The 10 Friendliest Dog Breeds
Dogs will stay beside you through ups and downs. They offer more than unconditional love, friendship, and companionship. If need be, they’ll offer their lives for you. In the eyes of a dog, you are its most precious and most treasured friend. It is not surprising, therefore, that many people consider dogs as their best and most trusted friends. But like everything else in the animal kingdom, not all dogs can display the same level of friendliness we humans expect. And if you wish to bring home a hound that will be your friend for life, you can start with these 10 friendliest dog breeds.
Golden Retriever
The golden boy of the dog world, the Golden Retriever is, without a doubt, the planet’s friendliest canine breed. One look at its smiling eyes and that warm smile is enough to make your day. No wonder this breed is often employed in therapy centers and rehabilitation clinics. Their friendliness is so infectious that people who see them cannot help but feel a tingly warmth in their beings. This is a very sociable dog in the highest order.
Its people-pleasing personality has one major drawback, however. This dog is never meant to be a guard dog. It will greet anyone who comes through your door with that characteristic happy wag of its tail. It will bark but this is to greet the intruder, not scare him.
Always cheerful and very eager to please, the Golden Retriever is the embodiment of what we call a friendly dog. It’s an active dog breed that will play with you and everyone else. It has this unquenchable thirst for life that it loves to share with everyone else. And by everyone, we mean everyone. This includes other pets in the household. This large dog has a very soft heart for children. It adores the little ones in your home. And if you’re patient enough to show your kid how to take care of his Golden Retriever, your kid will have a friend for life.
Take a look at our review of Dog Food for Golden Retrievers for more options.
Labrador Retriever
There’s no questioning the Labrador Retriever’s inclusion in this list of the world’s friendliest dog breeds. Many call it a fisherman’s best friend. It’s a badge it got from its original work hauling fishing nets and carrying messages across boats in the bay. But the Lab is more than a fisherman’s best friend. It also happens to be America’s and the UK’s most loved breed. And it is never surprising to see why.
The Lab is pretty much like the Golden Retriever when it comes to its fun-loving and easy-going nature. It loves to play as much as it loves to work. Its favorite? How about playing a game of fetch, complete with a throw over a body of water? The Lab is a retriever, after all. It will go after anything and everything that you toss or throw. And it will bring it back to you. One good thing about these water dogs is that, despite their awesome size, they’ve got very gentle mouths. This means they will never injure a downed bird when they pick it up with their mouths.
Unfortunately, like its Golden cousin, the Lab doesn’t make for a reliable guard dog, too. Its friendliness is among the highest in the dog kingdom. You can almost always expect this dog breed to greet a troublemaker with a warm smile on its face.
Check out our guide on Dog Food for Labs for more info.
Poodle
People may be put off by its froufrou hairstyle, but there’s no denying the Poodle is one very smart and friendly breed. Poodles are very intelligent and they use this cognitive prowess to entertain their loved ones. These dogs love to show off in front of their family and other individuals. They love hearing the applause and the cheers. The more they have of it, the more that they will try to impress the crowd.
Unfortunately, many individuals look at a Poodle’s entertaining antics as clownish. What they don’t know is that the dog is so serious about gaining the approval of its owner and the attention of everyone else. Yes, the Poodle may have a sense of humor that can rival that of the Three Stooges, but it also has Einstein’s wit.
Poodles have a very sunny disposition and boundless energy. Their affection for their human family is never questioned. They love being around and playing with kids. And if you have a multi-pet household, the Poodle can be a friend to them, too. The fact that it is a low-shedding dog also makes the Poodle a good friend to asthmatics and individuals with allergies.
Collie
Popularized by Lassie, the Collie is one super-adorable and affectionate hound. It is a herding dog by nature, yet it never fails to be a good friend to its family. It may not be as intelligent as its smaller cousin, the Border Collie, but this dog has a charm of its own.
Collies are very easy to housetrain and very eager to please. You may think that its flowing coat will require extensive grooming, but it doesn’t. These dogs are one of the best that any family can bring home. One can never question their loyalty and devotion to their family. And if you have kids, you can bet Lassie here will be his or her friend and protector for many years.
These herding dogs do tend to bark a lot. That’s understandable, owing to their nature as flock herders. But if you think they cannot make friends with other pets in the household, think again. Collies are so friendly that they won’t mind sharing their resources with other pets like cats.
Beagle
They may be small, but their sense of smell is as large as that of a Bloodhound. And while most people think of the Beagle as a top hunter, very few know it as one of the friendliest hounds alive. Beagles are the quintessential pack hunters. They work with their fellow Beagles and other members of the hunting party to zero-in on a prey. It’s an excellent hunter. But what many overlook is the sense of camaraderie and friendship that this dog has to offer.
