Home / Animals / Dogs

Golden Retriever Breaks Guinness World Record for Most Tennis Balls Held in the Mouth by a Dog

By Emma Taggart on October 21, 2021

Many dogs love playing fetch, but there’s one pup in Canandaigua, New York, who can’t seem to get enough of it. Finley the Golden Retriever can hold six tennis balls in his mouth at one time, earning him the Guinness World Record for “most tennis balls held in the mouth by a dog.”

Golden Retrievers have a natural drive to retrieve (hence the breed’s name), but tennis balls are particularly enticing for these playful dogs. The furry toy mimics the erratic movement of small prey in the wild, encouraging Golden Retrievers to instinctively run and catch them. Finley began showing his love for tennis balls when he was a puppy, and started carrying them around in his mouth when he was around two years old. He was first spotted with six balls in his mouth in 2017, but it wasn’t until recently that he was awarded for his impressive feat.

“My dad would throw him a tennis ball, he’d catch it, drop it, then wait for my dad to throw another,” recalls his owner, Erin Molloy. “Rather than bringing just one ball back to my dad, he brought back all six! He’s been a ball hoarder for quite some time now!”

When Molley realized that the previous record was five tennis balls held at one time (set by a Golden Retriever named Augie in 2003), she decided to submit Finley’s achievement to Guinness World Records. The deserving dog was awarded the title, and he even hosted a garden “pawty” with his neighbors to celebrate.

“BIG NEWS! I can officially say that I am in the @guinnessworldrecords book for 2022!” writes Finley on Instagram. “This of course wasn’t easy, and certainly felt like forever and a day to accomplish! Thank you to all my friends and fans who have been following my tennis ball journey since the beginning.”

Of course, being a record holder is exciting, but all that fame can get exhausting. Since securing his spot in the 2022 Guinness World Records book, Finley is now “Enjoying retired life.”

You can find Finley in the 2022 Guinness World Records book.