28 Good Boys and Girls in Meme Form for Fido Fans

What really makes a dog a good boy or a good girl?

It's a question I ask myself on a daily basis, every time I meet a dog. Because, honestly, the first thing that jumps into my mind whenever I say hello to any dog is "Who's a good boy/girl?", and the answer is, surprisingly, "You are! Yes, you are!" When the dog of the person in the office next door arrives, I love saying hi with pets and belly rubs. The entire office loves him, and it's not surprising, because he's really such a good boy. When I meet my neighbor's big dog in the street, while he walks her (which is arguably like walking a horse - she's big-big), I always come and ask if I can say hello. She's such a good girl.

But all that automatic good boy-ing doesn't really answer the base question that keeps popping into my mind - what actually makes a dog a good one? Is it the fact that they wag their tails with happiness when you approach them? Is it the fact that they express happiness every time they see us? Or is it just the enduring human-doggo friendship that persists for literally thousands of years that makes us think of every dog as pure goodness?

It's worth mentioning that some dogs might not "act" the goodest, but in my eyes, they are still very good boys and girls. Dogs model their behavior after the example they receive from humans - and if a human adopts a dog, but doesn't make the effort ot set a good example to them, the dog might seem like they're not on the top of the "goodest dogs" list. But I firmly believe it's never the dog's fault.