If you love small dogs and have kids, finding the right breed can be a tricky balance, but focusing on the best small dogs for kids will make the process easier. Many smaller dogs are not recommended for families with young children because they are fragile or nervous around boisterous little ones. However, some little dogs are known to get along great with kids of all ages.
Even with breeds that are ideal for families with children, many pet experts recommend waiting until your youngest child is 5 years old before bringing home a dog. By 5, most children have decent impulse control and are better able to understand and follow the rules regarding the dog. For safety’s sake, an adult should always supervise all interactions between kids and dogs of any breed.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best small dogs for kids so you can find your family’s next perfect pet.
- 01 of 14
Beagle
The fun-loving Beagle is friendly and active. Getty Images
Part of the American Kennel Club Hound Group, the beagle was developed to hunt rabbits in packs. Beagles happily worked alongside large groups of dogs, horses, and people.
A properly socialized and trained beagle is exceedingly friendly and handles the loud noise and chaos of family life in stride. Although small, they are sturdy and athletic and love playing with kids of all ages.
Beagles are known to bark and howl, and some may become destructive or attempt to escape if left alone too much and not given enough exercise and mental stimulation. When out and about, always keep them on a leash so they don’t follow their keen nose into trouble.
Breed Overview
GROUP: Hound
HEIGHT: 15 inches tall or less at the shoulder, with two height varieties for dogs under 13 inches and those 13 to 15 inches
WEIGHT: 20 to 25 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Fearless, companionable, active
Energy Level: High
COAT AND COLOR: Short coat; all hound colors, including but not limited to tri-color (tan, black, and white), red and white, and lemon and white
LIFE Span: 10 to 15 years
02 of 14Bichon Frise
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The playful and fun loving bichon frise hails from France, where the little dogs originally lived a life of luxury as pampered pets to nobility. After the French Revolution, bichons fell into the hands of commoners, morphing into street dogs. Thanks to their intelligence, liveliness, and charm, the fluffy white dogs later became popular circus dogs, delighting crowds with impressive tricks.
To this day, they love to play and want nothing more than to be with their beloved family. They are gentle and affectionate with people of all ages. Although small, bichons are not dainty or fragile. As long as kids are taught to handle them gently and respectfully, they can be wonderful friends. Keep in mind, too, that the fluffy hypoallergenic coat requires professional grooming.
Because of their coloring, coat, and small frame, subtle signs of anxiety may be missed by small children. Being all white prevents obvious demarcation of subtle changes around their eyes, and their fluffy coat can prevent noticing subtle changes in tail height or movement that may indicate that the pet is becoming nervous. Make sure you and your children are aware of the more subtle signs of fear and anxiety in all dogs to prevent cornering a small dog, making them nervous, and potentially causing them to lash out.
Breed Overview
GROUP: Non-Sporting
HEIGHT: 9 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder
WEIGHT: 7 to 12 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Affectionate, friendly, playful
Energy Level: Medium
COAT AND COLOR: Curly coat; white (may have traces of apricot, buff, or cream)
LIFE Span: 14 to 15 years
03 of 14Boston Terrier
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Friendly and animated, Boston terriers love all people, including kids. Created in Boston in the late 1800s, the breed had one purpose: to be a devoted companion. For this reason, Boston terriers are wonderful family dogs that demand to be with their humans most of the time.
The breed’s compact size means the Boston can live in an apartment happily, and it’s easy to provide enough exercise with daily walks. Lively, affectionate, and always ready to play, the Boston terrier is a fun companion for children. Bring your Boston along wherever you go, whether to the kids’ baseball games or for a stroll around the park.
Because Boston terriers are so energetic, it is critically important to teach them proper manners. They may be small but they can jump high, and they are super quick, so you never want to start a game of chase with them! Teaching solid commands with positive reinforcement will mentally stimulate your Boston and provide a solid expectation for all family members about what is appropriate dog behavior.
Breed Overview
GROUP: Non-Sporting
HEIGHT: 15 to 17 inches tall at the shoulder
WEIGHT: 15 to 25 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Playful, friendly, loving
Energy Level: Medium
COAT AND COLOR: Smooth, short coat; black, seal, or brindle with white muzzle and chest
LIFE Span: 12 to 14 years
04 of 14Cairn Terrier
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Part of the AKC Terrier Group, the cairn terrier is perhaps best known for portraying Dorothy’s little dog Toto in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. The breed was born in the Scottish Highlands more than 200 years ago, where they hunted foxes, rats, and other vermin in the piles of rocks called cairns.
