The English language is an amazing thing. We have words to describe almost anything. 

A group of crows are a murder. A group of cats – a clowder. 

But what do you call a group of golden retrievers? Especially when 500 of those very good doggos show up in Scotland?

You call them a ‘halo’. A very apt description of what visitors to the Scottish Highlands recently found at the Guisachan Gathering. A field of more than 500 golden retrievers flowing over the kennel land.

The event, which is conducted every 5 years by the Golden Retriever Club of Scotland, was extra special this year. The Guisachan Gathering was celebrating the 155th anniversary on the very grounds where the first golden retriever was born in 1868.

People came from all over the world, including the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and South Africa. 

Ollie Sheppard with his golden retriever, Margo. Photo courtesy of Sheppard

Ollie Sheppard traveled there from England with his 2-year-old golden, Margo.

People do tend to talk to each other’s dogs more than anything.”

Many visitors brought along their own dogs for the trip. Some are there because they just love the dog breed.

Kelly Sisco and her husband, Tim, are from Fair Grove, MO. The couple have 11 golden retrievers and knew that they wanted to be a part of the massive event. As soon as they heard about it, “we decided we were going to go,” she said.

While she couldn’t bring all of her own dogs, Kelly was overjoyed at all the animals that she did get to pet, as well as the importance of the event.

“To know that the first golden retrievers ran on these grounds, practiced on these grounds and trained on these grounds is nothing short of incredible for those of us who are so invested in this breed,” Kelly said.

The event is conducted on the land that has the remains of the “Guisachan House”, which is the home of the first Golden Retriever in the highlands.

The very first litter was bred by Dudley Coutts Majoribanks, a Scottish businessman. He named the puppies Crocus, Cowslip and Primrose. They were the babies of a flat-coated retriever and a tweed water spaniel. 

“A lot of golden retriever owners find there’s an emotional attachment to the Guisachan house, and it’s where they want to go and look and experience,” said Carol Henry, the secretary of the Golden Retriever Club of Scotland.

The event had activities for the four-legged pets, as well as their two-legged owners, including a flashlight parade from the kennel to the house, afternoon tea for the humans, as well as training sessions for the owners and their pets.

A golden retriever puppy at the gathering. Photo courtesy of Kelly Sisco

With plans to attend the next gathering in 2028, Sheppard said she couldn’t wait to come back.

You can’t have a bad day when there’s 500 golden retrievers around you.”

Sisco, too, is planning to travel again from Missouri for the next event. 

“To look at a sea of beautiful dogs is just amazing,” she said.

Watch below for a look at the halo of golden retrievers!

Sources: Washington Post | NY Post