Family dogs are breeds that are primarily used for entertainment. These dogs are the opposite of classic working dogs.
By nature, these four-legged friends develop a close relationship with the family. [1] Below you will find an overview of other types of family dogs:
But can't you just train a dog to be a family dog? Nope. In theory that may be true. In practice, however, this can take a lot of time.
Therefore, a suitable breed is recommended directly to families. Otherwise you will make your life unnecessarily difficult. Here you will learn about 34 medium-sized family dogs.
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#1 Beagles
The Beagle comes from England and was bred specifically for hunting. In the dog world, this four-legged friend has one of the best noses ever. This makes him the ideal sniffer dog. [2]
In addition, the Beagle's amiable nature makes it suitable for keeping in an apartment. The four-legged friend is one of the medium-sized family dogs.
Despite its size, this four-legged friend needs a lot of exercise. He has a very strong hunting instinct and tends to bark a lot. The four-legged friend doesn't like loneliness that much.
Fun fact: Floppy ears not only look funny, but they also usually have a function in dogs. They waft exciting smells directly into the animals' noses as they run.
#2 American Cocker Spaniel
The American Cocker Spaniel is a high-maintenance dog. It was originally bred as a waterfowl hunting dog. Accordingly, he is a good swimmer. [3]
The medium-sized family dog has an open, gentle nature. He gets along well with other dogs and is friendly towards strangers.
However, without socialization, the American Cocker Spaniel is often nervous around people. In general, it is a sensitive breed of dog that does not deal well with criticism.
Fun fact: These four-legged friends are particularly popular on social media when they are puppies. What other dog breed has ears longer than legs?
#3 Eurasians
The Eurasier is a family-oriented dog from Germany. The calm, alert four-legged friend makes an excellent, medium-sized family dog. He loves being close to family. [4]
The intelligent four-legged friend has a weak hunting instinct and is also suitable as a guide or therapy dog. The Eurasier is often reserved towards strangers.
The four-legged friend can be used as a guard dog, but should always be allowed to maintain contact with people. This breed of dog hates loneliness and always wants to be there.
Fun fact: Eurasians have little stamina. When playing with dogs of other breeds, they are almost always the first to end up exhausted on the ground.
#4 Tibetan Terrier
This terrier breed from Tibet consists of energetic, charming four-legged friends. They shed very little and are easy to train. The four-legged friends bark a lot and hardly hunt.
This dog breed is also known as the “Holy Dogs of Tibet”. Tibetan terriers are therefore lucky charms. The medium-sized family dogs are ideal apartment animals.
On average, the four-legged friends live up to 16 years. They are well suited for first-time owners and also get along very well with children or other dogs. [5]
Fun fact: Because these dogs' paws are so wide, they are also known as «snowshoes» in China.
#5 Australian Kelpie
The Australian Kelpie is a popular sheep or goat sheepdog. The four-legged friend is kept around 2-3 million times worldwide. The dog is also popular in the rescue service.
The eager dog belongs to any breed that needs a lot of mental and physical activity. Kelpies are medium-sized family dogs with a strong hunting instinct. [6]
The four-legged friends come in completely black or brown. They used to be particularly popular with farmers because they required little supervision and provided extra work.
Fun fact: Australian Kelpies are not only endurance work animals, but also sports junkies. There is even one that holds the world surfing record. The dog independently surfed a wave over 107 m long.
#6 Icelandic Dog
The Icelandic Hound is a curious, resilient dog with a strong hunting instinct. The medium-sized family dog belongs to the only native dog breed from Iceland. [7]
The four-legged friend is still relatively rare today. There are only 5000 copies worldwide. The Icelandic Dog's temperament is playful and alert. He gets along well with children.
He is also the ideal sheepdog and working dog. He is alert and fearless, but never aggressive. He follows his owners everywhere. He is quiet inside and active outside.
Fun fact: What is curious is that these four-legged friends often look at the sky. This is because they used to protect sheep from birds of prey.
#7 Sussex Spaniel
The Sussex Spaniel is a breed of dog with long floppy ears. This Spaniel breed comes from England and is one of the medium-sized family dogs. [8]
The four-legged friends need little exercise and have only a low hunting instinct. They shed moderately and are moderately easy to train. Tends to be a rather unpopular breed.
They are often stubborn during training. But these dogs naturally get along very well with strange dogs or children. They enjoy their attention.
Fun fact: The chest hair on these brown spaniels is usually so long that you can hardly see their legs from the front.
