Ready to add a furry friend to your family but worried about aggression? You’re not alone. Temperament is an important factor to consider when adopting a new dog. But with so many breeds to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. To help you find the perfect pup, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 least aggressive dog breeds.
From the gentle Shih Tzu to the playful Papillon Dogs, these beautiful dogs are sure to make a paw-sitive addition to your home.
So if you’re looking for a loyal companion with a laid-back attitude, read on for the 10 non aggressive dog breeds for peace-loving families.
Contents
- The Labrador Retriever
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Shih Tzu
- English Bulldog
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Papillon
- Beagle
- Pug
- Great Dane
- Conclusion
10 Least Aggressive Dog Breeds
The Golden Retriever
Starting the list with a personal favorite, a super adorable and well-known breed – the Golden Retriever. Although during the early developmental stages, they can be hyperactive and excited, you can correct this behavior easily through training.
Generally, these dogs are calm, intelligent, strong, and energetic and make a great addition to families with kids.
The Golden Retrievers can act up as great service dogs as well. They are capable of performing several tasks, like opening and closing doors, guiding a person, dropping objects, pulling things, etc. This breed is social in nature and gets along well with other pets and people.
When it comes to physical appearance, Golden Retrievers have beautiful, lustrous coats, and you can find several types in them, including Light Golden, Dark Golden, and Cream Golden. On average, these dogs live for 10 to 12 years and can grow up to 24 to 26 inches in height.
The Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers are similar to Golden Retrievers in terms of looks and nature. However, they have a few major differences.
For example, both are double-coated, but Golden Retrievers have longer hair, and they may not be suitable for people with allergies. Moreover, Labradors are slightly more energetic and are available in multiple coat varieties: Chocolate, Black, and Yellow (ranging between pale yellow and fox red).
Besides some other minor differences in appearance, both breeds are equally lovable, friendly, and active. The average life of a Labrador is around 10 to 12 years, and their maximum weight can reach up to 55 to 80 pounds in males and 50 to 70 pounds in females.
Bernese Mountain Dog
Originating from the Swiss Alps, the Bernese Mountain Dog is a large pooch breed that was developed in 1912 as a result of the cross between a hound dog and a Mastiff. Also known as Berner Sennenhund, these tri-colored pooches not only look extremely adorable, but they are known for their noble nature as well.
On average, a male Bernese Mountain Dog can weigh as heavy as 120 pounds, and its majestic size makes the breed stand out in a crowd. To prevent any inconvenience, you would need to ensure that they are active and not overweight. These doggies live for 7 to 8 years on average.
Bernese Mountain Dogs are suitable for active families as they love doing outdoor activities. It is important to know that; this is a purebred, and you have to be prepared for their potential medical conditions, like joint issues and cancers.
Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu is a toy breed that grows between 9 and 10 inches (maximum) in height. The meaning of its name is ‘little lion’, but unlike the aggression of a lion, they are loving, sweet, quiet, friendly, and cuddly in nature.
These dogs are well-known as excellent companions and lap dogs, so if you are looking for a pooch to cuddle all day, then this one will suit you the best.
Shih Tzus are not very energetic; thus, they can easily get comfortable in a small space. However, these pups require regular maintenance and grooming to prevent certain health conditions, like eye infections and dental conditions.
Moreover, if you have small kids, teach them to be kind and gentle to these dogs, as they may get harmed easily.
English Bulldog
Here comes the iconic and one of the non dominant dog breeds in the world- the English Bulldog. Their nature is protective, friendly, loyal, and docile. The playfulness of these flat-faced doggies may sometimes be confused with aggression, but it’s mostly the typical Bulldog behavior – tumble and rough.
The skin of English Bulldogs requires regular grooming because of the presence of wrinkles and folds. Also, they can’t tolerate high heat, exertion, and being in the water. So, make sure to never leave them unsupervised near the water as it can be harmful to them.
