In the four years since our dog Arrow died, Esteban and I have become the dog-sitters of choice for several of our friends.

Some dogs we’ve just tolerated (like the high-strung little chihuahua who is appropriately named after a hurricane).

Others, we’ve come to love.

That’s why I was delighted today to get Esteban’s voicemail announcing a Tucker visit.

Tucker is what you’d get if you set out to engineer the perfect dog. He’s adorable. He’s gentle, yet protective. He’s affectionate and cuddly, but never pushy or demanding. He’s playful, but not rambunctious. He’s even hypoallergenic.

I’ve long had a disdain for dog breeders who set out to create “designer” dogs. But in the case of the goldendoodle, they finally got it right.