15 Moments Of Dogs And Babies Being Adorable Together That Will Make You Smile

When a dog cuddles with a baby, they both become cuter. It's like an unwritten law of the universe. Looking at wagging tails next to tiny fingers and toes makes the entire world feel a little more joyful. Many dogs revert to their ancestral pack-animal role around babies and treat them as vulnerable new family members who must be shielded. You might see a 100-pound dog trying to look after a fragile baby that's barely 1/10th of its size.

Dogs and babies are also natural friends whenever it's time to play. They both thrive on attention and can feel fascinated just staring at each other. The bond can form before the baby understands what a dog is. From golden retrievers that follow babies like doting grandmothers to German shepherds that melt into softies around newborns, we're sharing details about 15 baby-and-dog friendships that are adorable enough to make anyone smile.

If Rhett's wriggling baby cuteness isn't enough to make you smile, look at how sweetly he plays with his golden retriever. A YouTube video shows the darling duo sitting on a kitchen floor. Drooling, happy Rhett crawls to his puppy and nuzzles his furry head. It's obvious that the tiny friends trust each other completely. Instead of shying away from Rhett's boisterous love, the puppy sits calmly and soaks up the attention.

Golden retrievers are among the best breeds for families with kids and young children. They're affectionate, loyal, and famously sweet. Rhett's adorable pooch lives up to his glowing golden retriever reputation. Newer videos on the family's channel show the plump baby grown into a beaming toddler with three golden companions at his side. The puppy playmate he rubbed heads with as a baby is still one of his best friends, making the nuzzling video even more heartwarming.

What's the cutest combo you can think of? If you watch this adorable Instagram video, you might say chubby baby cheeks and a chocolate-colored sausage dog. Looking at this pair can be enough to make you smile. Teddy and Daisy are so cute together that they have the air of actual siblings, with four-legged Daisy playing the role of calm older sister. Teddy is the curious youngster showering affection. The video starts with Teddy and Daisy sitting on a blanket spread over a couch. Baby Teddy looks tenderly at his friend before stroking the dog's fur with his little fingers and giving him a kiss. Another dachshund is visible a few feet away.

The creator explained that seven-year-old Daisy is the oldest dog in the house, and she's normally very impatient. But, they add, "she knows that Teddy is one of her own, and she is patient whilst he figures out how to stroke her." Older dogs can grow cranky or uncertain around new people, but Daisy bucks the trend with her gentle and accepting attitude.

Smiles abound whenever Marble's next to his human baby sister. An impossibly cute Instagram video shows Marble and his baby friend dressed as Minions for Halloween. They're both wearing sunshine-yellow shirts and soft, sky-blue overalls. They have matching smiles, too. The baby looks so happy she could be at a celebration, while Marble's canine grin stretches from ear to furry ear. "Who is happiest here?" one commenter asked.

Marble's glorious husky coat and confident demeanor make him a showstopper all on his own. When you add the charms of a gurgling baby to the scene, the duo becomes so cute they might just steal your heart. Seeing Marble's patience with a defenseless being lets you know that he's a protector as well as a jolly buddy. He's a dog you can trust around a family. Another commenter who watched the pair said, "Marble is so happy sitting close to her."

It's a serene, adorable image: a baby and a fuzzy golden retriever puppy resting in a crib. Over three million people liked the Instagram video depicting the sleepy pair. The baby is wrapped like a burrito and so comfortable with his surroundings that he stays asleep when the puppy starts cuddling him. 

Why is this match so adorable? Zachary Silver, the director of the Canine Cognition Lab at Occidental College, explained to National Geographic, "The dogs of today have been carefully selected over thousands of years to be kind, affectionate, and carefully attuned to us." The dog doesn't jostle the baby because he pays attention to his needs and knows that the miniature human requires a delicate touch. Sleeping babies and puppies elicit smiles because they represent pure innocence. They're two creatures who are brand-new to life and are still learning what everything means. There are very few things that a puppy or a baby truly understands, but they know how to figure out who their friends are, and they gravitate toward overt kindness. 

