17 Dogs Who Truly Deserve the Title 'Very Good Boy'

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

"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.
Continue to 2 of 17 below.
02 of 17
Good Boys Enjoy Themselves

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.
Continue to 3 of 17 below.
03 of 17
Do Their Jobs

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!
Continue to 4 of 17 below.
04 of 17
Do Yard Work

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?
Continue to 5 of 17 below.
05 of 17
Study Hard

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.
Continue to 6 of 17 below.
06 of 17
Good Boys Are Adventurous

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.
Continue to 7 of 17 below.
07 of 17
Protect the Planet

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.
Continue to 8 of 17 below.
08 of 17
Good Boys Know They're Good Boys

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.
Continue to 9 of 17 below.
09 of 17
Get Tired Doing Good Things

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.
Continue to 10 of 17 below.
10 of 17
Put Others First

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.
Continue to 11 of 17 below.
11 of 17
Lend a Helping Paw

Coco does her part by collecting her family’s firewood on camping trips. How would they toast marshmallows without her? Good girl, Coco.
Continue to 12 of 17 below.
12 of 17
Save Kitties

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!
Continue to 13 of 17 below.
13 of 17
Good Friends

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.
Continue to 14 of 17 below.
14 of 17
Never Stop Learning

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.
Continue to 15 of 17 below.
15 of 17
Care About Their Community

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.
Continue to 16 of 17 below.
16 of 17
Keep Their Rooms Clean

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).
Continue to 17 of 17 below.
17 of 17
Good Boys Are Just Good Boys

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?