“Doggo, pupper, goodest boy” these are all relatively new slang words for man’s best friend: the loyal dog.
And there are hundreds of different breeds, from the fluffiest and the fastest to the little yappy ones.
So which are the best dog breeds for men? Find out below.
1. Dalmatians: For the Active Man
You don’t need 100 and 1 of them to be happy – 1 or two is enough. Dalmations are a rarer breed, but they’re worth the cost of adopting one – if you can find one from a shelter.
If you find a dalmatian at a shelter – lucky you! Most people have to buy puppies from (responsible!) breeders.
Anyways – there’s a reason that firemen trust the dalmatian to go on the job with them. They’re very intelligent, which means they’re easy to train.
They’re an energetic breed, which means they’re not a great apartment or indoor pet. But if you have a big backyard and you like to go on walks and bike rides – your dalmatian will get the exercise he needs.
In terms of hair and fur – they don’t shed much and yes – it’s true that dalmatians get more spots as they get older, or at least until they’re an adult.
If you’re not home a lot or you’re planning on crating your puppy overnight, don’t get a dalmatian. They get depressed when left alone for too long, and yes, dog depression is a real thing.
They’ll be the perfect pet to snuggle on the couch with watching movies or go on trail runs with. Just make sure you give them frequent baths to keep their stunning black and white fur white!
2. Golden Retrievers: For the Family Man
There’s pretty much no better family dog than a golden retriever, at least, not one that’s so easy to come by.
Golden retrievers are related to labradors, but they come from more of a hunting stock than your classic lab mix. That’s why they’re called retrievers – they’re good at fetch.
Whether you’re fetching small animals or small toys – or basketballs if you’re Air Bud.
They’re perfect family dogs because they’re loyal, easy to train, and friendly. If you want a dog that will stand up to intruders if they feel they’re threatening your family but never harm a hair on your child’s body – the Golden is for you.
They’re very patient with kids, putting up with hair pulling and other learning-how-to-be-around-dog annoyances.
If you have a larger home, you can keep goldens as indoor dogs, but be sure to take them on long walks, more than just one lap around the building to go potty.
They get big, around 40 pounds and they can live for up to 12 years. That’s a long time for a dog! Especially with the mixes of dogs nowadays that have a range of medical problems.
If you’re anti-shedding and don’t like using a lint roller, a golden isn’t the dog for you. Their flowing golden mane will get all over your home, but not more than any other shedding dog.
That golden mane is waterproof if you can believe it! It’s “double-layered” which means the outside layer gets wet but their skin will stay dry.
And that’s a good thing since most goldens love to swim. You may even get them to play fetch in the water – watching them hold their toy in their mouth as they doggy paddle back to you.
If you’re a family man looking for a family dog that will live for most of your child’s early childhood, a Golden is the right choice for you. You can also look at red golden retrievers as another option.
3. Siberian Husky: For the Outdoor Challenge Seeker
If you like a challenge, like you always seem to go for the women that like to push your buttons, you’ll do well with a Husky. They’re not naughty dogs, don’t get us wrong, or they wouldn’t be on this list.
But they are sometimes too smart for their own good. There are stories of them learning how to open the refrigerator and helping themselves to whatever they can knock over and chew open.
They’re also pretty smart when it comes to escaping/getting outside. So if you live in a busy city where getting out the door means they’d be right in the middle of traffic, steer away from this fluffy breed.
And while they’re high spirited and sometimes mischevious, they’re very obedient. As long as you don’t let them get too bored, which is when the mischief happens.
You’ll see huskies in dog shows because they’re so eager to please their owners, which makes them easy to train.
You also shouldn’t get a husky if you live somewhere where it’s hot all the time. Yes, they have ways of cooling themselves down and you can shave down their coat, but these dogs are meant to live in cold climates.
Hence the name “Siberian” huskies. The breed originated there, where the breed helped pull heavy sleds over long, snow-covered distances.
4. Pugs: For the Apartment Dweller
If you have a small house or live in an apartment, you’ll need a smaller dog. The general rule is the bigger the dog, the more space it needs to live.
And pugs can get heavy, but height and lengthwise, they stay pretty small.
Now, this isn’t the dog to get if you’re on a budget or pinching pennies. While pugs are healthy when they’re young, it’s common for them to get medical problems with old age.
They’re also not the kind of dog for you if you don’t want to do hands-on care of your dog. Since they have so many folds and wrinkles, bathing them takes longer than you’d think – for their size.
Personality-wise they can be very playful and funny, but they’re more low-key than some little, yappier dogs. They’re very loyal, but they’re not going to run a marathon with you, their little legs can’t keep up.
Pugs are good around kids, too, but not quite as patient as a golden retriever.
They’re not quite, as many of them develop some sort of noise while they’re breathing, which can sound like a stuffed nose or even grunts.
If you want a small dog and you’re willing to take good care of it (which should go without saying) a pug is the pet for you.
Don’t get pulled into the “Puggle” or other pug-mix crazes, though. Pugs eventually develop health issues on their own, they don’t need any help from questionable breeding.
5. Saint Bernards: For the Explorer
Saint Bernards are great dogs – they’re strong, smart, and gorgeous (as long as you like fur and drool). They started as mountain guide dogs, as they were named for the Saint Bernard Pass.
They’re still used for rescue missions in extreme settings, like avalanche rescue teams.
They’re great with kids, even though their rugged nature would suggest otherwise. If you’ve seen the original Peter Pan movie, their dog Nana is a Saint Bernard, and for some reason, is in charge of keeping the children safe.
Those were wild times (and it’s just a movie).
If you’re not patient and consistent, training can be difficult, since these dogs are so smart. It’s best to get one when they’re young, otherwise, they’ll be very set in their ways.
This is another breed that doesn’t do well in the heat, so please don’t get one if you live in a hot climate.
Places like Colorado, where’s there’s a mild summer and a good cool fall/cold winter are perfect places for these big furry teddy bear dogs.
A final tip – these dogs get drooly, especially as they get older. It has to do with the way their mouth is shaped, and the big “lips” they have underneath it. If you’re a very keep-everything-clean(!) person, this may not be the dog for you.
6. and 7. French Bulldogs or Boston Terriers
Smaller doesn’t necessarily mean “less manly” when it comes to cute doggos. If you go small, go muscular, like a pug or a bulldog.
French bulldogs and Boston terriers look rather alike, other than their faces and coloring. Frenchies look a little bit more like a pug, while Boston terriers look like a boxer.
Both are small but energetic breeds, who’ll need at least two walks a day, but can be trained to be apartment dogs.
They’re not as patient with children, but they’re not aggressive unless they were trained to be.
Many of these smaller dogs are afraid of thunder, so you need to know where to buy CBD oil for dogs. That can help them go from shaky to ready to play when the sky’s grey.
They’re big lickers, even compared to most dogs, so again – not a pup for germaphobes.
If you’re against germs and dirt in general, look into hypoallergenic breeds, like poodles or doodles.
The Best Dog Breeds for Men
When it comes to choosing a dog for you, having a specific breed in mind makes it harder to adopt – not shop.
The best dog breeds for men are just dogs that they love – and hopefully that they got from the shelter.
For more manly tips on everything from cars to grooming, click around.
