Some dogs are companions. Some are helpers. And then, there’s Maxie—a 100-pound, all-white Golden Doodle who gives love like it’s her full-time job… because it kind of is.

Maxie joined the Alan,  Andrea,, children: Scott, Peri, Keith and  Nadia, and grandkids  Bella, Sasha, Luke and Julian.11 years ago, after they lost their beloved white Labrador, Charlie.  “We’ve always had dogs,” Andrea says, “and six months after Charlie passed, it just felt like the right time for another puppy to enter our lives.”

They found Maxie at a breeder in Riverside and knew almost instantly—this one was special. They named her after Alan’s grandfather, Max, a man he never met but always heard stories about. “He loved animals, especially dogs,” Andrea explains. “It felt like the perfect way to honor him.”

From the start, Maxie was more than just a pet. She was a healer. For the past eight years, she and Alan have volunteered at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The decision was deeply personal: their own daughter was once treated there, given just a ten percent chance of survival. Thanks to extraordinary care, she recovered—and Alan knew he wanted to give back.

Maxie became her partner in that mission. Every visit, she brings joy to kids facing the hardest of days. “When they see Maxie coming, they smile—even if they’ve had a rough day. She jumps gently onto their hospital beds without disturbing IVs or monitors, and gives them a moment of pure comfort.” Parents, nurses, even doctors light up when she walks by. On holidays, she dresses the part, often with festive feathers in her hair—a signature look that makes everyone grin.

At home, Maxie keeps the love flowing. She adores dancing with the grandkids—Bella, Sasha, Luke, and Julian—and has a very specific taste in music. “She only sings when someone’s singing ‘Happy Birthday,’” Aan laughs. “That’s her jam.”

She also has a few adorable quirks. Her favorite sleeping position? Belly up, legs in the air, looking like she’s floating on a cloud. She can turn even the grumpiest of moods around with just a look and a nuzzle.

With children Scott, Peri, Keith, and Nadia all grown, Maxie has found her role as the heart of a sprawling, multigenerational family. Whether she’s working the hospital rounds or leading a dance party in the living room, Maxie reminds everyone that love, laughter, and a few feathers can go a very long way.

And that, perhaps, is her real talent—making everyone’s life just a little bit better, one hug (or tail wag) at a time.