Golden Doodle Research Paper

My best friend just so happens to be my goofball of a dog, Bentley. He is a two-and-a-half-year-old golden doodle and has the biggest personality I’ve ever seen in a dog. Being a golden doodle means he’s half golden retriever and half poodle, with traits from both breeds. I got Bentley when he was six months old from an Amish farm on the Minnesota-Iowa border. When I arrived to pick him up I was taken aback by his size, there was no way he could still be a puppy, he was nearly 60 pounds! Over time, he steadily grew bigger, and I now live with a 90-pound fluffy beast that looks more polar bear than dog. Bentley is light cream in color, similar to that of a fresh snowfall; during the winter, he has to wear a bright colored vest because he blends in so well with the snow. His coat is medium-length with a

Bentley instead prefers to “talk”, which is generally his version of throwing a temper tantrum if he doesn’t get his own way. Squeaky toys are his favorite, but I can only handle so much of the high pitched squeal piercing my ears before I am certain the noise will forever haunt my ears, and have to take it away for a little peace and quiet. This is usually followed by a dramatic protest from Bentley and eventually him pouting on his bed about his beloved toy being snatched away. Being at the end of the puppy stage has made a tremendous difference in Bentley’s behaviors. I used to come home to toilet paper confetti decorating the house and his toys obliterated, guts strewn about; but now the house is usually intact and he’s lounging lazily on his bed or gently gnawing on one of his toys. Bentley’s energy levels are relatively high but normal for a dog his size now where as before he resembled a child on a sugar high, rambunctious and mischievous. While Bentley is by no means an angel, I adore his goofy personality and quirks, and am glad he’s not only my dog but my best