Top 10 Dog Breeds for Beginner
For most people, having a pet dog is a dream come through. Dogs are after all “man’s best friend”. But owning a dog comes with its responsibilities! It’s as if you’re adding a new member into your family. And family have their needs to be met. So choosing the right fit and breed that suits your lifestyle is extremely crucial, especially if you have no prior experience of owning a dog. If you choose a breed that is relatively harder to care for, it can be too much for you to handle. But don’t let this stop you from taking the first step! Here are 10 breeds best suited for new dog owners.
1. Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is an extremely friendly breed. They are well-known for their loyalty and affection towards their own family members. Thanks to their high intelligence, it makes them highly and easily trainable. You can also feel safe to leave your child around the dog! The Labs are extremely friendly oriented, so you can rest assure that they are good with kids.
The Labrador Retriever is an active breed. This means an active household would suit best for this breed. The labs require daily walks and exercise to ensure that they are in top healthy condition. This means that this breed also requires a lot of your time and attention. If you’re someone that is busy most of the time, then this breed wouldn’t do well for both you and the dog.
2. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
If you want a breed that is generally more quiet and gentle, then this might be the right fit for you! This dog breed is incredibly affectionate. It is also easier to care for since they are smaller in size.
Since they are gentle, elegant and attentive, they are also known to be really good around people. This means that you won’t have to worry of your dog getting aggressive around at the park! Probably one of the only downside is that this breed has longer fur than others. This means that you are required to groom your dog more often to avoid tangling in your dog’s hair. Basic training would be good for your dog as well to make sure that they are healthy. But they aren’t exactly an active breed, so you are not required to bring your dog out for exercise that often.
3. Poodle
Poodles have always been well-known to be a good pet dog to have. They are smart, especially when it comes to sports. This means that training are made easy along with a lot of fun! Another upside is their fur. Poodles have hypoallergenic fur. This means that their fur are very unlikely to cause allergic reactions, a common issue that most people have when it comes to owning pet dogs. Because of how short their fur is, you probably only need to groom them once every month or two to prevent matting.
Poodles have a lot of energy and are always active, especially the puppies. With that said, they have to run off that steam and energy. This means that you are required to walk your dog and play with it regularly. Since they are the athletic type, time is definitely a huge concern! One of the downside of it is that you would need to cater time to play with your dog. So if time and energy is something that is hard for you to get by, you might not want to get this breed.
4. Boxer
The Boxer is a highly active breed that requires a lot of play time and activities. They are known to be incredibly loving, social and loyal. Get them out to socialize and be familiar with the family as young as possible. Bringing them out to meet other people and dogs would also be a great idea for this breed. They are also incredibly trainable. In fact, they need have a proper foundation in basic training since they are active dogs.
Due to their active nature, they cannot be left unattended for too long, or they’ll get bored. If they do, they might cause a bit of a mess due to their boredom and curiosity. However, they are also guardians by nature and are really protective over their owners and his or her children. They are also incredibly loyal and very willing to please. With this said, the Boxer is an incredibly smart breed, and it’s perfect for someone with an active lifestyle.
5. Shih Tzu
This breed was originally bred to be a companion dog. They don’t exactly have strong hunting instincts, making them perfect house pets. They are affectionate, playful and will crave for your attention after it sees you as its owner. They are athletic but not to the extreme, making it perfect for laid back owners and kids looking for just enough fun to get by.
Their fur is a bit on the longer side, however, so they will need regular grooming. Apart from that, Shih Tzu is a good option for first time dog owners as it doesn’t show much aggression, and it is tame most of the time. It is playful yet gentle, affectionate yet not overly clingy. This makes it easier for first time pet owners to adapt to the new changes necessary.
6. Whippet
Whippets are bred to be racers in the past, now they just like to run around your backyard! They are generally playful and are tame. A great perk is that Whippets don’t bark that often. If you are someone who can’t exactly stand loud barks but would like to have a somewhat playful dog, the Whippet is the right fit for you. However, due to their playfulness, you might have to spend time to play with it or to let it run around your backyard. With some exercise, the whippets can the perfect household dog.
Apart from that, whippets are also well-known for being a couch potato! They love to laze around all day. In addition to the fact that they don’t bark that often, the Whippets really do seem like the ideal first time pet dog since they are so low maintenance. Their fur are also on the shorter side, making them so much easier to groom. And for first timers, grooming can be quite the hassle. Getting this breed is definitely an excellent choice for most.
7. Papillon
Growing up to 8 or 11 inches in height only, the Papillon is a smaller breed. But don’t let their small size fool you! They are small dogs with big personalities. They love to play and can be quite active. This makes them really trainable which will be preferable for first time owners. They are also really good with kids and can be protective over them.
In terms of grooming, a moderate amount will do. They aren’t difficult to groom thanks to their short undercoat. Apart from that, the downside of owning this dog is that they can be unsociable at times. Bringing them to meet other dogs aren’t exactly a good idea as they don’t do well with other dogs. With this said, you would have to learn how to train your dog to not get aggressive or not bring your dog out for walks at all which isn’t ideal. In any case, this breed gives just the right rough edges for first timers to learn.
8. Pugs
Pugs are good family dogs and the perfect lapdog! Thanks to their short legs and nose, a long duration of exercise can be challenging for them. If you are looking for a low to medium energy dog, this breed is the way to go. They are also extremely easy to groom due to their short fur. They are also very willing to please so training them is generally easier. These factors make them a really low maintenance breed. Probably the only downside is that they might experience health complications more likely due to their short nose. So do prepare if that ever happens. Apart from that, you should definitely get pugs if you are more family orientated and would prefer low energy dogs.
9. Golden Retriever
r has been the ideal pet for many households, and it’s not without reason! They are one of the smartest dog breeds out there, making them extremely trainable. They are really friendly and are devoted to their owners. This means that they are really affectionate too! You would discover the joy and fun of going outside as this dog needs plenty of exercise to stay healthy and happy. In terms of grooming, you might need to groom them a little more due to their longer fur. Once a week is fine, but you would need to do more when they start their shedding spree annually. Apart from that, golden retriever is a good choice due to their intelligence and friendliness.
10. Mixed Breed
Depending on the mix, mixed breed dogs can be great for first timers. Especially if the dog is already older, they might have already developed personality traits suitable to your preference. Go to your local shelter centre to look for mix breeds! The staff there will be well and ready to find a dog with a personality that is best suited for your lifestyle and household. Most adopted dogs are extremely loyal to their owner for adopting them, so adopting a mixed breed can be a good idea for first time pet dog owners.
