pug
Pugs were initially bred to be companion dogs for Chinese emperors. Today, pugs are one of the most well-known dog breeds and friendliest dog breeds. Pugs are often known as small-sized dogs that have huge personalities. These dogs are sociable and loving. They love their families and enjoy meeting other dogs. They get along well with almost everyone and are friendly with strangers as well. These easygoing dogs can be kept almost anywhere. They can be kept in a city or in the countryside. They can also be kept in spacious houses and also fit apartment life. Whether they are the only dog you have or one of multiple, pugs are happy. However, these dogs do have a streak of mischievousness so keep a watchful eye over in when around the house.
7. Shih Tzu
Similar to pugs, the Shih Tzu was also bred to accompany Chinese royalty. Originally Shih Tzu’s were bred by Tibetan monks and were given to Chinese royalty as a gift. Shih Tzus are also extremely affectionate and are great family dogs. They are great lap dogs and love to snuggle with their owners. These dogs are also active and energetic and love to play. The Shih Tzu is also a wonderful breed to keep if you have little kids at home. Their size makes it easy to keep them anywhere, in a large house or in an apartment.
8. Irish Settler
Irish Settlers are an energetic dog breed that has an innate happy-go-lucky attitude. These dogs love having a good time and showing their owners with affection. This breed also loves to be active and go for walks. So, an Irish Settler would make a lovely dog walking companion for children and adults. The Irish Settler dog breed was an extremely popular breed in the 1700s throughout Ireland and the British Islands. They worked alongside hunters and were used to lure game. They crouched down near the birds while hunters there a net over the birds and the dog at the right time.
9. Beagle
Beagles are happy-go-lucky dogs with curious and easygoing personalities. They were originally used as hunting hounds for hunting badgers. Over time the hunting instinct was bred out of them. They were also bred in packs which adds to the dog’s friendly nature. Today Beagles are great family companions and very loyal dogs. However, they are extremely energetic and require plenty of exercise time and playtime.
Which ever direction you and your family decide to go on breed, please consider adopting a rescue. According to the ASPCA, the Humane Society, Bestfriends.org, Orvis, and PetPedia, every year, 3.3 million dogs enter shelters and 670,000 are euthanized. One of those sweet animals are very scared right now and they are hoping for a beautiful family like yours will come and save them.
At our company, PUCCI Café, we support and represent many dogs rescues that support homeless dogs that would love to be a part of your home. Whether you’re looking to adopt a new dog or you want to spend your free time with foster opportunities, PUCCI Café can connect you with dogs through our partner dog rescues and adoption services.
Learn more at PUCC Cafe puccicafe.com/adoptions
by Bobby J Davidson
I love our companies and we love what we do. For more information on the Davidson Family of Companies, visit www.bobbydavidson.com/about. Sign up for my Newsletter at the bottom of this page.