Famous Golden Retrievers

Do you follow any of these accounts or recognise any of the Golden Retrievers? Read on for all the Golden content!

Famous Golden Retrievers on Social Media

There’s social media fame – Golden Retrievers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube – all of whom have a substantial following and are officially classified as famous. This is a relatively new way to be famous that is possible due to advancement and accessibility to technology and social media.

The Advertising Standards Authority (who makes the guidelines for social media influencers) decided that anyone with over 30,000 social media followers is considered a celebrity.

I rounded up the top 10 most famous Golden Retrievers (and their families) in the world. Do you follow any of these accounts? There are a bunch of these I’ve come across while exploring on social media and I wasn’t disappointed with all the cute Golden content.

Tucker Budzyn

Tucker Budzyn is one of the most famous Golden Retrievers you’ll find on this list. He lives in Michigan, USA with his mum Courtney Budzyn and her husband Mike. He was born on 02/05/18 and has captured hearts all over the world with his amusing videos.

In August 2021, Tucker got a companion – his biological son Todd! They have their own Instagram pages but Todd is often in Tucker’s videos and it’s adorable watching Todd grow up as Tucker shows him the ropes.

Tucker has over 44k followers on Twitter, over 3 million on Instagram, 3.48 million subscribers on YouTube, and 4.1 million on Facebook. That’s over 10 million people altogether following the life of this adorable pup! He’s even got his own app!

@tuckerbudzyn on Twitter, Tucker Budzyn on Facebook and YouTube, and tuckerbudzyn on Instagram. His app is TuckerMoji on the app store if you want to check it out!

For Todd’s content, check out @toddbudzyn on Instagram.

Golden Loutriever

Louie is a Golden Retriever from California who is an up-and-coming star. He spends a lot of time like any stereotypical Californian – hiking, swimming, and attending red carpet events. Louie has over 240,000 followers on Instagram and has partnered with a bunch of pet brands.

Louie’s next steps include becoming a television star. I’m sure he’ll have a long and impressive career on the screens in front of him, and I look forward to watching his films!

You can search goldenloutriever on Instagram to find him.

Charlie the Golden (and his family!)

Charlie is a Golden Retriever from Springfield, Ohio. He lives with his siblings – Buddy, Daisy, Herbie, Sophie the cat, and their parents Alicia and Stan Dixon. Charlie is a born social media star, featuring in many of Alicia’s videos with hilarious captions.

Charlie has 453k Instagram, 1 million on Facebook, and almost 70k subscribers on YouTube and is the most famous out of his family.

Search Charlie_the_golden18 for all of Charlie’s socials. His siblings can be found on Instagram at buddypup13, sophie.the.grumpcat, daisy.the.newfie and herbie.the.newfie.

Cooper and Koda

Golden Retriever Cooper features on YouTube every Sunday, with over 481k subscribers. He has social media pages too, but is most known for his weekly videos. Cooper’s brother Koda is a Great Pyrenees, a breed often mistaken for Goldens. I could watch these 2 all day long! Cooper’s YouTube channel is called SuperCooper.

Golden Bailey

Bailey was a pioneer of Golden Retriever social media fame, she was one of the first Instagram famous pets. Though Bailey passed away in 2016, her legacy lives on. To this day I see her iconic photos as she famously acted like a human.

You can check out Bailey with a tie on working at a computer or playing poker with her pals – guaranteed to leave a smile on your face. One of her most famous photos turned memes was the ‘I have no idea what I’m doing’. Her poses were so relatable and she was such a sweetheart to play along.

You can view her life in photos here.

Watson and Kiko

These adventurous Golden Retriever brothers travel to beautiful locations and spread joy with their huge smiles and love for each other. They have over 1 million followers on Instagram and I could spend hours scrolling through their posts. Adorably, Watson often hugs his brother and it makes the cutest photo!

Kiko is a cancer survivor who has 3 legs, but he doesn’t let that stop him from having the best time with his family! The brothers have a cat brother called Harry and a dog sister called Time who all live with their owner Jennifer Mendrano in Washington. Find them at wat.ki on Instagram.

