by Sherry Law

Created on: April 10, 2008

Picking the "best dogs for kids" is kind of like picking the best flavor of ice cream - it depends on the ice cream and it depends on who's doing the picking. When picking a dog for children, looking at the general characteristics of a breed is a good starting point. As important as the breed characteristics, however, are the individual dog's bloodlines, health and temperament.

As a foster for both German Shepherds and Malamutes, I would love to say that those are the very best breeds for children. Unfortunately, I have to say that I have a Malamute that loves kids - on the opposite side of the fence. I also have a German Shepherd that, while it sounds like she wants to eat them, only wants them to come and scratch her on the head. Neither of these is the ideal children's dog - the Malamute because children actually scare her when they get in her face (which makes her unpredictable) and the Shepherd because her noisy behavior is frightening for most small children.

Though I love my Shepherds, Malamutes and Akitas, when my daughter asked for recommendations for a dog for my grand-babies, I did a little research. The dogs that I suggested to her included the Bermese mountain dog, a Field Spaniel, Great Pyrenees, Boston Terriers, Collies, a Basenji or a Brichon Frise. Many people will be surprised to find that my list does not include either the Labrador or the Golden Retriever. There is nothing wrong with either of these dogs - in fact, my sister's small children love their Labrador. The problem that I've seen with both Lab's and Golden's are that as young dogs they are extremely exuberant. I have seen many people get a Lab or a Golden when they decide to get their toddler a puppy. Because in many instances the parents are busy working and raising baby, the puppy is often left alone in the backyard and has little or no training. The puppy, of course, grows much faster than the child does and often ends up knocking the toddler down while playing or chewing up the child's toys. As a result, these dogs frequently end up either at the local animal shelter or with a rescue group. Labradors and Golden Retrievers, along with ROTTWEILERS and OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOGS, are great dogs, for older children.

So why did I pick the dogs I did? Let's go over them one at a time...

If your child is old enough to throw a ball, you might want to consider a BRITTANY. A Brittany is a medium-sized dog, weighing between thirty and forty pounds. These dogs are gentle and tend to be even-tempered.

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