If you have small children, it’s a good move to research breeds of dogs that are appropriate for them. This is because there will be lots of times wherein your attention are not on the kids and the dogs, especially when they are together (a time of extreme caution on your part).

But don’t rely solely on these recommendations. When heading over to the dog breeder or the animal shelter, let your children get a feel on each dog they fancy or feel an affinity to. Then know what is the breed of the dog.

If the dog is in the recommended list for kid-friendly canines, plus they already feel a kinship with the dogs the first time they got to know each other, this means they are a perfect match.

As a parent, if you have small children, and you feel that getting pet dogs would be good for them, here are some breeds to avoid:

Chihuahua

Their small size belies their inappropriateness for small children. They look so cute and many people, especially innocent kids, looking for playmates, would expectedly want to be near them. But they would bark at first, then out of the blue, they would bite. The Chihuahua would be aggressive to anyone who they feel is invading their personal space and they need to defend themselves. When dealing with these sorts of dogs it’s important to know how to handle dog bites with kids.

Weimaraner

They belong to a breed that was originally raised to hunt large game. No problem with this, but the complication is, small children, on hindsight, would look like silhouettes of wild game, and this would pose a problem if the Weimaraners are taken in as pets in the household. They like to play rough and this would mean injuries for your children. These dogs are particularly restless if they haven’t had their daily walk or run around the neighbourhood for a few hours every day. If you, the adult, can’t keep up with this daily requirement to accompany these dogs for their exercise every day, how much more your small kids. Better put an X mark next to this breed the next time you are in the market for a dog.

American Pitbull

They are a mix of the extinct Dogo Argentino, a dog that was bred for fighting. It was so violent that it killed its own breed and other dog genres into extinction.

Dog breeders who indulge in dog fights train their American Pitbulls to be as aggressive and ferocious as possible to be able to be victorious in their matches. These dogs can easily tear small animals apart because fighting and aggressiveness is part and parcel of their daily lives. You wouldn’t want your kids to be anywhere near this dog breed, ever. They would easily be mistaken by the dogs as small prey.

And do you know that dog attacks requiring hospital admission involve American Pitbulls 50 percent of the time?

Border Collie

Yes, this dog breeds are particularly talented. They constantly win championships in dog shows because they perform complex tricks and are eager to amuse spectators. They also have this high energy to be always on the move. But the sad truth is, in spite of their exceptional gifts, they don’t have the patience and tolerance to bear with the moods and the tantrums of small children.

Yorkshire Terrier

It looks like a stuffed animal – small and fragile. First thing you would think (just like children too) is to take them and cuddle them up. The problem is, they easily get injured when crumpled up in children’s play and they get aggressive to defend themselves. They look cute, but beware. Keep them away from your kids who are easily tempted to be swooned by cuddlesome things. The kids might just suddenly feel a slight pain on their arm, and before they realise it, they’ve been bitten already by the irritated Yorkshire Terrier.

Take your time when selecting an appropriate dog breed for your small kids. Once you’ve made your final decision, a pet dog might just be one of your best decisions for your family.

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The top 5 child-friendly dog breeds Top five child-friendly small dog breeds The most loyal guard dogs that will never leave your side How to choose the ideal dog to adopt when you have kids