A clingy German Shepherd laying on its owner's lap (Photo by AnnaStills on Shutterstock)
The term “Velcro Dog” has come to mean any breed that sticks to their owner like glue. Some folks don’t like the idea of a pet that won’t respect their personal space. Others, however, may absolutely crave the 24/7 adoration they can get from a clingy dog. These adorable canines want nothing more than to be with their favorite person. That’s why StudyFinds has compiled a list of the most clingy dog breeds that will steal your heart.
Clingy breeds may not like to sleep away from their owners, and it could be challenging to prevent them from sleeping in the bed along with their humans. This can be especially difficult for dogs that have already become accustomed to this. For dog owners who still want to share a bedroom with their best friend, there are safe steps you can take to make this happen. First, purchase a comfortable bed. Place it right next to your bed to lessen the shock of change. Make the change slowly to ensure a smooth transition. This helps create a comforting routine for yourself and your dog.
The cuddly pooches we know and love came from wolves that fended for themselves in the rough wilderness. Since then, our housebroken pups have come a long way from the time of their untamed ancestors. However, that also means plenty of our furry friends are pretty spoiled today! According to a recent survey, two in three dog owners claim their dogs “could never survive in the wild” without them. That is especially true for the dogs on our list.
Knowing that a breed is clingy by nature can be a big help when selecting a pet. We looked through reviews from 10 experts to learn about the most clingy dog breeds that came up most. For people that enjoy having a constant companion, these clingy canines could be a great fit. Let us know your favorites in the comments below!
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The Most Clingy Dog Breeds, According to Canine Specialists
1. Vizsla
It is rare to find a dog that is overwhelmingly regarded as the number one in a given category. The Vizsla is one such dog, as they are considered the ultimate “Velcro Dog” by experts. This Hungarian breed was originally bred for falconry, so it enjoys active lifestyles. These dogs also like being attached to their owner’s hip. Wag! raves, “The Vizsla is your wingman for hiking, swimming and hunting, and will be your loyal cuddle buddy too.”
The Vizsla breed only wants to hang out with their owners constantly. “It is their natural instinct to stay close to their owners because, during the hunt, wandering away could be deadly,” writes Animal Kingdom.
Vizslas might seem like they wouldn’t be needy because of their athletic builds and serious expressions, but as Great Pet Care points out, looks can be deceiving. “[T]he hunting breed is widely recognized to be among the most dependent on human companionship and should not regularly be left alone.”
2. Labrador Retriever
One of America’s favorite dog breeds can be emotionally needy. It may come as a surprise to some that Labrador Retrievers actively dislike being apart from their family. Always Pets says, “There’s so much going on in those eyes, so be kind, and you will have the most loyal friend in the world who’s ready for any adventure or even just a lazy day around the house.”
Even though Labrador Retrievers love to constantly be around their owners, they can easily be stressed out from time apart. “The negative part of this is that the world’s most popular dog is also one of the most likely to suffer from separation anxiety,” writes The Scotsman.
Since Labrador Retrievers are very clingy, they can get mopey if no one is paying attention to them. “Labs usually love being at your side, and don’t be surprised if yours tries to squeeze onto your lap despite her large frame,” explains K9 of Mine.
3. French Bulldog
Frenchies are internet famous thanks to their Instagrammable looks. These petite love muffins also require near-constant companionship. French Bulldogs can have a stubborn streak and larger-than-life personality.
Puppy In Training notes, “Frenchies don’t like to be left alone for long periods of time and some even develop separation anxiety.”
French Bulldogs have an ulterior motive always wanting to go out with their owners. They love to leave the house to see their fans! “These short, wrinkly pups are one of the most popular breeds, and it’s no surprise why,” writes iHeartDogs.
The French Bulldog’s relaxed temperament makes this breed an attractive option. They don’t bark much and are usually very playful. “So, you shouldn’t have to worry about your French Bulldog complaining when you can’t give them attention,” says Love Your Dog.
4. Great Dane
Scooby-Doo and Marmaduke may be fictional characters, but they are based on some of the Great Dane’s most well-known traits. Loving snacks and getting into mischief seems to hold true for the big dogs. PetGuide.com explains, “If the thought of a 100-plus pound Great Dane trying to curl up on your lap has you rethinking your decision to adopt this breed, be aware that a side-by-side snuggle on the sofa is probably sufficient to keep this gentle giant happy.”
