Welcoming a dog into your family can be a great way to teach your children and teenagers about responsibility, and also serve as a great mechanism for bonding. The specific type of dog breed that you go for can have a big impact on the upbringing of your children, as well as the amount of work you as parents need to consider.
Therefore, we have written this guide to help you select the best type of dog breed to raise from puppies, depending on your family dynamic and energy levels. Some families might prefer their furry new friend to fit in with their active outdoors lifestyle, while other families might be looking for a partner to hang out with them on the couch. So keep on reading, so you can make an informed decision that works for all family members.
The Bernese Mountain Dog
These beautiful dogs are great family pets, as they are known to be gentle and kind. They are however also quite large, as some of the larger specimens can reach upwards of 100 lbs. Therefore you might need to supervise playtime if you have very young children, and you will need to train both your children and your dog to respect each others boundaries.
If you wish to bring a bernese mountain dog puppy into your family, then you should also consider the energy levels of your household. Since this breed has a long standing history of being working dogs on farms, they will require medium to high levels of exercise on a daily basis.
Therefore, having an enclosed backyard where your dog can run freely is a great idea to ensure your puppy or mature dog won’t experience too much pent up energy. At the same time, you should also be prepared to take your dog on daily walks.
The Golden Retriever
Another popular and somewhat large dog is the golden retriever. This bundle of joy is another great dog breed for your family, as it like the bernese mountain dog is known for being gentle and loving.
While a golden retriever puppy is quite small and cute, full adults can weight upwards of 60 lbs. This is an important consideration once again, as this weight means the dog can easily push a child to the ground by accident. Therefore, we recommend parents to always keep a close eye when young kids are playing with the dog.
Golden retrievers typically require around 20 minutes of exercise twice a day, meaning you can manage the energy levels by bringing your dog on a decent walk. This will of course vary as all dogs are different, and you might be able to find the rocket of the litter, which will require much more active playtime, or the couch potato who prefers lounging around the house most of the time.
The Miniature Dachshund
Another great family pet is the miniature dachshund breed. As the name suggests, we are dealing with a small dog that typically grows to weight around 10 lbs. Therefore, it is quite easy to handle, and will typically be able to play with even younger children without too much supervision.
As for the exercise requirements, a miniature dachshund needs around 30-40 minutes of daily exercise. Depending on the personality of your specific dog, some of this time might be spent inside when your dog is dashing around the house playing with your children.
One thing to note, is that dachshunds are a hunting breed, and leaving them unsupervised in the backyard, even if properly enclosed, can lead to them hunting squirrels, birds or other interesting scents. This can lead to barking and erratic behavior, so we recommend always walking them on a leash and supervising their outside time.
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