Famous Golden Retriever Account ‘Ellie the Golden’ Family Expecting Second Child
Kevin and Katie Bubolz, the couple behind the massively popular Instagram account Golden Retriever Life, announced they are expecting their second baby — just months after welcoming their first child.
The Bubolz family announced on Instagram on Sunday, Feb. 22, that they are expecting their second child.
Their first child, a boy named Connor, was born in October 2024.
The couple owns two golden retriever therapy dogs, Ellie and Emma, who are internet sensations with millions of followers.
Kevin was inspired by the benefit of animal-assisted interactions while deployed overseas, which led the couple to train Ellie as a therapy dog.
The Announcement
“Our family is growing 💛Connor is getting promoted to big brother!” the couple captioned their Instagram post. “Shoutout to Ellie and Emma for being such intuitive, loving therapy dogs and taking such good care of Katie.”
The post included photos of the family with their dogs, Katie lying in blankets as both Ellie and Emma snuggle her, and the couple holding a sonogram photo.
How Ellie Became an Internet Star
According to Golden Retriever Life’s official website, Kevin was inspired by animal-assisted interactions while he was deployed overseas. When he returned home, he and Katie got Ellie and trained her as a therapy dog.
The couple spent years volunteering in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes, advancing the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of others through Ellie’s presence and training.
The shift to social media came during the pandemic, when in-person interactions became limited. Kevin and Katie created their social media page during that time, and it quickly resonated with people craving connection and comfort.
The account went viral, and the couple even appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, introducing their mission and their beloved golden retriever to a national television audience.
In 2022, the family adopted another golden retriever, Emma, adding a second therapy dog to their team.
A Growing Mission
The Bubolz family launched their own app, The Hapco, described as a community of pet parents who want to unleash more adventures with their pups.
Kevin and Katie have also traveled the globe with their pups, visiting deployed service members and fans all around the world — a mission tied directly to Kevin’s own experience overseas.
“Our focus is, and will always be, on our mission to spread smiles,” the website states.
BOTTOM LINE: The family behind one of social media’s most popular pet accounts continues to grow, with baby No. 2 joining a household that already includes toddler Connor and beloved therapy dogs Ellie and Emma.
Production of this article included the use of AI. It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.
