5 Wonderful Street Dog Breeds That Make the Best Family Pets
When it comes to choosing a dog to welcome into your family, there are many factors to consider – size, energy level, grooming needs, and compatibility with children, just to name a few. While purebred dogs have long been a popular choice, more and more animal lovers are discovering the joys of adopting a lovable street dog.
Street dogs, also known as "village dogs", "pariah dogs", or "indigenous dogs", are the semi-feral, free-roaming canine residents found in many parts of the world. While their exact ancestry is often unknown, they are thought to be the descendants of ancient dog populations that have lived alongside humans for thousands of years.
Far from being "damaged goods", street dogs that end up in shelters or rescues can make incredible family companions. They are often highly intelligent, adaptable, affectionate, and eager to please. By adopting a street dog, you not only provide a loving home to a canine in need, but experience the rewards of an eternally grateful and loyal friend.
In this article, we‘ll highlight 5 street dog breeds that make especially wonderful additions to a family, and share some tips for successfully integrating a shelter dog into your household. But first, let‘s review some key things to evaluate when choosing any family dog.
What to Look For in a Family Dog
No matter what breed or mix you are considering for your family pet, keep the following in mind:
Temperament
Look for an inherently friendly, social, and gentle disposition. A family dog should enjoy the company of people and get along with children. Avoid overly fearful, aggressive, or high-strung dogs.
Size and Energy Level
Make sure to choose a dog whose size and activity needs are a good fit for your living space and lifestyle. A large, high energy dog may not thrive in a small apartment, while an older or more sedentary family may be better suited to a calm, low-key lap dog vs. an intense working breed.
Trainability
The best family dogs are easy to train and responsive to commands. Look for an intelligent, biddable dog who is motivated to work with you and aims to please. Stubborn, independent-minded breeds can be more challenging to handle, especially for first-time owners.
Grooming Needs
Factor in the time and expense required to keep a dog well-groomed. Long, continually growing coats demand frequent brushing and trips to the groomers. Dogs that shed heavily mean more housecleaning. Low-maintenance coats are best for busy families.
Health
Learn about any breed-specific health issues and factor in potential veterinary expenses down the line. In general, street dogs tend to be healthier than their purebred counterparts due to their genetically diverse backgrounds.
Compatibility
If you have young children or other pets, temperament is especially important. Look for a dog that is social and accepting of other animals, as well as patient and gentle with kids. Always supervise and teach children how to respectfully interact with dogs.
Now that we‘ve covered the fundamentals of picking a family-friendly canine, let‘s meet some of the best street dog breeds around the world that often fly under the radar:
5 Loving Street Dog Breeds for Families
1. Pariah Dog (Indian Native Dog)
Pariah dogs are the indigenous landrace breed found throughout the Indian subcontinent. With a history tracing back at least 15,000 years, they are considered one of the oldest domesticated dog breeds in existence. Highly intelligent and adaptable, Pariahs served as treasured hunting and herding partners to ancient humans.
Today, these medium-sized dogs are a common sight in villages and cities in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. They have short, low-maintenance coats in shades of red, fawn, brindle, and pied. With their pointy ears, wedge-shaped heads, and slender but muscular frames, Pariah dogs bear a striking resemblance to the Australian Dingo and Carolina Dog.
Personality-wise, Pariah dogs are renowned for their gentle, sensitive, and affectionate nature, bonding closely with their families. Highly trainable and eager to please, they excel not only as loving companions but as vigilant watchdogs, therapy dogs, and even assistance dogs for the disabled.
While wary of strangers, Pariah dogs are social with other dogs and accepting of other pets. They make patient, understanding playmates for children with proper socialization. Energetic and athletic, Pariahs do best with an active family that provides ample exercise and playtime.
As a primitive "natural" breed with a diverse gene pool, the hardy Pariah tends to have few major health issues. However, many rescued Pariahs may carry internal parasites or have skin conditions due to formerly living on the streets. With proper veterinary care and a high quality diet, most thrive.
2. Aspin (Asong Pinoy)
The Aspin, or "Asong Pinoy" (meaning "dog of the Filipino people"), is the generic street dog native to the Philippines. Also known as the Philippine Native Dog, they were originally bred by the Visayan people as far back as 3000 years ago to assist in hunting and guarding.
Aspins share the same ancestral roots as other South Pacific dogs like the Indonesian Kintamani and Japanese Shiba Inu. They are small to medium in size, with short coats in shades of brown, black, and white. Athletic and agile, they have lean, well-muscled bodies, pointy snouts, and upright, triangle-shaped ears.
Renowned for their lively, playful, and affectionate personalities, Aspins make devoted family companions and are especially patient and gentle with children. Quick-witted and easy to train, many rescued Aspins go on to careers as police K9s, seeing eye dogs, and emotional support animals.
Aspins tend to have a strong prey drive, so they may chase after small animals like cats unless socialized with them from a young age. Early training and positive reinforcement are key to preventing problem behaviors. As energetic, athletic dogs, they require plenty of exercise and do best with room to run.
Health-wise, Aspins evolved to tolerate the tropical climate of their homeland and are a hardy, long-lived breed with few genetic issues. However, many rescues may suffer from neglect, malnutrition, and untreated injuries or parasites at first. Most bounce back quickly with proper care.
3. Potcake Dog
"Potcakes" are the indigenous mixed-breed dogs found on several Caribbean islands, especially the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos. The name comes from the congealed rice and pea mixture scraped from the bottom of cooking pots that locals traditionally fed the street dogs.
