I received this email recently. Ive had three others very similar. Goldendoodles have more empathy than any dog Ive ever owned.
This last week has been quite challenging, with my feelings of sadness mixing with urgency, creating anxiety because I often find it difficult to allow myself time to process strong painful emotions.
After we had put Paddington down, we let Truffles in who was outside waiting, and she came over and sniffed Paddington and then circled around him, looked at me and immediately proceeded to come to me and give me what I can only describe as a hug. She put either paw around my neck and rested her chin on my shoulder, something that she has never done to me before. It took me by surprise.
The next day I looked over at Paddington’s empty pillow as I was doing something and a deep ache came up in my heart and a tears started to flow. I walked into the living room and lay on the couch to process for a moment and Truffles, knowing that I do not allow her on the couch (her nails could puncture the fabric), jumped right up and lay down on me again with her head on my shoulder. She does not generally try to get on the couch with me, ever (but now I have had a change of heart ;) ). She is an active and playful puppy but both times she came to me she was not trying to play with me, just be with me.
Yesterday again I was dealing with some strong emotions and she was absolutely glued to me, trying to be ON me every chance she could, resting her head on my leg and just staring at me when I was on the laptop even. What is so beautiful to me is that she likes to look at me in the eye. It is a soft gaze that feels very soothing to me. I have never had a dog express empathy in this manner to me so it first I figured that I may be reading into it (Paddy was so tiny that I think he was mostly in self-preservation or carry-me mode), but as the sadness lifts and I begin to feel clarity again it is very obvious to me that this is a special dog. She has been so very therapeutic ❤️