This was an absolutely beautiful read. I can relate to the crushed expectations of the idyllic dog we assume (any) are but especially Goldendoodles. I have written extensively about my struggles having a challenging dog that I wasn't prepared for, but we made it work and I've adjusted my life to meet her needs. I just wrote a piece about the "Hallmark Dog" idea that people have - fueled by what we see in Hallmark movies, etc. I wish our society would not set people up for failure by giving up so easily when they don't meet our expectations. Thank you for caring for these special dogs and sharing your experience.