Who wouldn’t love being greeted by a pack of Golden Retriever puppies and dogs, wagging tails and all, against the backdrop of a picturesque Central New Jersey farm?
That’s the irresistible draw of Camp Goldie in Freehold, where Golden Retriever lovers can spend an hour playing, cuddling, and capturing picture-perfect moments with an adorable crew of Goldens.
Founded by Patrick Marini in July 2025, Camp Goldie grew from a sweet idea. Marini wanted to cheer up his Golden Retriever-obsessed girlfriend, Erin Masterson (now his wife), with a special date where they could simply enjoy some quality time with lovable dogs and puppies.
He emailed several local breeders, most of whom turned him down or never responded. Then he connected with Susan Boekholt of Ruff Life Goldens in Shamong, N.J., which is about an hour south of Freehold near Cherry Hill. From their first meeting, all of the participants immediately clicked.
One Golden Date
Patrick and Erin spent 90 minutes with Boekholt’s puppies and soon after began dreaming about creating an interactive Golden Retriever experience for other dog lovers.
“We met Susan and her husband Jamie, their litter of puppies, and the adult Goldens, and we just had the best time,” Marini recalls.
“My wife has grown up with Golden Retrievers since she was seven years old,” he says. “Her father wanted to get a family dog, looked up what the best family dog was, and picked a Golden. That’s been the dog for her ever since elementary school.”
The idea stuck, and in the summer of 2025 Camp Goldie was born.
Today, Marini and his wife operate Camp Goldie at a horse ranch in Freehold, in partnership with the Boekholts and the ranch owners. After all, family is at the heart of the puppy play dates. This is a true group effort in which everyone involved has a passion for the burgeoning program.
The horse ranch welcomes dog lovers, families, school field trips, community groups, and special-needs groups to spend time with more than a dozen Goldens.
Masterson says her favorite part of the program is seeing an idea, born from her love of Golden Retrievers, bring happiness to so many others.
“Watching our guests laugh, connect with the dogs, and leave happier than when they arrived never gets old,” she says. “It’s everything I would have dreamed up if someone asked me to create my perfect job.”
The current canine crew ranges from 12-week-old Walter and seven-month-old Bacon to dogs ages 1, 2, 6, and 7. Then there’s Mikey, affectionately nicknamed the “Oldie Goldie.” At 10, he’s the oldest of the bunch and previously served as a service animal.
And the Goldens aren’t the only stars.
Camp Goldie’s upcoming fall festivals invite visitors to enjoy the farm with a mini Highland cow, mini donkeys, a horse, and fluffy bunnies. There are also free fall crafts and a gift shop.
When it comes to the play dates, Marini recommends comfortable shoes and clothing that can handle mud — and plenty of golden fur.
The camp operates 10 months a year, closing in January and February when temperatures are too cold for outdoor farm activities. During the break, the dogs get some downtime with Boekholt and her family. Following this year’s fall and holiday festivals, Camp Goldie will resume activities in spring 2027.
With the recent media attention, Marini and his wife are looking to expand. Recent requests have already included marriage proposals, birthday parties, and other milestone celebrations.
The Breeder Who Said Yes
Susan Boekholt, a former veterinary technician who worked in the field from 2016 to 2024 and a Golden Retriever breeder, says she agreed to Marini’s unusual puppy-play-date request because he explained that his girlfriend was feeling down and she wanted to help cheer her up
“I had never said yes to a request like that before, but they were so sweet,” Boekholt says. “I 100 percent believe it was fate that we came together.”
She added, “When they left my house that day, I told my husband, ‘We need to follow this guy. Patrick is so brilliant. I want to be on his team when he makes it big one day!’ ”
For Boekholt, the dogs’ health and well-being always come first.
Golden Retriever lovers get plenty of opportunities for cuddles, playtime and picture-perfect moments at Camp Goldie, an interactive experience on a horse ranch in Freehold, N.J.
In the summer, there’s a Splash Zone where the Goldens can cool off in the water.
“We go by what the dogs are telling us,” she says. “If they are too hot in the summer, we provide fans and water. We cancelled several summer sessions this year due to the heat. We would never do anything to put the dogs at risk.”
Boekholt brings her 10 Goldens to the Freehold farm, where they join Marini’s puppy and the ranch owners’ dogs. On weekends, there are three sessions a day, weather permitting. In the summer and in September, Wednesday afternoon sessions are also offered after school.
The popularity of Camp Goldie has also increased demand for her puppies. Boekholt currently has a waiting list of more than two years, with about 100 dog lovers hoping to bring one home.
A Special Place for Everyone
Camp Goldie is also becoming a welcoming destination for children and adults with autism and other special needs, who can benefit from meaningful interactions with animals.
Marini has an extended family member involved with Arc of Ocean County, an area nonprofit for people with disabilities, who is an animal lover and has visited Camp Goldie several times. “We’ve had many special-needs children and adults here, and it’s really wonderful to see how they interact with the animals,” he says.
“We welcome everyone to interact with these dogs because it’s just such a positive experience and creates a special bond between people and dogs that you can’t recreate anywhere else,” says Marini.
In the future, Boekholt also hopes to train some of the Goldens as therapy dogs for home and hospital visits — another way the families behind Camp Goldie hope to broaden its community impact.
Holiday Goldens
Next up is the Golden Hour Experience: Holiday, which will take place inside a Christmas-decorated barn.
The dogs will get into the holiday spirit with Santa hats, elf ears, and reindeer antlers, while guests enjoy hot chocolate and cookies. Marini’s daughters, Scarlett, 7, and Juliette, 10, often pitch in as well.
The holiday events are scheduled to begin after Thanksgiving and run through December, with tickets going on sale in the fall.
CBS Puts Camp Goldie in the Spotlight
Camp Goldie’s profile soared after a recent segment on CBS Evening News.
Marini says he received an email from the CBS production team explaining that anchor Tony Dokoupil had seen videos of the camp online and loved watching the dogs come running out.
The producers asked Marini to send video clips — and the canine stars were born.
“It was extremely unexpected, and I felt so blessed and thankful. It came completely out of the blue,” Marini says. “We have been getting calls of interest from all over the U.S. and other countries.”
Adds Boekholt, “We didn’t think it would blow up like this. We feel blessed and grateful that the people who come to us are here to get away from their everyday lives for an hour or so and feel the joy that these dogs bring to them.”
“It feels like serendipity — so many things had to happen perfectly for us to get here,” she said. “Having this recognition is a real ‘pinch me’ moment.”
With demand growing, Camp Goldie may soon expand beyond its current weekend schedule.
“Camp Goldie is perfect for dog lovers of all ages,” Marini says. “Whether you bring young children, teenagers, or a group of adults, you are going to have the best day ever surrounded by our lovable Golden Retrievers!”
For more information on Camp Goldie, please visit their website CampGoldie.com or find them on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok @CampGoldieNJ.
