These dog lovers get a Golden break from a ruff news cycle
Venus wore a mini pink cowgirl hat and matching bandana. Blanche was dressed as Cupid, with wings. Libby, in her mermaid fin, stopped to scratch an itch.
Regardless of how humans dressed them, a full lineup of golden retrievers were on display in Golden, Colorado, this weekend. The city’s “Goldens in Golden” event — billed as the “world’s largest unofficial gathering” of the breed — brought together thousands of dogs and people on a sunny day.
“Favorite day of the year,” said Kim Kenney, whose dog Libby wore the mermaid outfit.
Why we wrote this
Thousands of dogs and people recently gathered in Golden, Colorado, to rejoice in what is billed as the “world’s largest unofficial gathering” of golden retrievers.
For Americans feeling exhausted by a relentless — and often gloomy — news cycle, Saturday’s festivities offered a welcome break, as dog owners reveled in the unconditional joy of man’s best friend.
Sarah Matusek/The Christian Science Monitor
Golden Retrievers “bring a lot of warmth and happiness to our family,” said Eli Amaya, who has a dog named Miso and another named Soup.
With some 20,000 residents, Golden is a picturesque former gold rush town located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. On Saturday, Main Street buzzed with barks, the clicking of collars and the rustling of plastic dog bags.
Leashes crisscross and tangle as Goldens make new friends. Tufts of fur rolled across the sidewalk like tiny tumbleweeds.
Launched in 2019, the annual Goldens in Golden event takes place in the run-up to International Golden Retriever Day in early February. Although it is difficult to verify the facts that it is the “biggest event in the world”, organizers estimated that some 16,000 people and 5,500 dogs were in attendance on Saturday.
Rizzo, a therapy dog, carried his leash in his mouth as if he were taking a walk himself.
“He loves people more than dogs,” said Alicia Gillespie, a Nebraska school principal.
When asked for comment, Rizzo responded by wagging his tail. He declined to give his last name because he does not have one.
Sarah Matusek/The Christian Science Monitor
Elsa, a crisis response dog, has deployed to places like California to help survivors of floods and wildfires. Dogs like her are “so smart. They find people who need them,” said Wendy Guy of Arizona, who works with a nonprofit called HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response. Elsa, calm, sniffed the air.
The event was a welcome study break for some students at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. Noah Rupp, who studies mechanical engineering, leaned down to stroke a copper coat.
“I think I need to get a golden retriever,” he said.
Other breeds joined the gathering, including a shivering little Italian greyhound and a husky disguised as a gold – complete with a fake pair of floppy ears.
Despite the lively mix, the pooches all seemed to get along, commented Joe Erio, next to his white-snouted golden named Sam. Perhaps politically polarized Americans could learn a thing or two from their four-legged friends.
“Not a single dog fight yet,” Mr. Erio said.
