Great dogs for a large house

A large house is often a family house. As such, many dogs found in large houses are also used to children, have high energy levels and a calm temperament.

Quite often, family dogs need a lot of exercise. They may not be the biggest dogs (a collie, for instance) but they have plenty of energy, are inquisitive and can quite happily enjoy multiple walks. They are often also happy being walked by all ages, meaning that older children can also take them out as needed.

Big dogs for big houses?

The usual assumption is that the bigger the dog, the bigger the house required to adequately house both the dog and their owners. This is not necessarily the case, as mastiffs are equally at home in an apartment as in a house. But many family dogs are larger breeds such as Labradors, Retrievers or German Shepherds. They are easy going, loyal and in the case of the German Shepherd, a fantastic guard dog. For a truly big dog, look no further than a Great Dane, Saint Bernard or Newfoundland. These breeds do need a large space and lots of exercise so if there are many willing volunteers for dog walking duties, this is a decided bonus.

Training is vital

Training is vital for all dogs – they need to know when they’ve behaved badly or unacceptably. But with larger dogs the capacity for damage from lack of training is magnified due to their size. A bored border collie or under-trained red setter can wreak havoc in even the largest home in a very short space of time. A well trained dog, on the other hand, will be the recipient of jealous glances and admiring looks from strangers impressed with their obedience.

Guard dogs

It is a myth that guard dogs can’t be family pets. Ex-police dogs, and those who drop out midway through training, often find a new life as a family pet. Well trained Rottweilers and Dobermans are devoted to their owners as well as being a great deterrent. Aggression and uncontrolled behaviour in a dog often shows itself as a result of poor training and lack of obedience. Breeding can also play a part, but can often be moderated with adequate training from an experienced or dedicated owner.

There are a wide variety of great dogs for a large house. Even some unlikely or lesser known candidates such as the Basset Hound, Old English Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, Vizsla, Irish Water Spaniel or Komondor are suitable for life in a family home, where something is always going on and a walk is never far away.