Lizzie and Ally

These 2 Golden Retriever best friends from Ontario, Canada, have been with their owner Fran Lauren since 2012 and 2015. Their joint Instagram account has over 429k followers and it’s easy to see why when you take a look at this photogenic pair. Their Instagram is called lizzie.bear.

Glee

Glee is a Golden Retriever from Instagram, who did a joy tour across America. Through August of 2019 Glee road-tripped through America and gave out countless cuddles and brought smiles to so many people. She has almost 300k followers on Instagram! Glee’s Instagram is goldens_glee.

Chester

Chester is a Golden Retriever born 10/03/17 from Los Angeles, California. Chester is a Tiktok star, and can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. He has 335k followers on Instagram and 811k followers on Tiktok! He is known for the funny videos posted on his accounts chasin_chester across all the platforms.

Scout

Scout’s claim to fame was when he starred in the University of Wisconsin’s School of Veterinary Medical Super Bowl commercial. He was the family pet of Weathertech CEO and founder David MacNeil.

Scout lost his battle with cancer in 2020 aged 7 but in his commercial, he created a lasting legacy as it brought worldwide attention to the veterinary school and encouraged millions of viewers to donate to the school’s animal cancer research. You can still find his Instagram at scoutgoldenretriever.

Famous Golden Retrievers From TV/Films

Golden Retrievers, in my biased opinion, are one of the most gorgeous and photogenic breeds of dogs. It’s no surprise that these adorable dogs are used in so many films and TV shows.

Listed below are some famous faces you might recognise from the screen.

Although there are countless films I could have chosen, these are 3 big ones I had to include. There are some honorable mentions here too.

Buddy (Most Known From the Air Bud Film)

Buddy was a true rag to riches story. He was a stray found in Sierra Nevada in 1989 by a man called Kevin di Cicco. He was taken to his new home in California and trained in a variety of sports.

This is when Buddy discovered his talent for propelling basketballs from his mouth. He appeared on America’s Funniest Home Videos and Late Night With David Letterman.

He was then cast as the main character in the 1997 Disney film Air Bud about a basketball-playing dog. For his role in this film, he was nominated for 2 Kids’ Choice Awards!

Buddy passed away aged 9 on February 10, 1998 due to complications with cancer. His legacy lives on through the Air Bud films and the many spin-offs as well as the 9 puppies he sired.

Ben (Who Played Shadow in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey)

One of the stars of the 1993 hit Disney Film Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is Golden Retriever Ben. Ben played one of three pet protagonists. His character Shadow leads American Bulldog Chance and Himalayan cat Sassy on a perilous journey across Sierra Nevada after being left in the care of a family friend.

Chance believes they have been abandoned, but loyal Shadow who is the oldest and wisest, refuses to believe it and embarks on a dangerous journey to find their way home. This 84-minute film is a comedy and adventure film that’s a must-watch for dog lovers.

Ajax and Solar who played Pilot in The Retrievers (2001)

This film follows the story of a stray Golden Retriever Pilot, who ‘adopts’ the Lowry family when they move to Northern California. Pilot soon gives birth to 6 puppies. Tom Lowry insists that the puppies need to be rehomed and all 6 are given away. That should’ve been the end of it, but determined mum Pilot wants all her pups back with her where they belong!

The Lowry family has a very difficult task of retrieving all the puppies, made even more challenging by the fact that they don’t even know the people who took the puppies. Watch this fun family film to find out if Pilot manages to bring all of her puppies home. The role of Pilot is shared by 2 talented and cute Goldens called Ajax and Solar.

Honorable Mentions

And of course, I had to mention these films. A Dog’s Purpose is a truly emotional film and the only reason I didn’t include it above is because the Golden Retriever, Bailey, was one of several dog actors in the film.

Also, The Art of Racing in the Rain’s Golden Retriever Parker who plays protagonist Enzo in the 2019 comedy-drama film.

No list would be complete without a mention of the Golden Retriever who played Brinkley in the 1998 film You’ve Got Mail. There are so many talented Golden Retriever actors!

Famous Golden Retriever Owners

There are also Golden Retrievers who come under the umbrella of famous due to the well-known and celebrity owners they have. I bet some of these Goldens fly first class and eat steak thanks to their glamorous and wealthy families. Is there anyone on the list who surprises you?

