Inside the Largest Unofficial Gathering of Golden Retrievers, with Over 5,500 Dogs in Attendance (Exclusive)
- - Inside the Largest Unofficial Gathering of Golden Retrievers, with Over 5,500 Dogs in Attendance (Exclusive)
Kelli BenderFebruary 10, 2026 at 2:44 AM
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Goldens in Golden 2026 group photo
Visit Golden
It's always a good day to be a golden retriever, but Saturday, Feb. 7, was a banner moment for the breed.
Over 5,500 golden retrievers gathered in Golden, Colo., on Feb. 7 to enjoy the city's annual Goldens in Golden celebration. The organizers of the adorable event claim 2026 was their biggest year yet, breaking both the event's attendance record and the world's largest unofficial gathering of golden retrievers.Along with the thousands of dogs, more than 16,000 people enjoyed Goldens in Golden 2026, which was gifted with unseasonably warm weather. Ahead of the big day, which occurred just four days after Feb. 3's National Golden Retriever Day, the event encouraged people to RSVP and share where they were visiting from. According to Meredith Ritchie, the community engagement and communications director for the City of Golden, the 2026 canine event included golden retrievers from 44 states and attendees from across the globe, including Taiwan, New Zealand, and Argentina.
Among the thousands of smiling golden retrievers were the Hertz Gold Squad, a crew of trained therapy dogs who help spread smiles by calming stressed travelers.
The Hertz Gold Squad at the 2026 Goldens in Golden
Visit Golden
In Golden, the Hertz Gold Squad was met with less anxiety and more excitement, as every golden retriever fanatic surrounding them was living out their dream day.
"The joy you see at the event is exactly the joy we saw when we started bringing these amazing pups to airports and Hertz locations across the country last year. The positive energy is nonstop," Brian Canning, head of marketing and loyalty at Hertz, tells PEOPLE about attending this year's Goldens in Golden with the Gold Squad, the group's first.
A golden retriever at Goldens in Golden 2026
Courtesy of Hertz
"We launched the Gold Squad last summer with a simple goal: make travel feel golden. Since then, our team of highly trained golden retrievers has been bringing joy to travelers at busy airports, Hertz locations, and events across the country. The response has been incredibly positive, and Goldens in Golden felt like the perfect next stop to continue their mission," Canning adds.
For those wondering what day inside the biggest unofficial meet-up of golden retrievers is like, the Gold Squad can provide a peek.
The Gold Squad
Courtesy of Hertz
Canning says Goldens in Golden was "about joy and connection," and even though there were hundreds upon hundreds of golden retrievers around, attendees still stopped to take photos with the Gold Squad.
Golden retriever enjoying a pup cup
Courtesy of Hertz
"We debuted the Hertz Golden Pup Cup Café, offering treats, giveaways, and photo ops with our Gold Squad," Canning notes, adding, "the City of Golden hosted many fun events like a Golden fashion show, and they elected a canine mayor for the day, and even hosted a singles mixer for dog owners looking for a 'co-pawrent''"
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Canning encourages everyone, not just golden retriever owners, to make the pilgrimage to Goldens in Golden because you are promised a day of "infectious positivity."
on People
Source: “AOL Sports”
