Call it a random act of kindness, call it meant to be, but Alizah and Elliot Greenberg realized right away that they'd hit the jackpot when a friend of a friend brought an eight-month-old, fully-trained goldendoodle into their home. And over the past two and a half years, the couple's very loveable Cash has shown himself to be the kind of dog they never knew they needed.

“We had two Boston terriers for years. One passed away before COVID, and the other died right at the start of it,” says Elliot. The couple knew they wanted another dog, but it was important to them that they go the rescue route, seeking out dogs at shelters around their home in Nashville. They were one of many households looking for extra companionship during the isolating days of the pandemic, and they looked for months with no luck. 

But that all changed when a stranger heard of a family looking for a puppy. He'd been gifted a goldendoodle puppy that he couldn't care for adequately; he took the puppy over to the Greenbergs' to see if he would be a fit in their home. 

Elliot knew immediately that the dog checked every box, and within a few days, the dog was theirs. Named for a Greenberg-favorite and Nashville resident of lore, Johnny Cash, this three-year-old goldendoodle is pure fun, they say. 

“He is so fun-loving. He loves people, loves children, loves just about anything we do,” says Elliot. And while he loves a car ride to the beach (Alys Beach is, of course, one of his favorite locales), he's not what one would call a water dog. 

“Cash won't even put a paw in the water at our house.
If we're in the pool, he thinks we're drowning!” says Elliot. Though Elliot admits, when Cash gets caught up with his pup pals on the beach, he can be persuaded to make a quick jaunt into the Gulf of Mexico. 

“He really is so funny—he’s my constant shadow,” says Elliot, “he follows me everywhere, up and down the stairs, around the house. It’s flattering!” He jokes saying, “but also, maybe, a little disconcerting.” 

For the Greenbergs, Cash's companionship has been
life changing. 

“We feel so lucky,” says Elliot. “When this friend of a friend brought Cash to us, he didn't ask for a thing in return. We truly feel like it was a win for all of us.”