• Oprah Winfrey (one of America’s household names talk show host, actress, producer, author, and philanthropist) is a huge dog lover! She has had many dogs in her life. Oprah loves her pets unconditionally and even has a trust fund set up for them! We are focussing particularly on her 2 Goldens: Luke and Layla.
• Adam Levine (Maroon 5 singer and coach from The Voice) and his wife Victoria Secret model Bahati Prinsloo adopted Golden Retriever puppy Charlie back in 2015. Charlie (and Levine’s other dog Bones) are frequently seen on the singer’s Instagram account – adamlevine.
• Mike Sorrentino (American TV personality) is best known for his appearances on MTV’s reality show Jersey Shore, has a Golden Retriever called Moses. Lauren Sorrentino, Mike’s wife, runs an Instagram account called ‘themoseyworld’ which has almost 70k followers!
• Kyle Richards (American actress, socialite, and television personality) has Bambi, who is a Golden Retriever and 1 of 5 dogs in the household. You can see her on Kyle’s Instagram (kylerichards18), everyone was talking about her when Bambi was devastated to lose her beloved tennis ball in the swimming pool. Kyle has a very dramatic but gorgeous Golden!
• Jackie Chan (martial artist and actor) has 2 Golden Retrievers. JJ and Jones are the beloved companions of Jackie Chan and often feature on his social media. Chan is a huge advocate for animal welfare and works closely with several animal rights organisations. He also urges his followers to adopt instead of buying pets. Find him @EyeOfJackieChan (Twitter) jackiechan (Instagram) and Jackie Chan on Facebook.
• Chris Colfer (American actor, singer, and writer best known for his role in the television musical Glee) has a Golden called Cooper. You can usually see selfies of the pair on Chris’ social media pages, especially his Twitter @chriscolfer.
• Lisa Vanderpump (former star from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) has had several dogs. They have full access throughout her huge villa in California and Lisa often takes them along with her wherever she goes. Golden Retrievers Rumpy and Avery are said to run the villa. Lisa is one of the founders of The Vanderpump Dog Foundation and tackles several very important issues. Learn more at here.
• Neil Patrick Harris (American actor, singer, producer, writer, and television host) welcomed Golden Retriever puppy Ella to the family on Christmas day 2020. Neil has 2 other dogs and speaks about all of them often. You can often see photos of the adorable pups on Neil’s Twitter @Actually NPH, nph on Instagram, and Neil Patrick Harris on Facebook.
• Jimmy Fallon (Late night talk show host) has a sweet Golden Retriever. Her name is Gary (from her TV debut when she met Jimmy for the first time on a segment for the show. Her political pundit name was Gary Frick Jr, and she captured Jimmy’s heart). She joined the family in 2012, with the shortened name of Gary.
• Joe Rogan (American comedian, podcast host, and UFC commentator) joins this list with his Golden, Marshall. Marshall Mae Rogan has his own Instagram (marshallmaerogan) with over 734k followers! He lives with 2 cats and protects the family chicken coop from squirrels.
• Ryan Reynolds (Actor) and his wife Blake Lively have 3 children and 2 Golden Retrievers in their family. Baxter and Billie are a huge part of the family and the couple hilariously prank each other online, sometimes using their Goldies in the joke. I was really amused when Ryan did a big post for Baxter’s birthday and his wife responded with a comment about how he didn’t post on her birthday! Check out their Instagrams vancityreynolds and blakelively.
• Emma Stone (actress) adopted Golden Retriever Ren in 2012. In 2018, Emma promoted the adoption of shelter dogs who were rescued from Hurricane Florence by NSALA (North Shore Animal League America). Emma also often advocates for animals’ rights.
• Denise Richards (Former model, actress, and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star) has lots of different pets. Denise fosters dogs and also has a horse and a pig. Tucker is her Golden Retriever, and you can see Tucker and her foster siblings on Denise’s social media: Twitter @DENISE_RICHARDS and Instagram deniserichards.

Miscellaneous Famous Golden Retrievers

There are some famous Golden Retrievers who are known because of something remarkable they have done. Just as we have famous people, current celebrities, and notable figures in history, so do Golden Retrievers. Some of these feats are truly incredible!