Owning a Great Dane is like having a large, dark shadow following you along. “Not only do they tower over a lot of other dogs, but when they stand on their hind legs, your Great Dane may even be taller than you,” says Love Your Dog.
Great Danes are gentle giants who love attention and love going for car rides. “Despite regularly weighing over 100 pounds, these canines are often lazy and prefer lounging around beside their humans as much as possible,” writes iHeartDogs.
5. German Shepherd
German Shepherds have a reputation as strong guards and law enforcement animals. They also bond closely with their handlers and prefer to always have a human on-hand. Wag! writes, “Many people think of German Shepherds as guard dogs, but the reason they are good at guarding is because they love their human so much.”
Despite their size, German Shepherds crave love and attention from their owners. “This lovely dog breed is super loyal, and this is one reason why they always like to be near their owners,” says Animal Kingdom.
Even though German Shepherds can be clingy, they’re not traditional lap dogs. They were originally bred for herding and are fantastic working dogs, but can become needy if they’re not challenged. “The German Shepherd is surprisingly clingy, and in modern society can develop severe separation anxiety if not properly trained and socialized,” explains Great Pet Care.
6. Border Collie
Border Collies are uncommonly smart dogs who crave stimulation and companionship. Border Collies also need a lot of attention and need to participate in many activities. “Border Collies are exceptional dogs — sometimes a bit too exceptional for the less-enthusiastic human companion,” according to Always Pets.
Even though Border Collies are known for being “Velcro Dogs,” they are a very unique type. Love Your Dog says they are super close with their humans, but don’t need to be by your side at all times, like other dogs on this list.
Border Collies, the world’s smartest dog, are best for families who have plenty of time to devote everyday interaction. “Think of a household where someone is almost always home or coming in and out, and that’s her ideal setup,” explains K9 of Mine.
7. Maltese
Maltese dogs are compact and clean dogs. These sensitive and playful pups prefer to spend their days at the foot of their owner, looking for attention. Always Pets says they live long as well, so you will have these pooches by your side for longer than the average dog. Talk about a lot of cuddling!
Maltese pups are fans of sitting on laps, no matter who it is. They also love to socialize and make new friends. One might ask, then, why are they clingy if they constantly interact with others? Pet Guide has the answer. “Because these people-pleasing pooches absolutely adore their humans and crave non-stop interaction.”
Maltese pups being lap dogs goes back hundreds of years. During the time of the Roman Empire, aristocratic women would bring Maltese dogs along with them, making them a symbol of loyalty. “Besides their clingy nature, Maltese dogs are also famous for their eye-catching, silky coats and puppy-dog eyes,” writes Love Your Dog.
Sources:
- Wag!
- Animal Kingdom
- Great Pet Care
- Always Pets
- The Scotsman
- K9 of Mine
- Puppy In Training
- iHeartDogs
- Love Your Dog
- PetGuide.com
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This article may contain affiliate links in which we receive a commission if you make a purchase.
Blue Heelers are up there too!!
The Australian cattle dog (blue heeler) belongs in the list … I mean I owned two of them blue heeler and red heeler and they are besides me and follow me almost 24 hours
Jessica..I know that the truth hurts.
Would you please return the comment that I was making .
All these dogs mentioned I wouldn’t have any idea they are considered velcro dogs. I do believe you missed what should be the #1 velcro dogs and that is Pugs, I sh[uld know, I have 2 and I know a lot of people that have them. They follow me everywhere and I wouldn’t want it any other way accept you’re babies how they are and love on them daily…I do! Pugs are the best!
How is Doberman not #1 on this list ????????♂️. If you’ve never owned one I guess you just wouldn’t understand. “Velcro-Dobie” is legit.
Our German short-haired pointer takes the prize for velcro-dog! We call him the “hall monitor” because he is tracking all 3 of “his” humans in the house at the same time at all times! Including of course opening the bathroom door if anyone goes to the bathroom!
Who were these experts? How was the study done? How are the dogs chosen? What standardized comparisons were done amongst the dogs? What analyses were done to rank the dogs? Etc, etc. Worthless.
Come on. You cannot say that these 7 breeds are the only one. I have owned 4 Irish Wolfhounds and believe me they are truly velcro babies. They would walk 4 feet from me without stopping and making sure I am still with them. Thats with no lead and walks in the woods or open fields
I think Akita should be added to this list. Our Akita sleeps in my daughter’s room beside her bed. He waits for me to come down the hallway to rub his nose, face, body up against me and then follows and waits. Clingy Lol!
