Part of our Instagram Dogs We Love series, celebrating 10 years of the Top Dog Film Festival
Some people fall in love with a person. Some fall in love with a lifestyle. And some fall in love with both—along with seven Golden Retrievers. This is the story of the Hungry Goldens, a Czech family of twelve magnificent Goldens, two devoted humans, and an Instagram account that proves love has no limits (but washing machines definitely do).
A Package Deal Like No Other
Thirteen years ago, a self-described “42-year-old human boy” from the Czech Republic met the woman who would change his life. She came with a rather unique clause in the relationship contract: seven Golden Retrievers. For someone who’d never had a pet in his entire life, this was either the beginning of a beautiful adventure or complete madness.
Spoiler alert: it was both.
Today, the Hungry Goldens pack has grown to twelve—yes, twelve—pure-bred Golden Retrievers, ranging from 10-month-old Lynn (the baby) to 13-year-old Ray (the gentleman elder statesman). Their Instagram account documents the gloriously chaotic, endlessly loving, occasionally knife-wielding (more on that later) life of this extraordinary family.
Meet the Pack
The Boys:
- Ray, 13 years old (the wise one)
- Mac, 12 years old (the veteran)
- Robin, 10 years old (the middle child)
- Rusty, 4 years old (the young adult)
- Harry, 3 years old (the teenager)
The Girls:
- Leia, 12 years old (the matriarch)
- Viki, 11 years old (mum to Pixie)
- Lili, 9 years old (the miracle)
- Pixie, 7 years old (mum to Easy, daughter of Viki)
- Buffy, 6 years old (mum to Lynn)
- Easy, 3 years old (the sponge thief, daughter of Pixie)
- Lynn, 10 months old (the baby, daughter of Buffy)
Some were born at home, others imported from France, Croatia, or England—creating a beautifully diverse European Golden Retriever family.
The Morning Roll Ritual
Every morning, after a brief trip to the garden, the Hungry Goldens engage in their most sacred ritual: The Bread Queue. Twelve Golden Retrievers line up before the cupboard where the morning rolls and buns are kept, waiting with the kind of patient anticipation usually reserved for royal processions or championship football matches.
Each dog gets their morning roll fix. No exceptions. No negotiations. This is non-negotiable Golden Retriever law, and heaven help anyone who forgets.
It’s this ritual that gives the account its perfect name—these aren’t just Goldens. They’re Hungry Goldens, and they’ve trained their humans impeccably.
The Philosophy: Family Till the End
Behind the Instagram cuteness lies a deeply thoughtful breeding philosophy. In order to breed responsibly, dogs need to be of a certain age. But unlike many breeders, this family doesn’t retire their older dogs to other homes. Once a Golden becomes part of this family, they stay till the very end.
“Because we consider them to be part of our family, we take care of them till the end,” explains their human dad. This commitment meant increasing the pack to maintain younger breeding dogs while honouring lifetime commitments to the seniors.
The target was ten dogs. Life, as it tends to do, had other plans. Now twelve Goldens strong, the family wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Miracle Called Lili
Not every story in the Hungry Goldens household has been easy. Lili, now 9 years old, was born with severe kidney and bladder issues. As a puppy, doctors gave her just four weeks to live. If she somehow survived that, they warned, the medication would destroy her joints within a year, leaving her unable to move.
Lili had other ideas.
She’s now a senior at nine years old, still jumping around and running wild, defying every prognosis with the stubborn joy that Golden Retrievers do best. She’s living proof that love, determination, and excellent veterinary care can overcome even the bleakest predictions.
Tales From the Golden Household
Life with twelve Golden Retrievers is never dull. Here are some highlights:
The Wedding Ring Bearer: Their late girl Audrin had the honour of bringing the wedding rings during the couple’s ceremony—a Golden Retriever literally delivering happily ever after.
The Sponge Thief: Easy has a particular obsession with washing-up sponges from the kitchen sink. She’s developed ninja-like abilities to reach even the most distant places where sponges dare hide. Her collection is impressive.
The Kitchen Knife Incident: This is the story that taught them the most important household rule: never leave knives on the counter. One day, dad opened the door to find one of the dogs bounding towards him in typical happy Golden fashion—with a kitchen knife point-first in her mouth. Miraculously, no one got stabbed, but the knife policy was immediately and permanently implemented.
Plush Toy Massacres: Every plush toy that enters the household knows its days are numbered. Hands, legs, ears, tentacles—if it’s sewn on, it’s coming off. The Goldens are nothing if not thorough in their “surgeries.”
The Reality Behind the Instagram
The Hungry Goldens’ human parents both work full-time jobs, not despite the pack, but because of them. Twelve dogs require substantial resources:
- Healthcare bills exceed food bills (and the food bills aren’t small—they feed fresh raw meat with vegetables, specially prepared mixes of muscle, sinew, intestines, and bones, all stored frozen and served fresh)
- Travel is nearly impossible—putting twelve dogs in daycare would cost a fortune
- The washing machine runs constantly, sometimes three times a day, and up to six times daily when there are puppies
- Kibble is used only when a dog requires special veterinary diets that can’t be achieved otherwise
It’s a life of constant work, endless washing, substantial expense, and zero regrets.
Why We’re Celebrating Them
As the Top Dog Film Festival marks its 10th anniversary, we’re highlighting Instagram accounts that show the authentic, beautiful, sometimes messy reality of life with dogs. The Hungry Goldens exemplifies everything we love about the dog community:
- Commitment: Keeping every dog for life, regardless of age or health challenges
- Transparency: Showing both the morning roll queues and the washing machine marathons
- Joy: Twelve wagging tails, twelve happy faces, twelve personalities that shine through every post
- Love: A man who’d never had a pet falling completely, utterly, twelve-times-over in love with Golden Retrievers
Thirteen years ago, seven Golden Retrievers quietly took over a life—and then invited five more to the party. Now it’s twelve wagging tails, endless mischief, and a household that runs entirely on treats, routines, and Golden energy. Honestly, the humans are just lucky to live in their world.
Make sure to follow the Hungry Goldens on Instagram HERE and enjoy their cute content!
And don’t forget your tickets to to 10th Anniversary Top Dog Film Festival coming SOON
All images are courtesy of the Hungry Goldens humans
