You Won’t Believe What This New York Golden Retriever Is Weirdly Good At
We all know that our canine friends have a way of keeping life entertaining with their quirky behaviors.
Whether it’s spinning in circles before lying down, “talking” back when they want attention, or carrying around a favorite toy like it’s their most prized possession, dogs never fail to surprise us.
However, the golden boy of today’s story has taken this to a whole new level. His name is Finley, and he’s hailing from Canandaigua, New York, and he’s eager to show you his special talent.
Trust me, you won’t want to miss this!
Tennis Ball Aficionado
Finley, like any other good boy, loves to play with tennis balls, or as his owner Shirley explained in an interview:
“Well, really any ball, but mostly tennis balls because that’s what we have.”
But what sets Finley apart from other dogs is that he doesn’t just stop at fetch. Oh, no – he takes the game to a whole new level.
Believe it or not, when all the balls have been thrown and there are no more left to fetch, Finley doesn’t just give up.
According to Shirley, he gathers every last one of them, picks them all up, and proudly prances around the yard with a mouthful of balls!
This sweet canine tennis ball enthusiast knows how to have fun all by himself – he doesn’t need his humans to play with him. As Shirley explained:
“If we’re busy doing something, he knows how to entertain himself. So when I tell him, ‘Okay, go lie down now,’ he’ll go to the side of the yard, and he’ll usually have multiple balls in his mouth. And he lay on his back and put them up and then drop them into his mouth – like he’s playing catch with himself!”
How amazing is that? My own dog could never come up with something like that! Just look at him play – he’s adorable!
Guinness World Record?
Finley typically carries four to five tennis balls in his mouth at once. And according to Shirley, he does it to brag, haha!
“When he has them in his mouth, it’s as if he’s trying to show off, like ‘Look at me!’ He’s very proud!”
But every now and then, Finley manages to fit six balls in his mouth, which his family finds pretty impressive.
One day, Shirley’s daughter Erin joked that six tennis balls in a dog’s mouth must be some kind of record.
So, she decided to dig a little deeper and discovered something pretty interesting…
After some thorough research, Erin discovered that another golden retriever in Texas held the Guinness World Record for holding five tennis balls at once.
Excited by the idea that Finley might be able to break the record, she reached out to Guinness World Records, sharing all the details about her talented pup.
Long story short, after three long years, they officially recognized Finley’s achievement and sent the certificate for the most tennis balls held in a dog’s mouth to Canandaigua, New York!
Finley’s family couldn’t have been prouder of him. They threw a party in his honor, inviting all the neighborhood dogs, and it turned into the best time ever!
I kind of wish I had been invited to that party, haha!
Finley’s Second Love
Aside from his love for tennis balls, Finley has a second obsession: Stuffed toys. However, according to his mom, those are strictly for indoor play.
“When I open the door for him to come inside, he will have a ball in his mouth, and he will immediately drop it because he knows balls are outside, stuffed toys are inside.”
I’m so glad I stumbled upon this goofy pup. His talent is truly impressive, and I’m thrilled he’s the proud holder of a Guinness World Record.
If you want to see more of this adorable dog, be sure to follow him on Instagram!
