A dog is a wonderful addition to any family. The love, loyalty and responsibility of owning a dog will bring a family closer together and give children and adults alike a rewarding relationship to filter their life experiences through. You do need to consider what the right dog for your family is. It isn’t always the choice you think it is. It isn’t even always the choice you want, but when you end up with the right dog how you felt about things before you got her melt away.

I never used to be a dog person at all. I despised little dogs and had no use for big dogs, but when I ended up with, through a strange set of circumstances, a Pekingese named Anastasia. She was ugly, and a little nuts, but she melted my heart. It turned out that a small dog was exactly what I needed. It made sense for me, my resources and my living style. I lucked out in this regard, but if I’d looked at my life I would have come to the conclusion that a small dog was exactly what I needed.

When considering a breed, consider how much time you have, what you want from a dog and especially consider your children. One of the biggest mistakes that parents make when getting a dog either for their children or just for a family with children is getting a small dog. The dog is small. The children are small. It seems natural to get a dog that will grow with them, but stay small. The truth is that you want a big dog for your small children.

Children are often less than gentle when they are young. They are uncoordinated and curious. Pulled ears and tails will happen. Dogs can be tripped over, fallen on and sat on. Smaller dogs are fragile and more easily injured by a child. A bigger dog can more easily handle the naive abuse that children might dish out. A working dog will even take responsibility for your children. I’ve seen a Collie corral children all day at a campsite.

When I ended up with my Pekingese I was living in an apartment, going to college and working. I didn’t really have the time or inclination for long walks and I didn’t have a yard to let her play in. She didn’t need long walks. A few potty trips a day was all she needed. An apartment was a perfectly acceptably sized environment for her. A pitbull or a collie would have been miserable. I probably couldn’t have afforded to feed a bigger dog, either. Consider your circumstances and you’ll easily find the best breed to fit you and your family.