1. First on this list is the world’s oldest Golden Retriever August ‘Augie’ Hetterscheidt. Augie was born on 24/04/2000 and lived to 20 years 11 months. August passed away on 31/03/2021 just short of her 21st birthday. At the time she was the 19th oldest dog in the world! Jennifer and Steve Hetterscheidt rescued Augie when she was 14 and lived with her in Tennessee where she enjoyed playing with her adopted siblings Sherman, Belle, and Bruce and eating dog-friendly carrot-cake. Augie lived twice as long as the average life expectancy for Golden Retrievers!
2. Next, we have the White House ‘First Dog’. President Gerald R. Ford had a Golden Retriever named Liberty who joined the family just after he was sworn in as the 38th President of the United States between 1974 and 1977. Liberty was born on 08/02/74 in California. She was a huge personality in the White House. She swam in the pool, spent a lot of time in the Oval Office, and even had a litter of puppies there! President Ford’s daughter Susan adored Liberty and she had a happy life until her passing in 1986 aged 11.
3. Finley ‘Finney’ Molloy is a Guinness World Record Holder. He holds the title for most tennis balls held in the mouth by a dog – and it’s an incredible 6! Erin Molloy got Finley when he was 10 weeks old back in 2014. He had always picked up multiple tennis balls without any pressure from his family. On 23rd February 2020, Finney was officially awarded the world record and has almost 50k followers on Instagram. He lives in New York, USA with his family, and has beat the previous record-holder – a Golden Retriever from Texas who set the record at 5 balls in 2003.
4. Largest Golden Retriever Meetup: You may know that Golden Retrievers originally come from Scotland, where the breed was created by Lord Tweedmouth in the 1800s. On the 150th anniversary of their founding, 361 Golden Retrievers gathered in the Scottish Highlands where their ancestors were first bred. This gathering beat the world record for most Golden Retrievers in one place and was a perfect way to celebrate the 150th anniversary. What’s cuter than a photo of a Golden Retriever? A photo of 361 Golden Retrievers! This record has since been beaten by a meet-up with 681 Golden Retrievers in Huntington Beach, California on 14/10/18.
5. Pinkie the Golden Retriever is a winner of the “Best in Breed” award from the 126th annual Westminster Dog Show. Pinkie competed and won numerous competitions, though the Westminster Dog Show may be the most well known. She also is known because incredibly, she was a surrogate mother to three tiger cubs!
6. Orca, awarded PDSA Gold Medal for animal bravery: Orca’s achievements might be the most inspiring on this list. Orca was the first dog in York to be officially recognised as a carer. He was an assistance dog for his disabled owner Cheryl Alexander. At only 17 months old and after only being with Cheryl for 2 months, Orca saved Cheryl’s life. After an accident caused Cheryl to fall 12 feet down into a drainage ditch, where she was pinned by her wheelchair and submerged in water, Orca brought help. Initially, someone had put a lead on him and tried to rescue him thinking he was a stray, but Orca realised the person couldn’t help and found someone else. Undoubtedly his actions saved Cheryl’s life. He knew over 150 commands including loading the washing machine, undoing shoelaces, and even helping dress a baby. In 2006 he was awarded the PDSA Gold Medal and was honoured for his bravery many times. Orca died in November 2014 aged 12 but will always be remembered as a hero.
7. Kira is a Golden Retriever who became a hero in 2019 and an instant global sensation: She was walking with her owner Timofey Yuriev when he noticed 2 drowning dogs who had fallen through a frozen lake in Irvington, New York. Timofey, who was a cold-water diver, didn’t hesitate, diving in and swimming 30-40 feet towards the struggling dogs. Kira showed as much bravery as her owner when she joined in the rescue effort. Timofey’s wife Melissa recorded the rescue and posted it on Facebook where Kira and Timofey were shared across social media. It takes a really brave and loyal dog to leap into ice-cold waters, but that sums up Golden Retrievers to a tee!

Thanks for Reading!

Did I miss any from my list?

There are so many famous Golden Retrievers and I had to draw a line or you’ll have been reading all day and all night long.

Let me know if you think there’s a Golden Retriever who should be here though!