With ancestry tracing back to the dogs brought to the Caribbean by the Arawaks over a thousand years ago, Potcakes also share DNA with dogs later imported by European colonizers. They are medium-sized dogs with smooth, short coats in every color and pattern. Most have cocked ears, long snouts, and sturdy, agile frames.
Possessed of a friendly, outgoing demeanor, Potcakes are known for their sweet, gentle disposition and intense loyalty to their families. Playful and energetic, they make enthusiastic playmates for kids while still being careful not to knock over small children.
Potcakes are eager to please and responsive to training, excelling at canine sports like agility and flyball. As social dogs that don‘t like to be left alone for long periods, they do best with a family that can provide plenty of attention and interaction throughout the day.
As an "island dog", Potcakes tend to tolerate hot weather well but have little tolerance for cold. They can suffer from sunburn and skin cancer, so it‘s important to limit prolonged sun exposure. Other than that, the diverse Potcake gene pool lends itself to generally good health and longevity.
4. Thai Bangkaew Dog
The Thai Bangkaew Dog is a primitive landrace breed native to the Bang Rakam district of Phitsanulok province in central Thailand. Bred for centuries by the local Pungluang people as all-purpose farm dogs, Bangkaews served as herders, hunters, guardians, and loyal companions.
With a muscular, medium-sized frame, the Bangkaew has the classic "spitz" look with a wedge-shaped head, prick ears, and a bushy tail curled over the back. Their dense double coat comes in shades of fawn, red, black, grey, and brindle, often with striking mask-like facial markings.
Prized for their courageous, devoted nature, Bangkaews were trusted to protect homes and livestock from dangerous predators like snakes and tigers. While aloof with strangers, they bond extremely closely with their families and are affectionate, patient, and protective of children.
The highly intelligent Bangkaew has a mind of its own and can have a stubborn streak, so a firm but positive approach to training is essential from puppyhood. As a high energy working breed, they need an active lifestyle with plenty of exercise to stay happy and healthy.
Thanks to their isolated development in the remote Thai countryside, Bangkaews retain a robust gene pool and are a generally healthy, hardy breed. However, they are prone to developing hip dysplasia, so responsible breeders screen for this condition. Bangkaews have a lifespan of 12-13 years on average.
5. Taiwan Dog (Formosan Mountain Dog)
The Taiwan Dog, also known as the Formosan Mountain Dog or Taiwanese Native Dog, is an ancient breed indigenous to the island of Taiwan off the coast of China. With a history going back 10,000-20,000 years, they likely descended from the semi-wild dogs that accompanied the first Taiwanese aborigines.
Considered a "primitive breed", the Taiwan Dog has remained relatively unchanged over millennia. They are medium-sized, sturdy dogs with wedge-shaped heads, almond eyes, small prick ears, and sickle-shaped tails. Their short, dense coat comes in black, tan, white, brindle or spotted.
As a landrace breed developed to work closely alongside humans, Taiwan Dogs are prized for their loyal, affectionate, and sensitive nature. While somewhat aloof and territorial with strangers, they bond deeply with their families and are gentle, patient playmates for children.
The clever Taiwan Dog is responsive to training but has an independent streak, so they need patient, consistent training from a young age. Untrained, they can become destructive due to pent-up energy. As an active breed, they thrive with plenty of exercise, especially hiking and playing.
Due to their genetic diversity, Taiwan Dogs are a robustly healthy breed with few inheritable disorders. Most have a long lifespan of 12-15 years. However, many may still suffer the effects of a hard life on the streets, so rescued Taiwan Dogs need extra TLC at first.
Adopting a Street Dog: Tips for a Smooth Transition
Opening your heart and home to an adopted street dog can be incredibly rewarding, but it‘s essential to go in with eyes wide open and armed with plenty of patience and compassion. Many rescued dogs come with emotional "baggage" and need time to decompress and adjust.
When adopting, be sure to work with a reputable rescue that assesses each dog‘s health and temperament to ensure a good match. Prepare your home with dog-friendly spaces, remove hazards, and stock up on key supplies like food, bedding, toys, and grooming tools.
Set up a consistent daily routine for your new arrival with scheduled meals, walks, playtime, and downtime. Establish clear rules and expectations from day one. Encourage positive behaviors with praise, treats, and rewards. Never punish a dog for anxiety-based behaviors.
Allow your new dog ample time to acclimate. Don‘t force interactions and let the dog set the pace. Provide a "safe zone" they can retreat to when overwhelmed. If you have young kids, teach "dog manners" like no pulling ears or tails, no hugging, and leaving a dog alone when eating or sleeping.
With love, structure and consistency, most street dogs blossom into wonderful, well-behaved family members. The bond you develop as you help your rescue overcome a difficult past is like no other. By adopting, you not only transform a deserving dog‘s life, but experience the joy of unconditional love and gratitude.
Why Street Dogs Make the Best Family Pets
As you can see, street dogs come in all shapes, sizes and personalities, but they all have one thing in common: an immense capacity for love and loyalty to the humans in their lives. When given a chance, these intelligent, adaptable survivors make exceptionally devoted family companions.
By adopting a street dog, you not only provide a loving forever home to a pet in need, but enjoy the many rewards of rescuing. Mixed-breed dogs tend to be healthier than their purebred cousins. When you adopt, you combat cruel puppy mill breeding practices. Most of all, you experience the incomparable love of a grateful dog that knows it‘s been given a second chance.
If you‘re ready to welcome a tail-wagging bundle of love into your family, why not visit your local animal shelter or rescue group? Amid the rows of hopeful eyes and wagging tails, your new best friend is waiting to meet you. Give a street dog a home, and you‘ll be repaid in slobbery kisses, unwavering loyalty, and endless love.