Beau and baby Frankie were friends from the start. Mom Erica worried about how Beau would react to Frankie, but the golden retriever surprised her. In an Instagram caption, she explained that "he embraced Frankie with open paws from the very first day we brought him home." The accompanying video is a highlight reel revealing Beau and Frankie's cutest early encounters. There are so many endearing images packed into this video that you could watch it multiple times in a row and find something new to smile at each time.

You can watch baby Frankie resting on a blanket while Beau gazes tenderly. Or, your attention might be captured by toddler-aged Frankie rolling a tennis ball into Beau's waiting paws. Erica admits that Beau and Frankie's bond is growing stronger every day. Now that Frankie's moving out of the baby stage, he's big enough for adventures with his pup.

Can you raise a cane corso alongside a baby? Yes, if that cane corso is as well-behaved and friendly as Drax. A smile-inducing TikTok video depicts the first two years of a little girl's life with Drax. At the start of the video, the dog's head is practically bigger than the newborn's whole body. Yet, they still look like the perfect pair. They even gaze lovingly into each other's eyes. As the video progresses, the games begin. The baby loves bringing Drax new toys to play with.

Cane corsos were once war dogs who charged enemy fields, so it might be surprising to see one of these majestic animals looking after a small child. However, cane corsos love to protect their people and can treat nannying just as seriously as they once treated fighting. The little girl earned a loyal and committed guardian before she could speak her first word.

If smiles are infectious, you'll be grinning for the next week after watching this viral TikTok video of a baby and his German shepherd. Porter, the baby, lies on a brown couch and laughs hysterically while Otto rests his large canine head on Porter's legs. In between bursts of laughter, Porter squeezes handfuls of black and brown fur. One commenter said, "Aw, cute. Puppy is just snuggling his little buddy." Another added, "Safest kid in the world! Love this."

There's wide variation, but on average, dog brains are about as smart as a two-year-old's. You can see this intelligence when you watch Otto. The dog automatically knows how to treat the squirming baby with care. While giggling, Porter kicks a little foot into Otto's mouth, and the dog behaves as gently as possible. The touching display has racked up over 12 million views and 5,000 comments.

Tommy loves watching the new baby so much that he may as well be the babysitter. Viewers smiled at an Instagram photo showing Tommy staring intently at a swaddled baby in a crib. You don't even have to see the pup's eyes to feel the devotion pouring from him. One commenter noticed that the baby was receiving "pure love from her big brother."

It can be nerve-wracking introducing a beloved dog to a baby, even if the dog is non-aggressive. There's a chance the dog may grow jealous of all the attention being lavished on the new family member. Videos posted by Tommy's humans show that jealousy isn't a problem in their house, however. The muscular Staffordshire bull terrier loves being around the baby and knows how to be gentle with her. The moment that the baby's old enough to romp and play, she'll have a four-legged friend that's ready to join all her games.

Anyone who loves the visual contrast between bulky dogs and small babies will adore a TikTok video that mom and dog owner Jess shared. You can watch a Doberman rest his finely sculpted head on a teeny baby's lap. The Doberman is a gorgeous specimen, and the baby's blue eyes are so bright that they could light up a room. Together, the duo transforms into models who should compete in cuteness competitions. It's hard not to smile when looking at them.

In a separate TikTok video, Jess explained that building the bond between the Doberman and the baby girl has been easy. "All I did was supervise and teach our daughter early on to be gentle with all our animals and vice versa," she said. "They created this bond themselves." The Doberman may have been especially receptive to the friendship because he was only ten months old when the baby came home from the hospital.

Golden retrievers and babies are a perpetually adorable pairing. Skylar and Shalom, however, are especially beloved. Over 30,000 Instagram users liked a video that gave a glimpse into baby Shalom's first nine months with his golden retriever. Each month, their love grows stronger and more playful. In month one, Skylar plays the watchful dog, staring sweetly at his new baby companion. By month five, Skylar and Shalom are crawling together and exploring their environment. They move across wood floors and roll over soft bed covers. 

