You’ve decided to adopt a dog, adding a wonderful new addition to the family. This is such an admirable decision! Now that you’ve decided to add a new little one to the home, what is the right breed for your family?
First Time Dog Owner
You’ve never raised a dog before in your life. You’ve seen YouTube training videos (but don’t really understand them) and your friends have dogs, you don’t have any experience at all.
Socialization is probably the single most important ‘training’ aspect you’ll ever deal with, and that’s pretty easy as long as you don’t miss it. Most behavioural principles apply to just about all breeds across the board, but there are still certain breeds that might just be too much for a first-timer.
- Many giant breeds need special care and could be too much for a first-time dog owner.
- You might be better off avoiding an extremely high-energy or demanding breed (i.e. Australian Cattle Dog).
- Certain herding or livestock guardian breeds, like the Great Pyrenees, need a special focus on socialization and aren’t recommended for first-timers.
Breeds Recommended for First Tim Dog Owners:
- Golden Retriever
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Bichon Frise
- Boxer
- Poodle
- Pocket Beagle
- Labrador Retriever
First Time Dog Owner
You’ve never raised a dog before in your life. You’ve seen YouTube training videos (but don’t really understand them) and your friends have dogs, you don’t have any experience at all.
Socialization is probably the single most important ‘training’ aspect you’ll ever deal with, and that’s pretty easy as long as you don’t miss it. Most behavioural principles apply to just about all breeds across the board, but there are still certain breeds that might just be too much for a first-timer.
- Many giant breeds need special care and could be too much for a first-time dog owner.
- You might be better off avoiding an extremely high-energy or demanding breed (i.e. Australian Cattle Dog).
- Certain herding or livestock guardian breeds, like the Great Pyrenees, need a special focus on socialization and aren’t recommended for first-timers.
Breeds Recommended for First Tim Dog Owners:
- Golden Retriever
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Bichon Frise
- Boxer
- Poodle
- Pocket Beagle
- Labrador Retriever
Busy Apartment or Hectic City Life
You aren’t home much, spending nine hours a day, 5 days a week at work (plus a hefty commute). You live in a busy city filled with loud noises and crowded streets. While you can take your dog for walks, there aren’t any parks nearby and running off-leash is out of the question!
All dogs, no matter the breed, will need some level of social interaction, exercise and enrichment. However, some will require much less than other, higher energy breeds. A highly energetic breed, or highly prey-driven breed, might not be a great choice for a city filled with dangerous roads.
- Most apartment complexes will have breed restrictions.
- It’s best to avoid loud herding or livestock breeds (i.e. Shetland Sheepdog).
Breeds Recommended for Apartment/City Life
- Dachshund
- Corgi
- Pug
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Chihuahua
- French Bulldog
The Fast-Paced Family Man or Woman
You really want a great exercise dog for your kids! You’ve raised dogs in the past, and know the right kind of pup can keep them busy for hours. You want a highly energetic, extremely sociable dog that will be running long after your little humans tire out!
Whether it be a fenced-in backyard or nearby dog park, you have plenty of room to provide and space isn’t an issue. Now all you need to do is decide on the right pup for your little ones.
- High energy breeds will require more attention and focus.
- Certain higher energy breeds can become destructive if their energy demands aren’t met.
- Socialization is extremely important when dealing with human children and any dog! Make sure your human kids know what is appropriate and what isn’t.
- Know your bite inhibition (soft mouth) training.
- It’s best to avoid raising delicate toys or small breeds with smaller children.
High Energy Breeds Recommended for Kids
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Australian Shepherd
- Beagle
- Border Collie
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- Boxer
- Irish Setter
The Northern Dweller
You live somewhere in the colder part of the world. Temperatures around or below O *F (-18 *C) are common, and the wind chill often makes this seem worse. Still, you love to hike and camp, and really want a strong northern pup gladly willing to rough out the elements by your side!
- Most small or toy breeds won’t tolerate extreme temperatures well and aren’t suited for such cold environments.
- Even the hardiest of dogs are susceptible to cold weather injuries if over-exposed to the elements
Cold Weather Northern Breeds
- Siberian Husky
- Alaskan Malamute
- Samoyed
- American Eskimo Dog
- Icelandic Sheepdog
- Saint Bernard
- Chow Chow
- Newfoundland
- Finnish Lapphund
Best for Children
We covered high energy breeds good with kids above, but are they the absolute best for children? Below, we’ll list some of the dog breeds we think will present the absolute zenith of childcare qualities!
These dogs ranked 5/5 with children and families as per the American Kennel Club.
While each of the breeds below got a 5/5 ‘with young children with the AKC, The percentages don’t necessarily reflect children alone.
For example, American Pit Bull Terriers have perhaps the most misguided reputation of all dog breeds, but in reality scored 87% with the ATTS, out of over a thousand tested.
Best Overall Breeds for Kids
- Golden Retriever
- Labrador Retriever
- Beagle / Pocket Beagle!
- Boxer
- Curly Coated Retriever
- German Shepherd
Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds
You have an allergy to pet dander, but you’ve still always wanted to raise a dog! To this day, you just haven’t been able to tolerate that dander.
You’re in luck! While there is no true ‘non-shedding dog’, and every animal will shed some dander, we’ve gathered some of the most popular hypoallergenic dog breeds for you!
- American Hairless Terrier (hairless)
- Affenpinscher
- Afghan Hound
- Bichon Frise
- Chinese Crested (2 varieties: Hairless and Powderpuff)
- Giant & Miniture Schnauzer
- Irish Water Spaniel
- Maltese (ancient breed!)
- Poodle
- Yorkshire Terrier
What Breed is Right for Your Family?
Before settling on the first pup you see because it is just so adorable, account for that breed’s personality. While the environment the dogs is raised in (socialization) will have a HUGE impact on personality, most of these breeds were originally bred for a particular working purpose and their personality will also reflect that.
Once you see a puppy you like, whether it be at the shelter or from a breeder, ask yourself what that breed was originally bred to do. You’ll then want to account for your living situation and your own capabilities.
