12 Best First Dogs for Families With Kids — our top picks
Golden Retriever
Golden Retriever: large-sized, high energy and very high trainability — a strong fit for families getting their first dog. Beautiful, gentle retriever with flowing coat. Outstanding family companion with high intelligence and eagerness to please. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Golden Retriever needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retriever: large-sized, high energy and very high trainability — a strong fit for families getting their first dog. Most popular family dog worldwide. Excellent retriever with gentle mouth, high intelligence, and outstanding temperament. Worth knowing before you commit: the Labrador Retriever sheds heavily enough that cleaning becomes a daily routine.
Goldendoodle
Goldendoodle: large-sized, high energy and very high trainability — a strong fit for families getting their first dog. Golden Retriever and Poodle cross combining best traits of both breeds. Popular family companion. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Goldendoodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Labradoodle
Labradoodle: large-sized, very high energy and very high trainability. Labrador Retriever and Poodle cross bred for service work. Intelligent and friendly with variable coat. Worth knowing before you commit: the Labradoodle needs serious daily exercise, and gets destructive without it.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: small-sized, medium energy and high trainability. Gentle toy spaniel with silky coat and sweet expression. Perfect family companion with sporting dog heritage. Worth knowing before you commit: the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel does badly left alone all day.
Havanese
Havanese: small-sized, medium energy and high trainability. Cuban toy breed with silky coat and cheerful disposition. Adaptable and social companion dog. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Havanese needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Vizsla
Vizsla: medium-sized, very high energy and very high trainability. Elegant Hungarian pointer known as the "Velcro dog" for their close bond with owners. Athletic and affectionate. Worth knowing before you commit: the Vizsla needs serious daily exercise, and gets destructive without it.
Brittany
Brittany: medium-sized, very high energy and very high trainability. Compact, athletic gundog with boundless energy. Eager to please and excellent family companion when properly exercised. Worth knowing before you commit: the Brittany needs serious daily exercise, and gets destructive without it.
English Springer Spaniel
English Springer Spaniel: medium-sized, very high energy and very high trainability. Athletic, medium-sized spaniel with excellent flushing ability. Energetic and devoted family companion. Worth knowing before you commit: the English Springer Spaniel needs serious daily exercise, and gets destructive without it.
Cavapoo
Cavapoo: small-sized, medium energy and high trainability. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodle cross. Gentle and friendly with reduced shedding. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Cavapoo needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Cockapoo
Cockapoo: small-sized, medium energy and high trainability. Cocker Spaniel and Poodle cross, one of the first designer dogs. Friendly and adaptable family companion. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Cockapoo needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Standard Poodle
Standard Poodle: large-sized, high energy and very high trainability. Intelligent, athletic, and hypoallergenic. The original Poodle size, bred for water retrieval with exceptional trainability. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Standard Poodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
How this ranking works: each of DoggyQ's 321 breeds is scored on the traits that decide this particular question — the same trait ratings shown on each breed's own guide page, so you can check the reasoning rather than take a ranking on faith. Read more about our methodology, or see which breed you look like from a single photo.
Popular breeds that are a poor fit for families getting their first dog
Shiba Inu
The Shiba Inu is a popular choice, but its trait profile pulls against families getting their first dog. On top of that, the Shiba Inu sheds heavily enough that cleaning becomes a daily routine.
Chihuahua (Long Coat)
The Chihuahua (Long Coat) is a popular choice, but its trait profile pulls against families getting their first dog. On top of that, the coat is real work — the Chihuahua (Long Coat) needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Chihuahua (Smooth Coat)
The Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) is a popular choice, but its trait profile pulls against families getting their first dog. On top of that, the Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) is vocal, which matters if you share walls.
Which dog do you look like?
Take one photo and an AI model tells you which of our 321 breeds you most resemble, and which features gave it away. Free, no account, and your photo is never stored. It is a game rather than advice — but every match links straight into that breed's real guide.
See which dog you look likeFrequently asked questions
- What is the best first dog for a family with children?
- Based on temperament and care needs, the Golden Retriever ranks as the top choice for families getting their first dog, followed by the Labrador Retriever and Goldendoodle.
- How was this list of dogs for families getting their first dog chosen?
- Each breed is scored on the traits that matter most for families getting their first dog — such as energy, size, grooming and temperament — using DoggyQ's breed database. The same trait ratings are printed on each breed's own guide page, so you can check why a breed placed where it did.
- Which popular breeds are a poor fit for families getting their first dog?
- The Shiba Inu, The Chihuahua (Long Coat), The Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) all rank near the bottom for families getting their first dog despite being widely chosen — usually because the traits that make them appealing elsewhere work against them here.