17 Dogs Who Are Very Good Boys

By
Christina Donnelly
Christina Donnelly
Christina Donnelly is a small animal expert focusing on dogs and writer with over 12 years of experience in animal welfare. She has volunteered for shelters and organizations, including the ASPCA and Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.
Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/02/20
Owner cupping dog's face

R A Kearton / Getty Images

When our dogs aren’t on their best behavior, it can be so hard to scold them; just looking into their remorseful, sad puppy eyes makes it too easy to forget about that pair of destroyed shoes that the dog chewed up or the poop on the living room rug.

This phenomenon—letting our dogs get away with pretty much anything—has given rise to the internet trend of describing every single dog (no matter what they do) as “a very good boy.” There’s even a hugely popular Twitter account that gives ratings to these very good boys. Spoiler: Every dog on the account is, in fact, a very good boy and always scores at least 11 out of 10 on the 10-point rating system.

Still not sure what makes a very good boy? We get it—the internet can be a weird and confusing place. But these 17 dogs being very good boys (and girls!) may make it a little bit easier to understand.

  • 01 of 17

    Good Boys Are Thoughtful

    Small puppy with paw on fence
    Daniel Stockman / Flickr / CC-BY-SA

    "How long does it take to become a truly good boy?” wonders Vincent, age 8 weeks. Vincent may be concerned about his good boy status, but with his thoughtful, pensive personality and sweet face, he is clearly on his way to full-blown good boyhood.

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  • 02 of 17

    Good Boys Enjoy Themselves

    Dog on float in pool
    Beachfront Solutions / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

    Charlie has spent many, many years behaving like a very good boy. Now, he enjoys his retirement by lounging in the pool and relaxing with his favorite domestic beer. But don’t worry—he’s still a good boy.

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  • 03 of 17

    Do Their Jobs

    Army dog laying in grass
    Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

    Cadence has a very important job—and, like any very good boy or girl, she gets it done. As a service dog in training, she acts as a companion to US military members and veterans. Thank you for your service, Cadence!

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  • 04 of 17

    Do Yard Work

    Dog with dirty nose and feet
    Christie Donnelly

    Brodie may not always seem like a very good boy—he digs up a lot of plants to eat mud and then needs a long bath—but trust us: he is a very good boy. What’s so wrong with a puppy wanting to help his parents with the lawn care, anyway?

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  • 05 of 17

    Study Hard

    Sleeping dog with glasses on
    PublicDomainPictures / Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

    Some studies have shown that dogs understand what their humans are saying when they speak dog language, especially when we praise them. Winston, the good boy seen here, is hoping to prove those theories right in his "post-​dogtoral" thesis.

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  • 06 of 17

    Good Boys Are Adventurous

    Dog on a mountain top
    javipolinario / Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

    Max is a very good boy whose hobbies include scaling mountains by hiking with his owner and conquering the landscapes no pup has conquered before. He’s currently training to become a Mount Kilimanjaro climbing guide. 

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  • 07 of 17

    Protect the Planet

    Small dog sitting in flowers
    NanB / Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

    Good boys care about protecting the environment. That’s why Maggie, an avid outdoors girl and environmental advocate, always recycles and uses her human’s compost in her flower garden. 

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  • 08 of 17

    Good Boys Know They're Good Boys

    Small dog basking in sunlight
    Olia Gozha / Pexels / CC0 Public Domain

    You don’t have to tell Ava she’s a good boy. She already knows it—and loves to bask in its glory. You go, girl. 

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  • 09 of 17

    Get Tired Doing Good Things

    Dog scrunching it's eyes closed with its tonguesticking out
    tranmautritam / Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

    Being a good boy can be so exhausting. Just look at Roger, who can barely keep his eyes open after a long day of doing those good boy deeds with special dog tricks. 

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  • 10 of 17

    Put Others First

    Small fluffy white dog with a blue bow
    yasmapaz & ace_heart / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

    Even though it’s annoying and not her style, Daisy lets her mom brush her and put bows in her hair. Being a good boy is all about self-sacrifice and putting others’ happiness before your own, after all.

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  • 11 of 17

    Lend a Helping Paw

    Dog carrying branches in mouth
    rbennett661 / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0​

    Coco does her part by collecting her family’s firewood on camping trips. How would they toast marshmallows without her? Good girl, Coco. 

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  • 12 of 17

    Save Kitties

    Dog running across the green
    825545 / Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

    Leo is running to help save a kitty from a tree. Fortunately, he was able to get her down without any scratches. You’re a hero, Leo! 

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  • 13 of 17

    Good Friends

    Two dogs playing in grass
    Eric Sonstroem / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

    What’s a good boy without his or her best friend, another dog? Penny and Hank have been besties since puppyhood. They took this sweet selfie at their last play date in the park and then ate some vanilla ice cream.

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  • 14 of 17

    Never Stop Learning

    Mom dog with her puppies
    Teerasuwat / Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

    Generally, good boys don’t put their paws in other dogs’ dishes, but we can certainly make an exception for Bailey. She’s only a few weeks old, so she’s still being trained about the key good boy behaviors.

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  • 15 of 17

    Care About Their Community

    Dog covered in snow
    bella67 / Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain

    As a very good boy and upstanding member of his community, Fred shovels his neighbors’ driveways for free whenever it snows. After a long day of shoveling, he likes to warm up from the cold with a bowl of bone broth.

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  • 16 of 17

    Keep Their Rooms Clean

    Dog sleeping on bed in clean room
    Justin Paget / Getty Images

    We all know very good boys keep their bedrooms spic-and-span. Just look at Belle’s room—it’s completely spotless! She prides herself on keeping her space tidy (and her mom happy).

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  • 17 of 17

    Good Boys Are Just Good Boys

    Dog with red bandana on mountaintop
    4Neus / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

    Romeo is a very good boy simply because he has an adorable smile and other cute doggie body language and looks great in a bandana. Do you really need any other reason?