#8 Boykin Spaniel
The Boykin Spaniel is an energetic four-legged friend from the USA. The hard-working four-legged friend was bred as a hunting dog for turkeys and waterfowl. He swims excellently. [9]
The four-legged friends are also medium-sized family dogs. They get along very well with children and dogs. They love attention and lots of exercise.
The young, brown dog breed has only been around for 100 years. South Carolina even has a holiday – Boykin Spaniel Day – celebrated annually on September 1st.
Fun fact: The Boykin Spaniel literally works until he drops. Especially when temperatures are high, you should take regular breaks so that your four-legged friend doesn't collapse.
#9 Shiba Inu
The Shiba Inu is a four-legged friend from Japan. The former hunting dog is now the most popular family dog in Japan. And this despite the fact that the breed only gives birth to a maximum of 3 puppies per year. [10]
At around 9 kg, the Shiba Inu is considered the smallest Japanese breed. By our standards, it is a medium-sized family dog with a confident, alert nature.
This four-legged friend reacts cautiously towards strangers. He behaves less like a dog and more like a cat. The life expectancy of this dog is 15 years.
Fun fact: Shiba Inus don't bark, they scream. And especially when something doesn't suit them.
#10 Lowchen
The Löwchen is an intelligent, cheerful four-legged friend from Europe. The rare breed of dog weighs around 6 kg when fully grown and is considered hypoallergenic with its low-shedding coat.
The medium-sized family dog lives up to 18 years and has a strong hunting instinct. The four-legged friend barks a lot and needs a lot of exercise. He gets along well with children.
The Löwchen is ideal for apartment life and can also be trained very well by first-time owners. The four-legged friend is quite susceptible to cold and sun. [11]
Fun fact: This breed of dog was considered a sign of courage in the Middle Ages. Returning soldiers were therefore often immortalized in a portrait with their four-legged friends after the war.
#11 Basset Hound
The Basset Hound is a short-legged dog from England. The sniffer dog was originally bred for hunting. The four-legged friend has one of the best noses in the dog kingdom. [12]
With its olfactory receptors, the basset hound is able to smell more than 1,000 times better than humans. Visually, the medium-sized family dog looks more like a dachshund.
The four-legged friend's temperament is good-natured and cozy. He is considered lazy and cannot be trained very well. Bassets spend most of their time with their noses down above the ground.
Fun fact: For physiological reasons, this breed often struggles with flatulence. So you shouldn't have a particularly sensitive nose if you want to take this stinky dog into your home.
#12 Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever comes from Canada. It is the smallest of six retriever species and was bred specifically for hunting. [13]
The four-legged friend sheds a moderate amount, needs a lot of exercise and has a strong hunting instinct. He is also a great swimmer thanks to his webbed toes.
Since this retriever has a lot of energy, you should exercise him well. Even beginners get along well with this loving, sociable four-legged friend.
Fun fact: When these medium-sized family dogs start to get bored, they often start digging furiously. Unfortunately, your flower beds are no exception.
#13 Wolfspitz
The Wolfsspitz is an extroverted, fast four-legged friend from Germany. At up to 30 kg, it is the largest of five Spitz species from Germany. He has almost no hunting instinct. [14]
The four-legged friend lives up to 14 years and is considered an excellent family dog. He is easy to train and only needs a moderate amount of exercise. But he barks and sheds a lot.
The medium-sized family dog reacts aggressively towards strangers. He loves attention and is usually stubborn when untrained. In general he is a quick learner.
Fun fact: Be careful with fine wooden furniture! This four-legged friend particularly likes to gnaw and even more so when left alone.
#14 Airedale Terriers
The Airedale Terrier is a friendly, loyal four-legged friend from England. The dog was bred as a hunting and working animal. Today you can also find him at the police or in service.
The so-called large “King of Terriers” weighs between 16 and 23 kg when fully grown. It has a very strong hunting instinct and is particularly suitable for hunting large game. [15]
But the Airedale Terrier is also ideal as a medium-sized family dog. He gets along very well with children and other dogs. However, he likes to hunt other pets too much.
Fun fact: You won't find the cuddly puppy look on this terrier. His look is rather grim and stubborn.
#15 Norwegian Lundehund
The Norwegian Lundehund specialized in hunting the so-called “puffin”, a rare species of bird. However, today this is forbidden. [16]
Since then, the medium-sized family dog has been primarily a house dog. He has a weak hunting instinct, needs a lot of exercise and barks a lot. He trains well.
Nevertheless, this rare breed is one of the most unpopular dogs in the world. There are only around 1,400 examples of this breed left worldwide. Practically they are almost…