When Doug and Becca Worple retired, they turned their love of Golden Retrievers into a viral business. In the Green Mountains of Vermont, “Golden Dog Farm” hosts events that, for a fee, allow visitors to spend time with the Worple’s “happy,” the term they’ve coined for a group of Golden Retrievers. But the path to Golden Dog Farm definitely wasn’t a straight shot, let alone part of the Worple’s initial retirement plans.
Doug spent 27 years in a demanding advertising career and Becca was a children’s photographer. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, they suddenly realized they were ready to change course. With their kids in college, they opted to sell their house in Cincinnati, rent an RV, and take a six-month road trip.
The couple ended up settling down on a 270-acre farm in the village of Jeffersonville, Vermont. However, the Worple’s soon grew concerned about their four Golden Retrievers’ lack of interaction with other humans.
That led to the idea of hosting events where people could meet and spend time with the dogs. However, to truly make the experience something special, they knew they needed a lot more dogs, but raising them on their own was going to be way too much work for the pair to take on themselves.
The solution to their quandry was literally right next door. The Worple’s neighbor was Butternut Hill Golden Retrievers, run by hobby breeders Dana and Susan Menne. Along with the Menne’s 13 AKC Golden Retrievers, the Worples and their neighbors created the “Golden Retriever Experience.”
The first events were held in September and October of 2023 with visitors paying $75 to love on the happy of Goldens. Those initial experiences didn’t draw much of a crowd but the photos and videos those visitors shared soon turned the Golden Retriever Experience a viral sensation.
Subsequent events have routinely sold out and the Worple’s story has now been featured by several media outlets, including People Magazine and Good Morning America. The Worple’s have also added to their slate of experiences, including a “Golden Retriever PUPPY Experience” for $105 when a new litter is ready. They also have higher priced experiences that include breakfast or wine, the latter of which is made at the farm. Thanks to Becca’s decades long career as a photographer, visitors are also guaranteed excellent photos with the dogs and the gorgeous backdrop of the farm. Learn more at Golden Dog Farm HERE.
