Planning to adopt a dog but have young kids at home? Questions like what dog breeds gel well with children and which ones will fit into your abode and family lifestyle may be cropping up in your head every now and then. For starters, the most important aspect of owning a pet is that dog care will require your time each day. You will have to treat the canine as an important member of your household and dedicate a certain exercise and bonding time for its overall health. Being mindful of below points will quicken the selection process.

Points To Consider While Choosing Dogs for Children

Do you live in an apartment or a spacious home?
The answer to this will greatly help you narrow the options down. A big home with a yard is necessary for large working dog breeds like German shepherds, Golden retrievers, Saint Bernards among others. Larger the dog, it will require more space to move around and exercise. Needless to say apartments are better suited to smaller dogs.

Climate of the region you reside in:

Do you experience a cold climate for most part of the year? Well Great Danes do not do well in cold weather due to their short coat. Chihuahuas that hail from Mexico are not good at tolerating winters. Then there are breeds such as the Pug and Bull Dog that require special care during both summer and winter months.

Dog Grooming & Care is a big responsibility:

If your child has reached adolescence then surely it’ll be in a better position to manage the dog all by itself with occasional support from the parents. Right from exercising the pooch to regular grooming sessions, these tasks will be well understood and undertaken by the teenager. However if your child is younger, you would have to step in at every stage. Also younger kids aren’t capable of handling pets on their own and elders have to be the main caretakers of the fury family member. Consider adopting a dog with a short coat for your child, as it will require lesser grooming compared to dogs with long or wavy coats. Some popular short-haired dog breeds are Chihuahua, Dalmatian, Boxer and Great Dane among others are Kid Friendly dog breeds.

Small dogs like toy breeds do not do well in homes with infants as they have a delicate stature and do not like rough housing by tots. Avoid adopting toy dogs if your child is under 7 years of age. Bulldogs on the other hand may tolerate some amount of rough handling by children due to their strong build. It is advisable to not only monitor interaction between young children and pet dogs but also educating the former in handling pets as and when required.

Is your child sporty and outdoorsy?

All dogs require a certain amount of daily exercise. However some breeds require more physical stimulation compared to others. Boxers, Beagles and Dalmatians require a great deal of daily play and work-out; they’ll gel well with active kids that enjoy their time outside playing games.

There are lazy dog breeds too, that will love to lounge by your kid’s side while he/she reads or watches TV.

Owning a pet will add on to your monthly expenses

Relax! You will not have to break the bank. But when there’s an addition to the family there’s bound to be some extra expenditure. It’s best to roughly calculate or predict the expenses that will incur after you bring in a pet. You will have to spend on nutritious dog food, visits to the vet, health care, dealing with unexpected illness, dog clothing, accessories and grooming. Costs incurred in rearing larger dogs are more as they tend to eat more than small breeds. It is better to be aware of this expenditure before you get home a cutesy canine.

Does anyone in your family have allergies?

If your child or any family member is prone to allergies then consider adopting breeds that shed less, Maltese, Poodle or Shih Tzu will be a good pick. Less shedding means less dander is produced. Dogs with long hair or oily coats could propel an allergic reaction in those who are sensitive.

The new pooch will require some time to adjust to a new setting and family. Ease this transition with the help of rewards in the form of dog treats and toys and most importantly an ad libitum dose of your love.