What’s the Best Family Dog?

Several years ago, I asked whether or not you thought pets went to Heaven.

The response was robust!

Personally, I’ve always appreciated how Dr. Billy Graham responded to that question:

“God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.”

But today I thought I’d ask a less eternally minded question, but a practical one nonetheless:

What’s the best family dog?

According to the American Kennel Club, here are the ten best:

1. Labrador Retriever: Friendly and outgoing, Labs play well with others.
2. Bulldog: Calm, courageous, and friendly; dignified but amusing.
3. Golden Retriever: Intelligent, friendly and devoted.
4. Beagle: Loving and lovable, happy, easygoing, and companionable.
5. Pug: Even-tempered, charming, mischievous and loving.
6. Irish Setter: Outgoing, sweet-natured, active, and trainable.
7. Brussels Griffon: Alert, curious, and loyal.
8. Newfoundland: Sweet, patient, devoted; good companions.
9. French Bulldog: Playful, smart, adaptable, and completely irresistible.
10.Collie: Graceful, devoted, and proud.

Growing up, I loved our Great Dane named Duke and our Pug, Sir George. They were loving, comforting and stabilizing forces in my otherwise chaotic and dysfunctional young life.

A good dog can add a lot of fun to a family home, as well as provide parents with an opportunity to teach their children responsibility in the care and feeding of an animal. Dogs remind us to not take ourselves too seriously, either. A dog can provide comic relief, companionship and can even encourage a more active lifestyle for those prone to more sedentary pursuits.

Incidentally, rescuing a dog, whether pure or mixed breed from a local shelter or organization is a wonderful thing to do. As a friend of mine once said, “When you save a dog from a rough situation, he’ll likely pay you back for the rest of your life.”

But back to the question.

W.R. Purche once aptly said that “Everybody thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong.”

So again, let me ask you: What’s been your experience? From your perspective, what’s the best family dog?

If you could give some advice to families in search of that perfect canine companion, what would you tell them?