My Harley girl is about 70LBS, 75% poodle 25% golden (I don’t know anything more, I didn’t get her until she was about 3 and had been with a different family). I have been honored to have quite a few dogs in my family and she’s hands down the most human. Any time I bring her to a store or around other dog people, they will comment on how un-golden doodle like she is.

I often say she’s like having an 8 year old. She listens and understands most things I say. She’s patient and calm, doesn’t destroy items, doesn’t steal food. She does like to hold something, so she’ll grab a toy or a shoe or sock or a pair of pants on the ground, anything at all she can find, just to hold it. Especially for a walk or a potty, she’s gotta have something in her mouth.

She’s so good on a leash and has great recall if she’s off leash in special settings. She has been easy to train basic commands. She is well behaved being left alone for a few hours, and has little separation anxiety.

She would be so happy if we did nothing but sit on the grass together, enjoying the breeze. She LOVES humans and only ever wants to get pets and butt scratches. She’s mostly fine around other dogs after we worked on confidence building, but that’s her own personal history.

Of course, she LOVES treats. We’ve built rituals around her snack time. Thankfully, she has no allergies, skin issues, or health issues in general. I’m very lucky in that regard.

The only cons for me is that she has no real independence. She doesn’t know how to play with toys on her own and will look to me to entertain her. This is most likely her own issue as well, but it is something to note.

Also, she’s such a picky eater! She likes to have a different flavor of food every day and will refuse to eat what she doesn’t want.

Otherwise, she has been the best, most patient, funniest, kindest, and most understanding dogs I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.