Golden Retriever Life’s Kevin and Katie Bubolz Announce Second Baby With Help From Ellie and Emma
The family behind one of the internet’s most popular pet accounts is growing again. Kevin and Katie Bubolz — the couple who built the Golden Retriever Life brand around their therapy dogs Ellie and Emma — announced they are expecting their second child, with the golden retrievers front and center in the reveal.
The Announcement
The couple shared the news on Instagram on Sunday, Feb. 22, in a post that quickly had their massive following celebrating.
“Our family is growing 💛Connor is getting promoted to big brother!” they captioned the post. ” Shoutout to Ellie and Emma for being such intuitive, loving therapy dogs and taking such good care of Katie.”
The post included a family photo with the dogs, a shot of Katie lying in blankets as both Ellie and Emma snuggle up close to her, and a picture of the couple holding a sonogram photo. The Bubolz family welcomed their first child, a boy named Connor, in October 2024.
Ellie and Emma’s role in the family
For longtime followers, the photos of Ellie and Emma curled up protectively around Katie track with everything this account has always shown. These two golden retrievers are trained therapy dogs, and their ability to sense what their humans need is what has drawn millions of followers.
Kevin and Katie have always been open about the fact that Ellie and Emma are therapy dogs on a mission to spread smiles and make every day golden. The shoutout they gave the dogs in the announcement caption speaks to the bond: these aren’t just pets or social media stars. They are companions who take care of their people, and that dynamic is visible in every photo the family shares.
Seeing the dogs snuggled up with Katie during her pregnancy is a specific example of the intuitive, loving nature that made the account famous in the first place.
How Golden Retriever Life Started
The origin of this account runs deeper than cute content.
According to Golden Retriever Life’s official website, Kevin was inspired by the benefit of animal-assisted interactions while he was deployed overseas. When he returned home, he and his wife got Ellie and trained her as a therapy dog.
Kevin and Katie then spent several years volunteering in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes, advancing the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of others through their work with Ellie. It was quiet, community-focused work.
The pandemic changed the trajectory. As things became less in-person and more online, Kevin and Katie created their social media page to continue spreading joy through a new medium. The account went viral, amassing a massive following. The attention landed them on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
In 2022, the family grew when they adopted another golden retriever, Emma. Two dogs, and the duo that followers know today was complete.
Beyond the Instagram Feed
What separates Golden Retriever Life from other pet accounts is the mission running beneath the content. Kevin and Katie have built something that extends well past photos and reels.
Since growing their platform, they launched their own app, The Hapco, described as a community of pet parents who want to unleash more adventures with their pups. The app gives followers a way to connect with other like-minded pet lovers.
The Bubolz family has also traveled the world with their pups, visiting deployed service members and fans around the globe. That connects back to where it all started: Kevin’s time overseas and his experience with the bond between humans and animals.
As their official website states: “Our focus is, and will always be, on our mission to spread smiles.”
Production of this article included the use of AI. It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.