Newfound breed is a clingy breed. They just love to be with or beside there owners even if it just to stare at you lovingly from there soulful eyes
You missed the ultimate velcro dog, Australian Shepherds, much more clingy the Border Collies. I have raised and shown Aussies for 20 plus years.
Yorkies as well won’t leave you alone for one second.
Wow, I can’t believe it’s 13:30 central time now. I started writing that at 06:00 here. I’m a little slow typing with my arthritis and phone. That’s all true, except I started writing about noon, with a lot of distractions today.
Thx for reading my opinions.
Sincerely,
Kenney????
If you have ever owned a Dachshund, you know they belong on this list. From the ones I had as a child to one’s as an adult… All of them velcro dogs. Loving, trusting, protective and very lovable. One on my lap as I’m writing this.
Hell, I heard Yorkies and Chihuahuas were clingy and I got half of each in my 8.5 month pup, and I can’t get him to sit in my lap, or even let me pick him up if his life depended on it. I think something’s wrong with my poor little boy. Well, not poor little. I actually have spoiled him to death for 6 and a half months.
He really loves me to death. He shows me a ton if love, but he will not let me hold him. I have snatched him up quick before and sat him in my lap and started petting him, but I said,”see? Now you can get down whenever you want, because I was trying to teach him to jump up and get down whenever he wants. But, everytime I tried that, before I gave up, he’d jump down as quick as lightning. He’s fast. I love him so much, and I’ll never ever trade him in for a newer model, but it is very frustrating. I have tried to sweet talk him a million and thirty-four tims in the last 5 months, but he refuses. Oh, and since I’d snatch him up when I was petting him a few time, literally, like three times. So now, he won’t get close enough for me to snatch ’em up. I have one leg, so I always sit in my recliner, and actually sleep in it, because I have a tremendous amount of pain when I sleep lying on a flat bed or couch due to my many medical issues. So he comes up to the left and ride sides of my chair, directly adjacent to the back of it. Just far enough tgat I can reach and get kisses with my hand, ir turn on my side a little ways and get real french kisses lol. He frenches, I just peck lol???????? I guess they’re half french kisses????
He is smart as hell!!! I’m not joking. He’s been doing that since he was 3 months old. I got ’em at 8 weeks. I honestly think the breeders were mean to him though. If I knew for sure, I would…do things to them. Kind of a,”Silence of The Lambs” quote lol. I’m a major cinefile. My sister has his sister, and she’s planning on getting rid of her because she’s funny turned too. So, I don’t know if it’s the breeders a 100% or genetics. God laid ADD, ADHD, PTSD, and clinical depression on me, so it can probably happen to my pup, too. I’m only allowed 1 pet here, but if I could, I would love to get her from them. I think it could maybe help them both. I think he has anxiety. Not as bad now, but he used to stand across the room from me about 40 feet away. Just kidding. You probably thought I lived in a mansion, or an auditorium lol. No, but he’d stand 10 feet away, and shake violently. And it was the first of August. It was very warm. He wasn’t cold. I just think the poor little boy had anxiety so bad. I’ve been told by more than a few people to get rid of him. One guy logically said, if he is getting in they way of your life, especially with all my problems, they’d get rid of him right now. But, I told him, first of all, I fell in love with him on the hour drive home. 2nd, I had problems I was born with, that were exacerbated by my extremely abusive mother. I am 50, 51 in March and we are on non-speaking terms to this day. We actually have a verbal agreement made by my dad. He’s a great man, truly. But, my dad didn’t put me up for adoption when I had all those problems and I will ABSORUTRY⬅️(think of scooby????) NEVER EVER do that to my boy!!!!!!!! I love him. I love all dogs anyway.I read about a simple rescue yesterday. 5-6 week old boy was living in an Ace hardware parking lot, and people saw him sleeping there. They could report it, but hey obviously couldn’t… No, heck that. They WOULDN’T rescue him themselves, but they were worried enough to report it. Probably after they got their car rolling down the highway.