If Shalom's mega-watt grin doesn't get you to smile, seeing Shalom and Skylar together may still do it. They play like close friends who understand each other's quirks. Skylar knows how to rein in her zany puppy energy and follow Shalom's lead. The two play with empty water bottles and various colorful baby toys. Shalom understands how to be extra gentle, too. He plays with the dog's tail so tenderly that she barely seems to notice.

German shepherd zoomies are always worth watching. The spectacle becomes even more bewitching when there's a baby involved. Millions of TikTok users were entranced by the giggles and coos of this baby playing with Koda, an energetic German shepherd. In the popular video, the baby is propped up on the floor. She giggles happily while Koda races back and forth in front of her. Every time the dog bounds closer, she looks happier.

Koda knows that she's putting on a show and acts like the consummate performer. She even pauses to enjoy the loudest laughs. The baby remains mesmerized throughout, opening her eyes so wide that you can appreciate their lovely blue color. Smiling is natural when you see this much cuteness, but if you can't muster up a grin, both Koda and the baby have smiles big enough for a crowd. You could define the word joy using their picture.

If you try to picture a Doberman, you might imagine a tough, prowling dog protecting its territory. That's why the much-shared TikTok video showing Bruno the Doberman playing with a baby is such a delight. Bruno looks at the baby human as though he's the most precious thing in the world. When Bruno's done gazing, he plops onto the floor so he can lie next to his friend.

When he sees Bruno's big face next to his, the baby smiles and grabs a handful of fur. Bruno doesn't mind the squeeze; he's just happy he gets to join in the baby's fun. It's the perfect cuddle puddle because they're both wrapped up in the joy of the present moment. Neither is thinking about what's for dinner or what to do next. A touched commenter wrote, "I defy anyone to suggest anything that's more precious than moments like this."

When a baby comes into the house, mothering instincts aren't exclusive to human mothers. A TikTok video inspiring laughs and smiles depicts the moment a minuscule cutie in a purple dress made a bid for freedom. The baby girl noticed a door ajar and crawled into the sunshine. Her escape was short-lived, however; Cinnamon was on the watch.

The moment the girl left the house, the towering Doberman sprang into action. She rushed outside and stood in front of the helpless baby, blocking her from further movement. For one adorable moment, Cinnamon and the baby stand outside and stare at their human mama through the glass doors the baby just escaped from, with the expression on Cinnamon's face laughably familiar. The video's text overlay reads "my baby figured out how to open the door. Look at our dog jumping up to protect her & judging my parenting!" That adorably judgmental look has won Cinnamon millions of fans.

Bentley the mini doodle lives with two tiny humans. He's like a bonus sibling that never complains and always wants to have fun. Watching any moment of Bentley's charmed life can prompt a smile. He's particularly appealing on festive occasions, like Halloween, when he dresses up alongside his people. A TikTok video highlighting Bentley and the crew's best costumes earned over 10,000 likes within a month.

It's a tough competition, but the cutest family costume might be Bentley and the baby dressed as pumpkins. Instead of following the normal routine and wearing a fabric pumpkin suit, they're both sitting in literal pumpkins with leg holes cut out. The baby only fits because he's so little. Instagram users have been very vocal about how much they appreciate the holiday looks, with one gushing, "Adorable... the cutest costumes I've ever seen!" Another smitten viewer said, "Sitting in the real pumpkin will always be one of my favs."

With a name like Kaos, it's fitting to expect a rugged German shepherd with the instincts of a fighter. What you get instead is a fluffy dog that likes to dress up in pink bows and cuddle with baby Posie. Kaos displays remarkable patience in a loving moment that was caught on camera. In the Instagram clip, Posie gives Kaos a small, waffle-shaped treat. He doesn't tear it out of her hand or try to hurry her; instead, he patiently waits for the baby to hand over the goody.

After the dog gobbles the food, he sits calmly next to Posie, completely unfazed by her many wiggles and squeaks. The attitude isn't accidental. Posie's parents say they trained Kaos to be calm around food so he wouldn't become a resource guarder and act aggressively when presented with treats or meals. They were so successful with the training that the powerful and strong dog wouldn't even take food from a baby.