This golden retriever will not go on a walk without his girlfriend and he even lets her go first

For most dogs the word walk sets off a full-body celebration. Zebby the golden retriever has a rule first. He is not going anywhere until his girlfriend shows up.

In a new video from his owners, Zebby plants himself and refuses to budge for an ordinary outing. Leash, open door, encouraging voices: none of it works. The moment his favorite canine friend arrives, the standoff is over and the walk is suddenly a great idea.

The best detail came from a sharp-eyed viewer who noticed that when the pair finally heads out, Zebby steps aside and lets her go first. Commenters were ready to hand him a Boyfriend of the Year trophy. "Oh, he's absolutely a golden retriever boyfriend," one person wrote. Even a snack brand jumped into the comments to tell his owners, "You raised him right."

Can dogs really have a favorite?

Whether it counts as romance is up for debate. Dogs are social animals and researchers have found that friendly contact can boost oxytocin, the hormone tied to bonding. Many dogs clearly pick favorite playmates and get extra excited when that pal is around.

Zebby is simply making his preference very clear. For him the best part of a walk is not the route or the squirrels. It is who is walking beside him and in this case, who gets to walk in front.