Every household thinks of bringing home a pet at least once! And why not, pets are loving, caring, entertaining and also loyal. A pet will surely make you laugh with its hilarious movements and at the same time also listen to your grave problems, that too more attentively than your boyfriend or girlfriend! Though these qualities are seen almost in all pets, dogs stand first with some added plus points. Unlike most of the pets, dogs watch the house, scare away strangers and also play with kids! But buying a dog is a big decision for many reasons.

You should first know which dog you want. And that is not all, there are many dog breeds so you should be specific about which breed. Otherwise you might wish for a small dog and end up bringing home a large dog, as dogs of the same name but different breeds can vary in every aspect, including size! You should also be specific about what kind of dog you want, like you want a watchdog or a toy dog, no maintenance or medium maintenance, high energy or a couch potato, etc. Exercise is also one important aspect that needs to be considered. Though almost all breeds of dogs need exercise, some of them need extensive exercise while some just need a walk in the park. Though all these dogs are quite different from each other, they have one similar quality, a strong bond towards its owner!

Best Family Dogs List

Golden Retriever
This is actually the best family dog. This multi-talented dog grows up to 61cm and so comes in the category of medium to large dogs. A healthy golden retriever will weigh up to 34 kg. Talking about the qualities of golden retriever, this breed of dogs are loyal, gentle, obedient and also protective, what more can one expect from a dog! The special quality of golden retrievers is that they are extremely patient, gentle and playful with kids! Kids love these dogs as they do not make a sound even when they sleep on the dog's back! They are also very protective about their owners and hence make good watchdogs. Maintaining these dogs is also easy as they are quite healthy and require moderate exercise, like one long round. Excessive grooming is not at all required, just occasional brushing is enough. Golden Retrievers have a life span of 10 to 12 years. Do not overfeed the dog as overweight can put the dog in problem.

Newfoundland
The nickname of this dog says it all. This dog is fondly known as 'gentle giant'! This huge looking dog weighs about 50 - 65kgs and grows up to 66 - 71 cm. Newfoundland naturally comes in the category of 'big' dogs! These dogs have a very soft and thick coat, which tempts everyone! But due to the same coat they need regular brushing. Apart from that, you will never need to worry about giving these dogs a bath as Newfoundlands literally love water! In fact, they are even known to save drowning people! Though they look big, these big creatures are extremely gentle and playful with kids, but also need moderate amount of exercise. Another unique trait in them is that unlike other dogs, Newfoundland dogs do not like to bark excessively, they will bark only if required! Talking about cons, there is just one negative aspect, that Newfoundlands are prone to diseases like dysplaisa, thyroid disease and eye problems. However these disorders can easily be avoided by taking proper dog care. They have a life span of 9-12 years.

Pug
Pugs are one of the cutest toy breeds! These lazy dogs weigh about 13 pounds and grow up to 8 inches. They have a life expectancy of about 10 - 15 years. Kids are very fond of pugs as they obey as well as play with the kids, in fact they even tend to go to sleep with the kids! Not only are these dogs gentle and extremely well-behaved, pugs are also good watchdogs. One of the best quality of pugs is that they rarely bark! As earlier stated, pugs are quite lazy and so do not need much exercise. However, it is the owner's duty to make them exercise once in a while. Grooming is minimal, however clean the wrinkles frequently so that skin infections don't arise.

Collie
There are many breeds of collie dogs. But most of the breeds have a beard, just like a sheep! Collies grow up to 26 inches and weigh about 75 pounds. Collies are one of the best dogs for protection. Collies are also one of the most intelligent breed of dogs. Due to their instincts, it is quite easy to train a collie. These dogs are quite mellow and like to play with kids. Their thick coats makes brushing necessary, frequently. When indoors, collies are quite calm but when outdoors, they are very energetic. You will need to treat a collie with affection and also need to be patient with them as they tend to be a little stubborn, just like the kids!

English Bulldog
Who is not fond of these serious looking cuties! Bulldogs have a life expectancy of 16 years. English bulldogs grow up to 28 inches and weigh about 120 pounds. Though English bulldogs look quite serious, they tend to make people laugh the most, mainly due to their hilarious movements of rolling and jumping! These dogs are extremely gentle with kids and ferocious with strangers! Did you know that these dogs have one similarity with their name? English bulldogs can be extremely bull-headed at times! So you need to train them with patience.

These were some of the best family dogs for kids and in fact for the entire family. So now that you know all about these loyal dogs, you can bring anyone for yourself!