There was a video attached. It wasn’t on dodo, but some site like that. As soon as they got the call, the foster mom raced out and got him. But, I sat and bawled!! Not, completely because of him. I mean he started it lol, but then I thought of all the 5 week old puppies sleeping in prking lots or dirty construction sights, or down in a ramp with a grate at the bottom, and a small pile of garbage that he was using to stay warm. Then I think of all the cats too. There should be a samaritan law for puppies and kitties too. I mean I’d rather help a puppy or kitty than most selfish a-holes 7 days a week and twice on Sunday. Except for children under three and a half. Then the little turds are in their own dammit????!! No, that’s a huge joke. All children too. I love innocence. And I do my best to protect it when I have the opportunity.
So, …about the people that tell m to get rid of him. There’s 2 possibilities to why him and his sister are like this. They were either born with anxiety to the max, or they were very badly abused. And, I say very badly because there is NO other type of abuse!! I say this from experience. Ivhad all three kinds by the time I was ten years old. I won’t go into specifics, but you can figure what 3 kinds of abuse there is. And they all suck, and they’re all very bad.
In my little town of 30 million people, I mean 30 thousand people. Betcha thought I was in China there. I just checked, Shanghai has 29.89 million people, in the metro area, not just down town.
Ok, yeah my town’s humane society has all large dogs. I looked for my boy there, but he was in the state over, waiting on me to get a place and buy him. But he has bad anxiety, and I’m suppose to take him to that place!? He’d be cared to death. And if he’s been abused by those whatevers, because I don’t know if they’re guilty or not???? But, if he has been abused, the worst thing I could do is cast him from his home. The only home he’s ever had. He’ll be less than 10 feet away from me for the next 20 years, when I’m seventy. Then, we’ll see you all in Heaven if you’re there yet. And, if you’re a non-believer, don’t panic there’s still time!! I love you, and I’ll pray you have enough time to sort your mind out about that. If you really wanna talk to me about it, you can email me at [email protected]. don’t worry, if you spam me, that’s ok. I have about a thousand spammers blocked on that account already. There’s plenty of room for more. I’ll answer any honest questions you have. And as you can see, I don’t mind writing a lot. The only problem I have is I’m very busy, and it may take a week or so to get with you.
I really wrote quite a bit here, and there aren’t a lot of commenters here. But, when I started this, I really wanted to ask if anyone has any ideas on how to fix my little boys issue with letting me hold him. Basically, he doesn’t fully trust me. He’s very intelligent and has an excellent memory. And I won’t be harsh to him for training, either. If that’s the only way, then I’ll just pray about it and let em live at ground level. I mean he’s pretty dang happy. It’s me that’s suffering. He’s very well looked after. Like I said, SPOILED, in all caps lol. It’s true and I don’t care. I’ll continue to do my best to bribe him with love , toys, and food???? Oh, I say toys because I looked up puppy toys on amazon yesterday, and they have some awesome deals on plush and squeaky toys. I got a bundle of like 17 I think for $22.and there’s another one with twenty something sea creature plushes for about $20.i already got him a rectangular shaped bed for $35 that is awesome. It’s like what you’d imagine if you bought a memory foam mattress that fits a 10 pound pup. It’s gray, and about 3′ x 2′. He loves it. I could sleep on 2 of them doubled up, and I was 35. 40 maybe lol. I have sat on it, trying to get closer to him (n dice, of course). It’s really soft and sturdy, and he loves it.
Ok, I’m gonna leave it at that. At least people got something to rad now, even if I do bore ’em to sleep????????
God bless you all. The Father and Jesus love you, and so do I????❤️
Siberian huskies too, i got four and they follow me around every minute of the day, but I don’t think it’s the breed ,I think it’s the dog and the owner of how they connect,
Yes, and other factors, like their emotional health. My puup has that issue.
I totally agree Tammy, I have an American Bulldog and she is my baby she has to be touching me when we are standing, sitting, sleeping etc… she cries at shower door if I’m taking too long, I can’t go anywhere without taking her especially in the car lol…..she is my shadow and my world…..nothing like the unconditional love shared between us
I don’t know why the Yorkie is not first on the list, I have two and can’t go the bathroom without an audience. May be tiny but will protect you no matter what despite size
I definitely agree about Siberian Huskies!!!
Labrador’s are excellent pets, over the years I’ve owned a couple, look into their eyes says it all. Smart,fun tobe with. Love,love,love,Labrador’s????…..
I’ve been around a few different dog breeds, I think the boxer should be on this list.
Should read when other dogs sit on my lap
B
Boxers foresure fits this list. She sees this mother dogs sitting on my lap. She gets jealous she wants to be sitting on my lap too