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Best breeds for

Small dog breeds that are good with children

Toy and small breeds rated usually or reliably good with children.

51 breeds. The rule: Toy or small size class, good with children 4 or 5. Toy breeds are fragile, so supervise small children closely whatever the score.

Toy (13)

Bolognese 2.7 to 4.5 kg · reliably good with children Coton de Tulear 3.6 to 6.8 kg · reliably good with children English Toy Spaniel 3.6 to 6.4 kg · reliably good with children Havanese 3.2 to 5.9 kg · reliably good with children Manchester Terrier (Toy) Up to 5.4 kg · usually good with children Norfolk Terrier 5 to 5.4 kg · reliably good with children Papillon 2.3 to 4.5 kg · reliably good with children Poodle (Toy) 1.8 to 2.7 kg · reliably good with children Portuguese Podengo Pequeno 4.1 to 5.9 kg · reliably good with children Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka 2.7 to 4.1 kg · reliably good with children Tibetan Spaniel 4.1 to 6.8 kg · reliably good with children Yorkshire Terrier 3.2 kg · reliably good with children ZuchonCross 2 to 7 kg · reliably good with children

Small (38)

American Eskimo Dog 2.7 to 15.9 kg · reliably good with children American Hairless Terrier 5.4 to 12.7 kg · reliably good with children Australian Terrier 6.8 to 9.1 kg · reliably good with children Beagle 9.1 to 13.6 kg · reliably good with children BeaglierCross 4.5 to 10 kg · reliably good with children Bichon Frise 5.4 to 8.2 kg · reliably good with children Border Terrier 5.2 to 7 kg · reliably good with children Boston Terrier 5.4 to 11.3 kg · reliably good with children Brazilian Terrier 10 kg · reliably good with children CavachonCross 4.5 to 9.1 kg · usually good with children Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 5.9 to 8.2 kg · reliably good with children CavapooCross 3.6 to 11.3 kg · reliably good with children Cesky Terrier 6.4 to 10.9 kg · reliably good with children ChugCross 4.5 to 9 kg · reliably good with children CockalierCross 4.5 to 12 kg · usually good with children CockapooCross 6.8 to 10 kg · reliably good with children Danish-Swedish Farmdog 6.8 to 9.1 kg · reliably good with children FrenchtonCross 5.4 to 12.7 kg · usually good with children HavapooCross 3.2 to 6.8 kg · usually good with children Japanese Spitz 4.5 to 11.3 kg · reliably good with children Lancashire Heeler 4.1 to 7.7 kg · reliably good with children Löwchen 6.8 kg · reliably good with children Manchester Terrier (Standard) 5.4 to 10 kg · usually good with children Miniature Schnauzer 5 to 9.1 kg · reliably good with children Norwich Terrier 5.4 kg · reliably good with children PoochonCross 4 to 8.2 kg · usually good with children Poodle (Miniature) 4.5 to 6.8 kg · reliably good with children Pug 6.4 to 8.2 kg · reliably good with children PuggleCross 6.4 to 13.6 kg · reliably good with children Rat Terrier 4.5 to 11.3 kg · reliably good with children Shetland Sheepdog 6.8 to 11.3 kg · reliably good with children Shih Tzu 4.1 to 7.3 kg · reliably good with children Shih-PooCross 3.6 to 8.2 kg · usually good with children Teddy Roosevelt Terrier 3.6 to 11.3 kg · reliably good with children Tenterfield Terrier Not published · usually good with children Welsh Terrier 9.1 kg · reliably good with children West Highland White Terrier 6.8 to 9.1 kg · reliably good with children Wire Fox Terrier 6.8 to 8.2 kg · reliably good with children

Other lists

Families with childrenFirst time ownersApartmentsPeople with allergiesLow maintenanceRunners and active ownersCalm and low energyHomes with other dogsBig dogs for familiesLongest lived

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How we worked this out

This list is worked out from the breed data, not picked by hand: Toy or small size class, good with children 4 or 5. Toy breeds are fragile, so supervise small children closely whatever the score. Energy, grooming and the good with children and good with other dogs scores are the kennel club's own published ratings for the breed (for most breeds the American Kennel Club's one to five scores), and each breed's guide links to where its figures came from. A breed with no published score for a rule is left out rather than guessed.

A rating describes a tendency across a breed, not a promise about one puppy. Every dog needs socialisation and training, and every dog needs supervising around young children. Meet the parents, ask the breeder about temperament and health tests, and consider an adult dog from a rescue whose temperament is already known.