Not all terriers are good with kids, but the cairn loves children and will even seek them out specifically. Despite their small size, they are sturdy and tough and always up for fun and games. As with all dogs, kids should be taught to be gentle with cairns, but this breed will typically forgive accidental bumps from children.
Cairns have a high prey drive (this can include running children), so they might not be able to be trusted with the family cat and should be monitored around children who are excited, loud, or running a lot. As with most terriers, some cairns can get scrappy with other dogs, so early socialization is beneficial.
Breed Overview
GROUP: Terrier
HEIGHT: 9 to 10 inches tall at the shoulder
WEIGHT: 12 to 15 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Friendly, intelligent, playful
Energy Level: Medium
COAT AND COLOR: Double coated with a wiry outer; black, brindle, cream, gray, red, silver, wheaten, or any combination with brindle
LIFE Span: 12 to 15 years
Continue to 5 of 14 below05 of 14Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
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The happy, even-tempered Cavalier King Charles spaniel is a friend to all, including children. Sweet and affectionate, this breed enjoys cuddles and gentle play. These diminutive dogs are not fond of roughhousing, so show the kids how to interact appropriately.
One of the largest members of the AKC Toy Group, along with the pug, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel is still small enough to happily live in small spaces and is easy to travel with. Although spirited and active, it’s simple enough to provide a Cavalier with adequate exercise with daily walks around the park or neighborhood.
The easy-care coat does not require any major trimming. However, brushing and regular grooming will prevent tangles and matting of fur that can be painful and lead to skin infections.
Breed Overview
BREED: Toy
HEIGHT: 12 to 13 inches tall at the shoulder
WEIGHT: About 13 to 18 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Gentle, sociable, affectionate
Energy Level: Medium
COAT AND COLOR: Long, sleek, and silky; feathering around ears, feet, chest, and tail; four color varieties: tricolor, blenheim, ruby, and black and tan
LIFE Span: 12 to 14 years
06 of 14Cocker Spaniel
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The cocker spaniel is a happy little dog that loves being with their favorite people. Like many other breeds in the AKC Sporting Group, they were bred to be peaceful with people, other dogs, and even other pets like cats.
Well-socialized cocker spaniels are great companions for kids, provided the children are gentle and respectful. Cockers love to play and will retrieve as many balls as the kids can throw, as well as join in on almost any game or adventure.
Cockers are energetic but need only moderate amounts of exercise in the form of daily walks and off-leash running in the backyard. Their coat, however, needs regular professional grooming.
Breed Overview
GROUP: Sporting
HEIGHT: 14 to 15 inches tall at the shoulder
WEIGHT: 20 to 30 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Companionable, gentle, affectionate
Energy Level: Medium
COAT AND COLOR: Silky and flat or slightly wavy; short and fine on the head, medium length on the body, and well-feathered on the ears, chest, belly, and legs; black, ASCOB (any solid color other than black), or parti-color (black and white, brown and white, red and white, and tri-color)
LIFE Span: 10 to 14 years
07 of 14French Bulldog
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The French bulldog, or Frenchie, is an adaptable and playful breed that loves to do whatever you’re doing. Just be aware that brachycephalic breeds like Frenchies can be prone to respiratory issues, are more prone to overheating, and cannot travel on airplanes.
In looks, this dog is essentially a smaller version of the also kid-friendly bulldog, sometimes called the English bulldog. The one big difference is that the Frenchie has distinctive, large “bat” ears, which stand up. When you combine their unique appearance with their curious and affectionate nature, everything about the Frenchie just draws people in—adults and kids alike.
Compact but heavily built, Frenchies can be great companions for kids provided they are taught to play nice and interact with the dog respectfully. The breed requires moderate daily exercise, and the smooth coat requires little upkeep. Simply brush once a week to remove loose hair.
Breed Overview
GROUP: Non-Sporting
HEIGHT: 11 to 13 inches tall at the shoulder
WEIGHT: 19 to 28 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Affectionate, sociable, playful
Energy Level: Medium
COAT AND COLOR: Short, smooth; brindle, fawn, white, or combination of brindle and white or fawn and white
LIFE Span: 10 to 12 years
08 of 14Havanese
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As the name suggests, this breed was developed in Havana more than 300 years ago. The only breed native to Cuba, Havanese were the treasured lapdogs of the wealthy plantation owners, and largely unknown outside the island until the mid-1900s.
