First time dog owner? – Here are the best first time breeds
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Are you a first time dog owner?
With so many dog breeds out there, which one would be a good one to get? This is an important decision to make, to ensure you do not take on a dog that is beyond your experience. A first time dog owner could probably take on most breeds, but it would be advisable to start with a breed that is better suited for you. This will give you a better introduction to owning dogs and will also be a nicer experience for the dog itself.
We have picked a selection of dog breeds that are good for first time dog owners. And when getting a dog, always get one from a dog rescue centre. Check out our articles on Your first dog and Dog rescue centres.
Bichon Frise
Bichon Frise dogs being bred to be companions, makes sense that they are ideal for a first time dog owner. They are full of love and affection for their owners and will always want to be around you to cheer you up. Being good around children make then ideal for a family environment and even in smaller homes. Being very intelligent, they respond well to training and get along with other dogs and animals. You cant go far wrong with one of these.
Boston Terrier
Boston Terriers are becoming more and more popular and are ideal for a first time dog owner. With excellent intelligence, makes them easy to train and are very active and full of life. They are very loyal to their owners and are always eager to please. Being friendly to strangers, other animals and children, make them ideal for a family environment.
Brittany
Brittany’s originating from a French region are loving, affectionate and easy going. They are warm, caring and good around young children, making them ideal for families. They enjoy lots of daily exercise and not suited to small homes or a home with no garden. Being easy to train, they are ideal as a first dog.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are great for first time dog owners as they love being around people and are friendly to everyone they meet. They enjoy human company, are good-natured and are fairly easy to train. Are very good in smaller homes and do not mind too much being left along for a while.
Cockapoo
Cockapoos are a designer breed of dog and are ideal for a first time dog owner. With their long coat, they do not really shed and are not too bad on maintenance. They are a nice gentle, loving affectionate dog and will always please their owners. Their only downside is that being a crossbreed, they can suffer from more illnesses than other dogs. But they are still ideal as a first dog.
Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers are very popular with families with young children. They are loyal, affectionate, docile and gentle and suit family environments. They are energetic, fun, love exercise and playing games. Being easy to train, obedient and good with young children, make them ideal for a first dog.
Goldendoodle
Goldendoodles are a great designer dog breed and you get two good breeds into the mix. They are great beginner dogs and are easy to train. Considered very intelligent and are very friendly and good with children and strangers. They make an ideal dog for a family environment. Very active and love to play a lot and will need a few decent walks a day. Always ready to please their owners and their barking is minimal.
Greyhound
Greyhounds considered the fastest dogs around and are generally associated with racing. But these dogs have a lot more to offer and make ideal house pets. They have a good character, but known for being a bit stubborn at times. Good training is important with good authority without being aggressive. They are good with children, but not so much with young children or toddlers. Being calm, affectionate and devoted make them an ideal choice.
Havanese
Hananese dogs are not only really cute, but are also great companions. They have a nickname of “The Velcro” as they like to stick to their owners and are always by your side. Suited to small and large homes, but a garden is good. They can sometimes bark around strangers, but not in other cases. Considered very intelligent, they are easy to train. Not aggressive in the slightest makes them ideal around young children and great for family environments.
Labradoodle
Labradoodles are another designer breed of dog. They are fun to play around with and also a great companion with a nice mild and calm manner. Are very intelligent and should be quite easy to train. They are full of energy and will follow you around. Can vary in size and a puppy could grow up to be big or a little bit smaller. Requiring a decent amount of daily exercise and ideal as a first dog.
Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are one of the most highly recommended dog breeds for a first time owner. They are very active and playful and enjoy lots of exercise. But they are also very gentle and ideal with young children and toddlers. They are very intelligent, good-natured, highly trainable and eager to please their owners. You cant go wrong for a first dog.
Maltese
Maltese dogs are ideal for a small home and can be okay when left alone in the home. They are extremely low maintenance and are ideal for a first time dog owner. They love being around their owners and have a personality of a larger dog. Not needing a ton of exercise, they can get away with shorter daily walks. They will always give love and affection to their owners and are very popular for a first dog.
Papillon
Papillons are a small dog with a big heart and sometimes act like a bigger dog. Being very intelligent, playful, friendly to everyone and easy to train, makes them ideal for a first time dog owner. They are very active, and like to exercise and play a lot. With their long coat, they do not shed too much, so should not be too much trouble as your first dog.
Pomeranian
Pomeranians are one of the cutest dogs you can get. Looking like they would be high maintenance for grooming, but in fact they are good with simple brushing. Suited to small and large homes, as long as they get some daily exercise. Good with children and ideal for families. Very alert and they get on well with other dogs and animals. A good first dog choice.
Pug
Pugs are quickly becoming a favourite dog breed all over the world. Even though they are small, they can play and act like a bigger dog. They love human contact and like having lots of attention. Being very good around children, make them ideal for a family environment. They can be a little mischievous, but in a good way. Training can sometimes be a little tough as they can be stubborn at times, but not impossible. A few walks a day and playing inside the home will keep them happy.
Puggle
Puggles being bred to be the ideal dog for personality and maintenance. They are one of the best crossbreed dogs for a first time dog owner. They are good with young children and this makes them ideal for a family environment. As they are a little larger then the smaller dogs here, they can handle some playing with young children, who might push them around a bit. An ideal first dog.
Shetland Sheepdog
Shetland Sheepdogs are very different to Collie dogs even though they might look similar. A Collie dog not being very suitable for a first time dog owner. Shetland Sheepdogs are easy to train and are good around children, making them a good family dog. They love to play and like their exercise. Very loyal and affectionate, and will make an ideal first dog.
Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu dogs are very easy to train and hence suitable for a first time dog owner. Their long coat looks like a lot of trouble, but some simple brushing will suffice. Probably one of the friendliest dogs around, and they like everyone they meet. They are friendly with children, making them good for families. Very intelligent and easy to train. They are so good and easy to keep, that some owners get more than one.
Standard Poodle
Standard Poodles might have an image of being pompous and looking down on other dog breeds, but they are great dogs and ideal for a family environment. Considered very intelligent, they are one of the most trainable dog breeds. They love human attention and being around adults and children, which makes them ideal for first time dogs.
Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terriers are very popular as they get along well with children and hence are great family dogs. But are not too good with young children or toddlers. They can also get along with other pets that you might have. Even though they are very small, they have a big heart. They are very loyal and affectionate and can become attached to their owners, but do not like being left along for too long. Their long coat however can be quite high maintenance.
Conclusion
So hopefully this is a good insight into what would be a good dog breed for a first time dog owner. This is important, because if you get a dog that required more experience, it will not only be a bad introduction for you the owner, but it will also be a bad experience for the dog. As mentioned before, most breeds can be okay with a first time dog owner, but this is not always recommended, and it is best to stick to a breed that is more suited to you.
Training is one of the big things about getting a dog, especially if it is a puppy. Good training is a must from an early age to avoid bad habits being adopted. Dog breeds suited to a first time dog owner, will be easier to train and will stop you from getting frustrated with slow progress.
If a new dog makes you frustrated because of your lack of experience with that breed, then the dog will notice this and it will not be good for the both of you.