Basset Hound

For families who want a big dog's sturdiness at a toddler's eye level, the Basset makes sense: short, heavy-boned and famously unhurried, it is far more likely to lean on a child than to knock one over. That calm comes with a stubborn streak and plenty of drool. The long ears need regular cleaning, and its long back means children should not lift it or coax it on and off the sofa.