What is the best small dog for your family? That depends. Every breed has some unique characteristics and challenges.

There are a lot of things to consider, like:

• Will this dog play nice with my children?
• Will this dog be a nightmare to train?
• Will this dog bark non-stop and annoy the entire neighborhood?
• And on and on it goes…

As you can see, adopting a puppy isn’t something to be taken lightly, but that’s where we’ll provide a little extra guidance.

We’ve selected 20 small breeds that are best suited for family life. As well as highlighting each of their challenges.

Fun and entertaining, yet loyal and loving, Bedlington Terriers are known to be great family dogs and good around children.

Although they wear lamb’s clothing, these dogs are bold and make excellent watchdogs. They’ll stand up for themselves, and their owners.

Being part of the Terrier family also means they have a very high prey drive. Any bird or rodent that crosses their path will cause a scene, and will usually result in barking and pulling on a leash.

These dogs are intelligent and like to please their owners, however they can be stubborn with training. Also, they also have bags of energy, and some daily exercise goes a long way.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are beyond affectionate and friendly, with a loving attitude that’s immediately contagious. They have moderate energy levels, and love to play and receive all your attention.

But keep in mind these dogs are gentle souls, and frighten easily. Scolding, yelling, or negativity will cause the Cavalier to run and hide. Children will need to be calm, and respect the gentle nature of this canine.

Their intelligence and eagerness to impress their owners makes them very trainable. But being very attached to their owners tends to create severe separation anxiety.

An amazing little companion, the Chihuahua loves all the attention and cuddles. However, due to their small size (and sometimes irritability) they’re better suited to older children rather than boisterous toddlers.

Chihuahuas will choose their owners and stick to them for life. They’re just content to be at your side, and can be described as “Velcro” dogs.

Leaving them alone can lead to a bored and destructive little dog, and they’ll relieve that boredom with a lot of barking and chewing. It’s recommended you have someone keep this dog company at nearly all times.

They have lots of energy and are extremely playful. As long as you use positive reinforcement, you should have no problem training these dogs, as they are quite responsive and eager to please. 

Dachshunds (or sometimes called “Doxies”) are small bundles of joy that spend their days playing and napping. However, they may not be the ideal choice for those with energetic younger kids, as this breed can be possessive and even aggressive if they perceive a threat.

These dogs tend to be great around older children who know how to handle them.

Doxies are incredibly intelligent, but can also be incredibly stubborn. It won’t take long before they think they are in charge of the house. Thankfully, they respond well to positive and assertive leadership.

Potty training is a very big challenge with Dachshunds. And as many owners will tell you, Dachshunds will continuously test the rules even years after training.

The biggest heart of all the dogs, the Havanese has only one thing on it’s mind, and that’s you. If you’re looking for a love-stricken lap dog then look no further, these dogs will be glued to your side.

But with all that attachment the Havanese do not like being left alone, and will usually resort to barking and annoying the neighbors.

Early socialization to children and other dogs is important. It will help build confidence and curb bad behaviors. And while training these dogs may be a slow process, you’ll eventually be rewarded with a perfect family canine.

Although the Havanese does not shed, frequent brushing and grooming are required to keep your pup free from painful mats.

The Italian Greyhound is known as an athletic breed, but what you might not expect is these dogs to have a very calm and lovable demeanor. While they love a good run, they especially love nap time and warming up with their owners.

They can be shy and timid, so you’ll need to work with them to build confidence. They are good and tolerant with children but are better suited to slightly older children who are not likely to be rough with the pet.

Training can sometimes be a challenge – especially with potty training. However, greyhounds are incredibly sensitive to scolding, so only positive training will move you forward.

The Lhasa Apso is a proud and fiercely loyal breed, that takes protective duty very seriously

If they are exposed to children from an early age, these dogs are a great addition to the family. It is best to supervise them in the early stages with kids, as it is important for them to be properly socialized both with kids and other pets.

Because of their watchdog instincts, they may be unkind to strangers or outsiders.

The Lhasa Apso is an active breed but does not require a huge amount of exercise. The breed can be obstinate, and this can make general training and housebreaking quite difficult.

Gentle yet brave, the Maltese are energetic, playful and sweet with a very gentle nature. But it’s important to socialize them to kids while they’re still pups, as an older dog may feel the need to “protect” their owner.

Maltese may act like a princess, but they truly love running and playing. They are highly trainable and excel at learning new tricks.

Their beautiful coat requires a lot of upkeep, so expect to brush them daily and make frequent visits to your groomer.

These are small dogs with big personalities. Intelligent and eager to please, they are very trainable dogs. Schnauzers are lively and energetic, with a ecstatic outlook on life and a very sweet demeanor.

But sometimes their energetic attitude gets them in trouble, so daily exercise will keep them tired and out of bad behavior.

These dogs tend to get along well with other pets and are fantastic around children. Their sweet personality and trainability makes them a good all-round family dog.

Intelligent, friendly, fearless, and affectionate, these dogs get on well children, other pets, and just about everyone they meet. However, they are best suited to older children who do not engage in rough play and know how to handle the dog.

