The Worst Breeds for Households with Kids

They say dogs are man’s best friend, but that doesn’t always mean that dogs and children are always best friends. Some dog breeds are just too large or to excitable to keep around small children who don’t know the boundaries when it comes to pets.

Photo by: Javier Sánchez

It should be said that it is nearly impossible to create a concrete list of what the bad dogs for kids to have are, but there are certain breeds that are naturally more aggressive or temperamental than others. After all, you never know when your child is going to whack the dog over the head or poke them in the wrong way.

Even a well-trained dog is likely to let off a growl to some of those actions. Based on their size, temperament and reputation, here are 5 of the worst dog breeds for households with children.

#1: Dalmatian: Their large size, need for exercise and protective nature can make these pets very aggressive when they feel threatened. Their need for exercise will also make them excitable when they’ve been hanging around the house for an extended period of time.

#2 Rat Terrier: Even though this dog is fairly small, like most terriers, it is known to be very territorial. Getting these types of dogs familiar to new baby smells may be a good idea before bringing a baby home from the hospital.

#3 Presa Canario: These large and strong dogs can become violent when they feel they need to defend themselves. If you have one in the house, make sure they know that guests and children are friendly visitors.

#4 Rottweilers: These dogs have a long tradition of being used as guard dogs. If you have adopted a Rottweiler make sure that it is trained and responsive before bringing it home to the family.

#5 Pit bulls: These strong and sometimes aggressive dogs are very dangerous when they are untrained. Pit bulls naturally have a reputation for intimidation and the wrong pit bulls can be dangerous to have around the yard when neighbors and kids are playing.

#6 Toy dogs: Small dogs like Yorkies and Maltese are fragile, and children may unintentionally hurt them if they do not know how to properly handle them. If irritated, these small dogs are known to nip or bite.

#7 Chow Chows: These dogs need a strong hand and lots of training before they are ready to be around children. Untrained Chows can be aggressive and unfriendly towards strangers.

In the end, large aggressive dogs most likely won’t fit into your Grand Rapids apartments space anyway, but you should never assume that a dog will interact well until you have been around the dog for awhile and had them trained.

The amount of training and the way the pet is treated is the most likely indicator of whether or not they will continue to act properly. If you have more questions about a particular dogs temperament, ask your veterinarian for their advice.

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