A passerby could hear it from miles away in Buenos Aires — a rolling chorus of joyful barks as 2,397 golden retrievers converged on Bosques de Palermo, turning one of the city’s largest parks into a shimmering mass of yellow fur and wagging tails. Organizers say the turnout broke an informal world record for the largest-ever gathering of the breed, topping a 2024 event in Vancouver that drew 1,685 goldens.
Owners from across Argentina streamed into the park on Monday, many having driven hours with dogs sprawled across back seats. Under the bright Southern Hemisphere summer sun, the grassy expanse became a living carpet of golden coats, with dogs trotting, sniffing, and flopping down in the shade while families tried to take in the sheer scale of the scene.
Children squealed as they darted from dog to dog, petting anything within reach. Adults, their clothes quickly covered in hair and slobber, settled onto picnic blankets, shared drinks of yerba mate, and pulled out phones in an attempt to capture the chaos.
Owners celebrate the breed’s bond and quirks
For many, the gathering was as much about community as it was about records. Owners swapped stories about how their dogs had seen them through breakups, illnesses, job losses, and everyday stress, and traded fun facts about the breed’s reputation for detecting low blood sugar and even signs of cancer.
“Since we were children, she’s been a constant presence in our family. We’ve had vacations with her. We’ve done everything together,” said 26-year-old Nicolás Orellana, who wore a T-shirt printed with a golden retriever’s face. His family had driven about an hour and a half from a town in Buenos Aires province to attend with their 13-year-old dog, Luna.
“It’s a type of dog that’s known to create a special bond,” he added, kneeling to stroke Luna as she lay contentedly in the grass.
Around them, goldens milled about in an array of costumes: some in Argentine soccer jerseys, others draped in national flags, a few in tutus or Star Wars bandanas. The effect was part dog show, part street party.
Counting every golden in a record-breaking meet-up
Behind the scenes of the idyllic scene was a surprisingly logistical effort. To verify numbers for the golden retriever world record gathering, ten volunteers in yellow vests moved methodically through the crowd, clipboards in hand, registering each dog that crossed their path.
Hours of counting and recounting followed. Late in the day, organizer Fausto Duperre announced the final tally: 2,397 golden retrievers. The number, he said, comfortably surpassed Vancouver’s previous informal record, though the Buenos Aires event has not been certified by Guinness World Records.
“This is a historic event,” said Duperre, a 28-year-old Argentine actor who has built a social media following by posting about his 10-year-old golden, Oli. “I’m truly grateful and happy, proud, excited, and overjoyed all at once.”
The dream of capturing a picture of the dogs alone, lined up neatly without their humans, quickly ran into reality. Owners balked at unclipping leashes in a sea of nearly 2,400 near-identical dogs, worried they might lose their pets in the crowd or spark confusion. The group shot never materialized — but selfies, family portraits, and videos more than made up for it.
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Gentle chaos, but fewer problems than expected
Before the event, some participants had braced for mayhem: barking, scuffles, and tangled leashes. Instead, many were struck by how smoothly the day went.
“I was afraid I would lose her, I was afraid she would fight, I was afraid another dog would attack her,” said 64-year-old Elena Deleo, gently stroking her golden, Angie. “But no, they’re all affectionate, all gentle. It’s just a very lovely experience.”
There were still some comic moments — dogs lunging toward treat bags, turning water bowls into splash pads or deciding that another owner’s picnic blanket looked more comfortable. Volunteers and owners moved constantly to prevent leashes from knotting into a single giant web.
In the end, what might have been remembered purely as a quirky record attempt felt more like a manifesto for the breed’s reputation: friendly, social, patient, and almost impossibly eager to please. As the sun dipped and families began to drift back toward their cars, a few last dogs lingered, tails still wagging, as if reluctant to let the golden wave recede.