Havanese are charming and social, making friends wherever they go. Although many toy breeds are not recommended for kids, this dog is small but sturdy and known for being exceptionally good with respectful children.
The Havanese is also lively and whip-smart—the kids will love teaching them endless fun tricks. The silky hypoallergenic coat needs daily brushing, and you can enlist the kids to help out, or it can be clipped short for easier maintenance.
Breed Overview
BREED: Toy
HEIGHT: 8.5 to 11.5 inches tall at the shoulder
WEIGHT: 7 to 13 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Even-tempered, playful, companionable
Energy Level: Medium
COAT AND COLORS: Double coat; long, silky, and straight or wavy with ringlets; one or two colors including black, silver, white, cream, tan, fawn, gold, sable, or red
LIFE Span: 14 to 16 years
Continue to 9 of 14 below09 of 14Pug
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Another member of the AKC Toy Group known for their affinity with children, the pug is friendly, outgoing, silly, and just plain fun. In the breed standard, the written description of the ideal example of the breed, the dog is described as multum in parvo, a Latin phrase that means “a lot in a little.”
These dogs are small but cobby and solidly built, and they soak up lots of loving from gentle children. Pugs need only daily walks for exercise, but caution must be used on warm days, as the pug’s pushed-in muzzle means they cannot tolerate hot temperatures.
The short coat is easy to care for, but these dogs do shed a fair amount, so brush daily to cut down on hair in the house.
Breed Overview
BREED: Toy
HEIGHT: 10 to 13 inches
WEIGHT: 14 to 18 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Sweet, playful, affectionate
Energy Level: Medium
COAT AND COLOR: Smooth, short double coat; fawn or black
LIFE Span: 13 to 15 years
10 of 14Shih Tzu
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Charming, outgoing and irresistibly cute, the shih tzu loves people of all ages, including well-mannered kids. The breed hails from China where for centuries it was a prized and pampered lapdog of Chinese royalty.
Because shih tzu puppies are very small, some breeders may be hesitant to place them into families with children younger than 5 years old. However, full-grown shih tzus are sturdy for their size. So, as long as extra care is taken to supervise puppy-kid interactions diligently, the shih tzu can be a wonderful playmate for gentle kids.
The luxurious coat requires daily brushing when left long. Some pet parents keep their dogs in a shorter pet clip for convenience.
Breed Overview
BREED: Toy
HEIGHT: 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder
WEIGHT: 9 to 16 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Intelligent, loyal, lively
Energy Level: Medium
COAT AND COLOR: Long, double coat; nearly any color, but most commonly black, white, blue, gold, liver, or combinations
LIFE Span: 10 to 16 years
11 of 14Maltese
Photo © iStockphoto.com/Andrey Medvedev The Maltese is another toy dog that makes a wonderful family pet. The breed is from the Mediterranean region. Because this is a low-shedding and hypoallergenic breed, it can be a good option for those with allergies and busy parents who don’t want to vacuum up fur all the time.
This is one of the calmest and friendliest small dogs for kids. But because they are delicate, they are suitable for older children who know how to handle them gently and won’t accidentally injure them. Kids who know how to interact with their pet carefully can play with them, and your kids can join you when you take your Maltese for a walk every day to get their exercise.
Despite being low-shedding, regularly grooming your Maltese, including brushing several times a week, will be necessary. Doing so will keep their silky coat smooth and clean. To simplify things, many people trim the coat short.
Breed Overview
Group: Toy
Height: 7 to 9 inches
Weight: Under 7 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Alert, affectionate, fearless
Energy Level: Medium
Coat and Color: Long, silky; white
Life Span: 12 to 15 years
12 of 14American Eskimo Dog
blendshapes / Getty Images Also known as the Eskie, the adorable American Eskimo dog comes in three varieties: standard, miniature, and toy. These white dogs are playful, high-energy, and intelligent. The breed was developed by German immigrants in the U.S. Because they are working dogs, they are active and need a lot of physical and mental stimulation every day.