Its small yet compact built makes the Beagle a favorite among children and adults alike. It has an insatiable appetite for adventure, especially one that involves using its remarkable sense of smell. They may not be as friendly to cats, unlike other dogs on this list, but they sure are friends with children.
Beagles make excellent friends because of their carefree attitude in life. Well, that is when their noses are not activated or triggered by something very interesting. It is never territorial, so people can come and go without the Beagle causing any alarm.
Head over to our review of Dog Food for Beagles for more alternatives.
English Bulldog
Very few breeds of dog can match the docility of the English Bulldog. People who do not know the Bulldog will think that this is a vicious animal, perhaps because of the heavy folds of skin on its face. There are also animated children’s TV shows that depict the Bulldog as a mean dog.
The Bulldog is anything but mean. It is one of those breeds that is the epitome of what a good-natured dog is. Very few breeds can parallel the Bulldog’s love and affection for everyone. If people can only see beyond its doleful appearance, they will see that this dog is a rollicking family companion.
The English Bulldog has come a long way from its original task of fighting fearsome wild animals like bulls in the ring. Today, it is one of the most sought-after breeds because of its gentle and affectionate personality. It’s clever and very easy to train, too. The best part of the Bulldog is that it can be friends with very young children, other dogs, cats, and other pets, too. This is a canine friend you can value for the rest of your life.
Irish Setter
If you look a lot closer at the Irish Setter, you’ll notice an uncanny similarity with the Golden Retriever. And you’d be right. This is because the Irish Setter is one of the four founding breeds for the development of the Golden Retriever. Hence, it is not surprising to see the Irish Setter in this list of the friendliest dog breeds in the world.
Full of energy like the Golden Retriever, the Irish Setter’s love for its people is undeniable. These rollicking redheads use their boundless energy to make your day. This dog is very trainable, although you may find it very stubborn on a few rare occasions. But it is its very sweet and puppy-like vigor that will have you smiling all day. As a matter of fact, you’ll spend a good three years of puppyhood before you can expect this hound to mature.
Children love the playfulness and energy of the Irish Setter. And if you happen to have a Maine Coon or other dog-friendly cats in the household, the Irish Setter is going to be their best friend. Other dog breeds also feel welcome with the Irish Setter around. It’s a big happy family whenever this dog is in the midst.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Bred to be the ultimate companion dog among European royalties, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a true-blue friendly hound. It is a toy dog, but its size puts it more as a small breed. It’s a shadow of its human owners; wherever they go, the Cavalier is sure to follow them around. It does this because of its intense desire to be with its human companions. Once it sees an opening, the Cavalier will immediately jump onto their owner’s lap.
Being a friend to the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel means you’ve got to enjoy the outdoors. This is not an ordinary lap dog that relishes lazy afternoons. It loves long walks, especially if it involves flushing birds from the bush. It is a spaniel, after all.
The Cav is the ideal friend for stay-at-home pet parents as well as individuals who work at home. They’re the best breed for retirees, giving them the much-needed companionship in their golden years. This is a furry friend you won’t mind growing old with.
Newfoundland
Underneath its hulking size and dense coat is a giant-sized couch potato. This is the Newfoundland, a large working dog that has a very docile nature. Among dog lovers, it is one of those breeds that are faithful to the word “gentle giant”. They have the loyalty of an Akita, the strength of a Mastiff, the work ethic of a German Shepherd, and the calmness of a Shih Tzu.
Newfoundlands make for excellent family friend. Its gentle temperament and docile nature make it an excellent playmate of children. Other dogs and cats can be well at ease with this gentle giant around.
While fictional, Peter Pan’s canine nursemaid, Nana, characterizes the Newfoundland. There’s no better proof of its love of children and its remarkable life-saving instincts.
Boston Terrier
If you fancy a stylish dog breed without having to put a costume on, then the Boston Terrier is a great choice. But more than its unique tuxedo coat and high-class style is a very friendly nature that kids and adults love.
The Boston is a very enthusiastic dog; something you would expect from a dog this size. It gets along pretty well with everyone it meets, whether they’re kids, adults, other pets, or other dogs. Boston Terriers are happiest when they’re able to spend meaningful moments with their human family. They will do almost anything to be with their loved ones.
These dogs don’t mind being couch potatoes, spending the rest of the day with their human owners. They won’t mind, too, if you take them out for some agility course. As long as you’re with them, Boston Terriers will stick with you until the end.
We don’t call dogs as man’s best friend for nothing. They’re lovable and affectionate. They have this uncanny ability to form very strong bonds with their human masters. They can make you smile when you’re feeling down. And that’s why they’re our best friends.
