A golden retriever who greets his owner's toddler every morning is melting hearts on social media.

Claudia Hughes told Newsweek her daughter, Vanora, 2, has been loved by their 3-year-old dog, Taco, "from the moment he met her."

"He seemed to be sharing our happiness during the first days of Vanora being home with us," she said. "He always wanted to be next to her."

According to Alexandra Bassett, lead dog trainer and behaviorist at Dog Savvy Los Angeles, dogs, like humans, are social animals who thrive on interaction.

"All dogs have a mating drive and den instincts; it's part of what's called their 'pack drive,'" Bassett told the American Kennel Club. Dogs with strong pack drives are usually tightly bonded to their families. Being protective over a new baby is a natural progression of that.

Hughes said that Vanora slept in her parents' bedroom until she was around 1. Once she moved into her own bedroom, her friendship with Taco began to blossom further.

"Taco learned her routine," she said. "When he heard she was awake he would come to me to let me know it was time to get her out. I already knew she was awake because I could see her on the baby monitor, but while I took my time to get ready to go get her, Taco was already desperate for me to go open her bedroom door."

Taco and Vanora's relationship has gone from strength to strength ever since, with Hughes chronicling their life together on the TikTok account "Taco & Vanora."

The account has proven popular, with the pair attracting over 300,000 followers and more than 17 million likes. There have been plenty of memorable clips along the way but the video showcasing Taco's habit of saying "good morning" to Vanora every morning has proven to be one of the most popular.

At the time of writing, the video has been viewed 6.9 million times, with viewers gushing over the adorable bond that exists between the young child and her canine protector. "Taco, the dog that has greeted my baby every morning," the onscreen caption read.

In the clip, Hughes can be seen approaching the closed door to Vanora's room. Taco can be seen excitedly waiting for his owner to turn the handle so he can go in and say hello to his friend.

Sure enough, the minute Hughes opens the door, Taco bounds in, making a beeline for Vanora's bed. He proceeds to excitedly dance on the spot doing "tippy taps" of delight at seeing his friend again.

The video then cuts to another early morning with Taco, yet again, waiting patiently outside Vanora's door. All told, the footage compiles six different days that share one thing in common: Taco is there, ready to welcome in the day with Vanora.

Hughes tells Newsweek: "I like to say that he shares my happiness whenever I see my daughter every morning. I feel happy to greet her and I think Taco is even happier to say good morning to her."

Those morning greetings signal the start of another happy day for the young pair, with Taco eager to play, cuddle and, if required, protect Vanora around the home and beyond.

"They really love each other so much," Hughes said. "Taco gets very anxious whenever we go to the park and he loses sight of Vanora, he starts looking around and gets so excited when he sees her. He also worries about her going down slides when we go to the park."

While it's Taco who loves to greet Vanora every morning, Hughes said the feeling is definitely mutual. "Vanora is always giving him hugs and kisses," she said. "I know Taco appreciates that very much."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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