Also, because you need to give an Eskie so much attention, a busy family or one that travels a lot may not be suitable for this breed. Older kids may be able to get along great with these dogs, but bear in mind that these pets have a lot of energy that might be overwhelming for younger, smaller kids.
These dogs are smart, as well as easy to train, and they can learn various tricks. So, you can involve your older children in helping you train your dog, and this can benefit both your pet and your kids. You can also enlist the help of your kids when it comes to brushing this dog’s coat several times a week.
Breed Overview
Group: Non-Sporting
Height: 9 to 12 inches (toy); 12 to 15 inches (miniature); 15 to 19 inches (standard)
Weight: 6 to 10 pounds (toy); 10 to 20 pounds (miniature); 25 to 35 pounds (standard)
Personality/Temperament: Friendly, alert, intelligent
Energy Level: High
Coat and Color: Thick, double coat; ruff around neck and chest; white, but sometimes slightly cream-colored
Life Span: 13 to 15 years
Continue to 13 of 14 below13 of 14Papillon
The papillon is a party in a tiny package. Mikkel Bigandt/Shutterstock The papillon, which is a breed from France, has a name that translates to “butterfly,” thanks to their ears that look like butterflies. They can be lapdogs, exercise buddies, and good for homes with other pets. They can even be suitable for first-time dog parents and families that travel and want to bring their dogs with them.
This is a toy breed that can be a great choice for families with older children who know how to handle their pets gently. Despite their small size, these dogs are hardy. They’re also active and intelligent, and they make wonderful companions for people of all ages.
Grooming requirements for this breed are moderate. The fur is long, silky, and fine, and should be brushed a few times a week. And because the coat doesn’t grow continuously, you won’t need to worry about trimming it often.
Breed Overview
Group: Toy
Height: 8 to 11 inches
Weight: 6 to 10 pounds
Personality/Temperament: Intelligent, friendly, alert
Energy Level: Medium
Coat and Color: Straight, long, single-layer; white with markings and a mask of color, usually red, sable, black, or lemon
Life Span: 14 to 16 years
14 of 14Dachshund
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
The dachshund, or doxie, comes in a standard size and a miniature size. This small breed from Germany was bred for hunting. Today, they are loving, energetic, and a lot of fun. Plus, they are super cute with their short legs.
These dogs can be good for families with kids, particularly if they are brought home as puppies who can be properly socialized and trained. However, because of their high prey drive, they aren’t suitable for households with other pets that they would view as targets.
This dog’s grooming needs will depend on whether they have a long or short coat. If longhaired, your dog should be brushed every day or at least several times a week. Other things to consider before bringing a doxie home include their tendency to bark and their stubborn side that can make training more challenging.
Breed Overview
Group: Hound
Height: 8 to 9 inches (standard); 5 to 6 inches (miniature)
Weight: 16 to 32 pounds (standard); up to 11 pounds (miniature)
Personality/Temperament: Clever, stubborn, devoted
Energy Level: Medium
Coat and Color: Smooth (shorthaired), longhaired, or wire-haired; colors include black, tan, fawn, beige, blue, chocolate, and red with various markings such as dapple, piebald, brindle, and sable
Life Span: 12 to 16 years
Tips for Choosing a Small Dog for Kids
Here are some things to keep in mind before and after bringing your new family dog home.
Teach Children How to Behave Around Dogs
To ensure a lifetime of happiness and love, take your time to choose the right dog, teach kids how to gently and respectfully interact with them, and invest the time to properly socialize your new puppy using positive reinforcement methods.
This will model good pet care for your children and set your puppy up for success long-term. In truth, without socialization, even the most "kid friendly" breed can become shy and nervous around children.
Understand a Dog’s Behavior Cues
All of these breeds can be great with children. However, it is imperative that the family understand and respect the dog's cues when they start to get nervous or fearful. Sometimes the cues in small dogs are easy to miss because they are, well, smaller.
Crowding any nervous dog can lead to injury for the humans and break the human-animal bond we are trying so hard to establish when puppies are young.
Do Your Research and Plan Ahead
Always research the breed standard prior to purchasing any dog. Seek out a reputable breeder, and make sure you have a good relationship with a veterinarian near you who can help guide medical and behavioral care when needed.
Plan ahead and educate your children to ensure a successful integration of one of these great pups into your family.
15 Best Dog Breeds for Kids and Families
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