Due to their muscular physique and territorial instincts, bulldogs can also be trained as watchdogs. Moreover, they have a quiet nature and don’t bark much, but expect a noisy night with this submissive dog breed as they snore while sleeping due to the face structure.
Approximately, English Bulldogs live up to 8 to 10 years and weigh about 50 to 55 pounds (males) and 40 to 50 pounds (females).
Portuguese Water Dog
The other name of Portuguese Water Dogs is Cao de Agua meaning the dog of water. They belong to a least-aggressive dog breed and are known for their unique appearance.
As the name suggests, Portuguese Water dogs love to be in the water. They are generally kind, helping, energetic, easily trainable, and low-shedding dogs who enjoy socializing and outdoor activities, like exercise and walking. No wonder why Barack Obama kept the first Portuguese water dog ‘BO’ in the White House.
This breed weighs up to 60 pounds and can live for 10 to 14 years. The Portuguese Water Dogs require regular hair trims, and they are prone to issues like congenital problems and hip dysplasia. They are available in several colors, like black and white, black and brown with silver tips.
Papillon Dogs
The Papillon made it to the list of dogs that are not aggressive because of their loving, sweet nature. Papillon is basically a French word that means butterfly. The ears of this breed are fluttery and similar to wings, hence the name.
These dogs are delicate, sweet, and super friendly with people, especially small kids. However, you will have to train the youngsters to be gentle and compassionate towards them because they are delicate. The average lifespan of this breed is around 14 to 16 years, and the maximum weight can reach up to 7 – 10 pounds
Papillon doggies have a beautiful coat that is seen in a variety of colors, like black and white, red and white, white, fawn and white, sable, chocolate, and white.
Beagle
Beagle is another least aggressive dog breed to own. They have adorable tricolor patterning, adorable faces, and kind nature. In addition to being low maintenance, these dogs get along well with children and other pets. However, you would need to keep an eye on younger children as they may hurt Beagles accidentally.
Besides, they can be naturally loud, so reconsider owning this breed if you live in a crowded neighborhood. Beagles are prone to obesity-related issues in case their food intake is excessive.
Apart from this, they have wonderful tracking skills because of their strong sense of smell. You can make good use of these sniffing skills by playing several indoor activities, but make sure to be careful outdoors because beagles can easily get distracted by a scent and may sniff away in that direction.
The good thing is that; this breed is trainable, so that you can correct their behavior with time. The average lifespan of beagles is 12 to 15 years.
Pug
Originating from China, Pugs came to Europe in the 16th century. They gained a lot of popularity in the Netherlands and became a part of the Royal family in the 19th century because of the love of Queen Victoria for the breed.
Also known as Dutch bulldogs, pugs have unique facial features due to wrinkles and flat muzzles. Get ready for some fun moments and activities if you are planning to own a pug.
The only disadvantage of this breed is their level of shedding, which may vary from moderate to severe, depending on the season and the dog’s age. However, there is a solution to this problem getting a black pug because they have a single coat and shed less than other dogs of the same breed.
Furthermore, pugs are ideal to be kept in small apartments as they are quiet and calm. You can also train them to learn multiple commands. On average, these dogs live for 12 to 15 years.
Great Dane
A wonderful breed that I adore the most! Originating from Germany, Great Danes may scare people with their size, but they are admired by those who know about their gentle and friendly nature. These dogs are friendly towards other animals that are raised with them but may show aggression with strangers’ pets.
Although their energy level is low like other big doggies; however, they may not accommodate comfortably in a small space because of their size.
Note that the bone structure of Great Dane develops fully when they are 8 to 12 months, so make sure to be gentle to them and don’t start training before the suitable age. This breed has good hunting instincts and lives up to 10 years on average.
Final Words
Choosing the right pooch pet that suits your lifestyle is certainly a big decision, especially if you have kids or an elderly at home. No wonder why a majority of people prefer owning a least aggressive dog breed.
Hope this guide will make your search easy. All of the mentioned breeds have some pros and cons, but one thing is certain; they are equally adorable, friendly, and non dominant dogs.