The Papillon curiosity and excitement knows no bounds, and they’re always happy to meet new people. While they’re lively and energetic, they are also obedient. They thrive when given attention and new challenges, which makes training an absolute joy.

Fun-loving and energetic, these small but sturdy dogs are little comedians and are great for families with children.

They’re not the most energetic bunch, but they certainly enjoy some daily walks and playtime. However, they can also be challenging to train because of their stubborn attitude. They tend to get bored, or sometimes jealous, and will look for mischievous ways to pass the time.

Also, their unique face structure may lead to health problems later on, along with a lot of loud snoring and wheezing.

These docile and cute dogs are great with other household pets and ideal for families with kids. Affectionate and charming, they are distinctive little dogs that are very friendly and loyal. The Shih Tzu loves to learn, and this means that they are highly trainable and eager to please.

Shih Tzu’s can be quite energetic. Therefore, some playtime, training, walks, and new challenges are all great ways to let off excess energy.

Here’s another little secret: the only better thing than one Shih Tzu, is two Shih Tzus! That’s because these dogs will flourish with a friend they can play and learn with.

The toy poodle is a breed that is very intelligent, excellent at learning and has plenty of energy. Their ability to learn and eager to please make’s the poodle an absolute joy to train.

Friendly and outgoing, they make ideal family pets and are great around children and other household pets. But because these are very intelligent dogs, they can easily become bored, which leads to bad behavior (such as barking, digging, or running in the house).

They need a assertive leader to set the rules, or they may take the roll upon themselves, which can lead to aggressive behavior. They tend to grow calmer as they mature, but still need ways to stimulate their body and mind.

Poodle hair is prone to matting, and requires a visit to the groomer every so often. You can learn to groom from home, but you’ll need the right pair of clippers to get the job done.

Polite and affectionate, these dogs are well suited to families with kids, although they are sensitive to being handled roughly so older kids are probably best. While the Whippet is bred as an athletic dog, they quite enjoy a day of napping and cuddles.

Whippets are emotionally sensitive, so it is important to treat them with respect and positive reinforcement when training.

While these dogs absolutely love (and need) a good walk everyday, be very careful letting them off leash. Any little creature they spot will cause them to give chase with everything they have, and they can run very fast.

Happy, intelligent, and active, these dogs tend to be amazing with kids, making them an excellent choice as a family pet.

They are a high energy breed that require regular walks and mental stimulation. But their intelligence (mixed with their undying love for their owners) makes them easy to train.

Eskies are considered “Velcro” dogs, and they’ll be stuck to you for the entire day, following you around the house like a curious shadow. These are not dogs you can leave alone for any long period of time.

The Basset Hound is a hilarious breed known for its comedic nature and affectionate personality. They are mellow dogs that get along well with other pets as well as with children, so they are ideal family dogs.

However, you may find training a struggle, as these dogs can be quite stubborn. Often times they won’t listen unless you have something really good trade in return (like a tasty treat).

In terms of energy, they can be very lazy but still love a few daily play sessions or short walks.

The entire neighborhood will know you adopted a Basset Hound, as they love to announce their presence through howling and barking.

Everything that makes a dog great is in this small lovable package. Beagles are loyal, kind, playful, and always looking for an adventure. But when seeking out new adventures they can often get into some bad behavior, which is why they often need a human with some patience to help them excel.

They are active, lively dogs who are very gentle and trusting. However, Beagles are notoriously difficult to train. Furthermore, they tend to bark a lot, which may quickly annoy the neighbors.

You also need to ensure they get a lot of exercise, otherwise, you could end up with an overweight pet.

Lovable, loyal, and entertaining, this is a breed that is known to get along well with children, making it a popular choice as a family pet.

The Cocker Spaniel is known for their calm demeanor, but also for being a sensitive soul. They are especially reactive to scolding or a negative environment, so they need gentle and positive leadership.

They are sometimes known to bark excessively (especially when left alone), and be timid around strangers. Early socialization and training can work wonders to curb these behaviors.

This is a breed that is energetic, alert, and affectionate. The Keeshond wants nothing more than to spend their entire day with the family. In fact, they are a highly social (and sometimes anxious) dog, so they cannot be left alone for long periods of time.

The Keeshond is considered a “Velcro” dog, they’ll follow you around the house like a curious shadow. And while they are eager to please, they can often be stubborn with training, and tend to bark a lot.

Also, we should mention this dog is a very heavy shedder, and you’ll be brushing them out daily to gain some sort of fur control.

This is a breed that is energetic, alert, and affectionate. The Keeshond wants nothing more than to spend their entire day with the family. In fact, they are a highly social (and sometimes anxious) dog, so they cannot be left alone for long periods of time.

The Keeshond is considered a “Velcro” dog, they’ll follow you around the house like a curious shadow. And while they are eager to please, they can often be stubborn with training, and tend to bark a lot.

Also, we should mention this dog is a very heavy shedder, and you’ll be brushing them out daily to gain some sort of fur control.