I think I said this in another dog thread: There's a reason that a lot of guide dogs are GR's. They are SUPER friendly around people, small people as well.
Our first GR we got from the pound, she was about 4-5 years old. I've owned in my lifetime, about 20 dogs, she was, by far, the best dog we ever had. She really was special. When she died, it was a major loss for our family. She died Thanksgiving 2000. We still miss that dog. She is the dog we measure all other dogs against.
There are both smart and dumb GR's, so try to spend some time with the dog you choose first. Some inbreeding has occurred, and the results are that some are too hyper for me. I like a calm dog, and after looking for awhile, we found one. We've had her for only about a month now, but she does share a lot of the habits and traits of our first GR.
They love to fetch, obviously. Very playful animals, they are extremely social both around humans and other dogs (usually). They like to take articles of your clothing and lay next to them, or keep them nearby. If I drop a shirt on the floor, this dog will lay on it or next to it.
If you rescue a dog from the pound, you will "imprint" on the dog, and that dog will be "yours" forever! This one follows me around, and wants to go everywhere I go. The first one was "my" dog also, for the same reason.
I could go on all day, but they are one of the best dogs around small children. You can harass them while they eat, take their food away mid-chew, they will sit there and wag their tail, smiling. Lots of dogs will growl/snap if you try this. Not GR's.