The Best Dog Breed for Calmness, Children and Other Animals

With so many dog breeds to choose from, potential owners can afford to be picky and look for a type that suits their needs. Reasons for getting a dog can be as a companion, for security, for a specific job or just as a new member of the family. The best family dogs might ideally be calm, good with young children and be good with other family pets such as cats.

  1. English Cocker Spaniel

    • The English cocker spaniel is a medium-sized, slender dog with a long pointed muzzle and floppy ears. They can reach heights of 17 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 26 and 34 pounds. It is an active, intelligent breed that is generally friendly with everyone, even strangers. They are good with kids of all ages and also other pets as long as they are socialized well from a young age. They require plenty of exercise to keep them from becoming excitable. The breed can also be willful if not trained with a firm hand.

    Labrador

    • The Labrador is a medium to large-sized dog with a sturdy build. One of the most popular family dogs in the U.S. and Canada, they have a calm, even temperament. A very loyal breed, they will bond with the whole family, including other pets. They crave affection and closeness with family members and will tend to follow people around so as not to be left alone. Great with kids, the breed loves to play but may accidentally bump smaller children. Due to high intelligence they are also easy to train and as long as dominance and socializing training is started early the dogs will be well-rounded.

    Saint Bernard

    • The Saint Bernard is a massive dog breed, often reaching close to 30 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 120 and 180 pounds. They have thick, shaggy coats, which are often brown and white. "Gentle giant" is a good way to describe the breed's temperament; they are calm, loyal, loving and obedient. They thrive on contact with a family and are gentle with small kids and other pets as long as they are well socialized during training. The breed's size is also an asset as a guard dog, as is their protective nature toward a family.

    Samoyed

    • The Samoyed is a muscular medium to small-sized dog breed with a thick white coat and a curly tail. The thick coats of the breed were an adaptation for their country of origin, Siberia, and require regular grooming. They are sometimes described as friendly to a fault, loving just about anyone who will show them attention, even intruders. A playful breed, they are good with kids and if well socialized get on with cats and other pets. They can become overly dominant if firm training is not provided from the very start but will be even-tempered if dealt with correctly.