That stereotype that ‘blondes are dumb’ is barked at by Eldo Hawking.

Not just a pretty face, Eldo can do countless tricks, from the standard commands - sit, shake, roll over - to the not-so-standard - fist bump (his nose to your fist), hug, bark on command, knowing the names of his toys and ringing a bell when he needs the little boys’ room. This golden child learnt the basic tricks in a week, but the more complex ones can take three or four weeks (still a remarkable feat) and he’s rewarded with chicken, liver treats or dehydrated sweet potato. When the more complicated tricks are performed, Eldo receives a highly-regarded treat of hard cheese (think cheddar and gruyère) from owners Caroline and Rob.

“He will do anything for cheese,” says Caroline.

This pooch is a high-achieving golden retriever puppy from Frankston South who loves his belly rubs and insists on all dogs joining him for a play. And even when the older dogs have no interest, he doesn’t give up easily.

Caroline and Rob were enjoying posting photographs of Eldo on their personal Instagrams, but the Eldo-centric posts were so well received that they decided to make an Instagram all of his own. From this they’ve discovered the paw-friendly community online.

Rob’s family is Romanian and their family holiday house is in the mountains in Eldorado, which means ‘golden one’, and that was too perfect when it came to a name for their dog. ‘Hawking’ comes from another genius - yes, Stephen Hawking - as Rob is a science nerd.

Eldo loves to goof around with his puppy friends at the park or beach, all of whom he recognises every time. Caroline says: “He also has a funny quirk of nudging his head between your legs while you’re standing” for cuddles - which ultimately surprises and delights his target. Of course, he still has his owners wrapped around his golden tail because he’s able to pull the puppy face and get away with digging up the backyard.

Blondes have more fun, right?

Follow Eldo’s adventures on Instagram at @allabouteldo