Walking through Belfast, you might run into the city’s most popular local celebrity. Maddie, the friendly face at @maddiethebad.e, is essentially a one-dog welcoming committee for her neighborhood. A recent video shows her holding court in her yard with her favorite plushie, Tiger. She’s just a Golden Retriever doing what she does best: existing warmly, wagging happily, and pulling people into her orbit while her mom watches nearby, probably used to this by now.
Golden Retriever’s friendly nature makes strangers’ days more delightful
The clip starts with a mailman stopping his route just to give Maddie some attention. She stands by the ledge, tail wagging, while receiving some top-tier neck scritches. She even places a paw on his arm to make sure he doesn’t leave too soon. When the man offers her a treat, she accepts it after briefly dropping her Tiger. Even with a bag full of parcels, he can’t seem to resist her charm. He truly looks like he’d stay all day if he could.
Things get even busier when a second worker joins the huddle. Suddenly, Maddie is being fussed over by two people at once, and she is loving every second. She leans into the pets, soaking up the attention. Soon, a group of four strangers walking by spots the love fest. They can’t help but cross the lane to see what all the excitement is about. Maddie’s owner joked that Maddie and Tiger weren’t sure how to handle the sudden fame.
Before long, the crowd grows to four new fans. Maddie handles the “paparazzi” with total grace, accepting head scratches from everyone. She eventually flops over for some high-quality belly rubs on the grass. It’s the kind of interaction that probably made everyone’s afternoon significantly better.
With over 7,400 likes, it’s clear Maddie has a global fanbase now, too. Commenters are joking that the Belfast Tourist Board needs to put her on the payroll. Some people say that if they were there, they would never leave. We’re not sure we would either!
