10 Cute Dog Breeds That Are a Bad Choice for Families With Children

When we are worried about Hachi or the 101 Dalmatians, the animals from famous movies, it might seem to us that dogs are the perfect family pets. We think, “I wish my child had a friend like that!” However, under the charm of such a cute face, after a year you might realize that only an adult person can walk this dog or that it is impossible to leave it with your child without supervision. There are many breeds that we think are cute, that can actually bring a lot of unpleasant surprises to their owners.

Bright Side wants you to consider the negative sides of having certain dog breeds as pets. And if you see a dog you want to buy for your child on this list, maybe you should reconsider your decision. Of course, any dog can be trained but some may require a lot more effort than others.

Akita Inu

The smiling faces of these dogs became very popular thanks to the movie Hachi: A Dog’s Tale and the internet memes that followed. However, in ordinary life, Akita Inus are not that harmless. First, they have a hard time trusting people they don’t know and they especially dislike other people’s children. Second, adult dogs of this breed are often aggressive toward other animals, especially other dogs. They will attack them no matter what their size is. Would you trust your child to walk with this dog?

Position in The Intelligence of Dogs rating* — 104 (out of 138).

Dalmatian

The 101 Dalmatians movie helped make this amazingly attractive breed popular but some things in the movie were really exaggerated. Dalmatians are big, strong, and hyperactive dogs. Even if this dog is very social and acclimated to children’s attention, they should never be left alone with children. Besides, Dalmatians need a lot of training (which is hard to do with them) in order to make it possible to control them.

Position in The Intelligence of Dogs rating* — 62 (out of 138).

Russian Toy

The Russian Toy is a very nice and loyal dog. But you should know that they are very sensitive: if you have them in a family with noisy children, they probably won’t like it very much. These dogs quickly become easily scared and even aggressive. Besides, they are famous for how weak they are: they can’t be shaken, squeezed, or dropped from even a low height. Breeders recommend these dogs for young women, middle-aged women, or families with grown-up children.

Doberman

Dobermans are often considered as a good option for families with children because they are great protectors which are very easily tamed. This is only partially true: these dogs have a well-developed protective instinct. However, all these qualities are also accompanied by a strong desire to dominate. You will need to put in a lot of effort and training to teach this dog to understand that children are owners as well, and that they need to be protected and respected. Besides, choosing a puppy is not an easy task: these dogs are bred a lot, so there are a lot of unhealthy puppies. Be careful.

Position in The Intelligence of Dogs rating* — 5 (out of 138).

Husky

If you are going to get a Husky, you should understand that you are going to get another baby — they are playful, energetic dogs that require a lot of attention, long training, and walks. These dogs are not aggressive to people at all, but this doesn’t mean that they can be left alone with children. Huskies are big, strong, and very playful. They need to be taught to express their emotions correctly (without jumping on children and knocking them down on the floor). It’s best not to get this type of dog if you have small children or if you had never had a dog before.

Position in The Intelligence of Dogs rating* — 77 (out of 138).

Basenji

It might seem that these dogs are ideal pets: they don’t smell, they don’t make any noise, and they are good-looking. But the downside of this breed is that they are too curious, very intelligent, and really hard to control. Dog experts say that this dog might know all of its commands perfectly well, but every time you ask them to do something, they will decide if they want to listen or not. Besides, there is no other dog that can escape as well as they can: nothing stops them, not even fences. So, if you have a child, you might not have enough time for both of them.

Position in The Intelligence of Dogs rating* — 137 (out of 138).

Alabay

The Alabay looks like a furry, white bear. This is a big and strong dog and a great protector that loves to dominate. Alabays that live with children need a full course of training with a crystal clear hierarchy. And on that note, they can be quite slow when following commands: for example, if a dog knocked a child on the floor it may not respond to a voice command quickly. So, if you don’t have a lot of experience, maybe you want to think about a different dog that looks like an alabay like a Newfoundland or a St. Bernard.

Chihuahua

Chihuahuas are considered to be the smallest dogs. These dogs understand their own stature and how small they are and for this reason they can be scared of children. For a small child, a chihuahua is not the best idea: the child might think that it’s a toy. Besides, these dogs are a lot like children themselves: they get very attached to one owner and become jealous if there is someone else taking all the attention. If a chihuahua is not well-tamed, they will bite children with their small and sharp teeth.

Position in The Intelligence of Dogs rating* — 125 (out of 138).

Pekingese

The most prominent trait of any Pekingese is self-confidence and thinking that the Universe revolves around them. This is why many dogs of this breed don’t like children that make noise, that touch them, or that try to hug them. A Pekingese can’t stand this behavior and if it’s not well-tamed, it will use its teeth. Maybe you are lucky and your dog will grow up to be different. But if you are going to get a dog that loves children, you should cross Pekingese off your list.

Position in The Intelligence of Dogs rating* — 132 (out of 138).

Corgi

Dog experts say that these dogs are like small shepherds that think they are big. Any honest breeder should warn potential buyers that these dogs are not good for people with children and people who can’t be strict and enforce rules. Young corgis often tend to be aggressive after they realize what they can and can’t do. This is especially true for male corgis. It takes a long time and a lot of effort to change their behavior. You should also remember that corgis are shepherds, so they may try to herd and lead children by biting their legs. This animal can easily scare a child.

Position in The Intelligence of Dogs rating* — 11 (out of 138).

Did you have a dog when you were a child? Share your experience. Because in the end, the way any dog behaves depends mostly on its owner.

* The Intelligence of Dogs rating shows how easily a certain breed learns new commands and how many repetitions are needed. It allows us to evaluate the ability of different dogs to obey commands and be tamed.