The Dogs We Love: 2018 Adventure Dog Contest

ADVENTURE

What is an “adventure dog?” Well, it’s the buddy you can take anywhere, the one who plays just as hard as you do. They’re the ones who sometimes get us off the couch. 

(1) Winner & Reader’s Choice Winner: Humphrey, Hyde Park

It’s hard to resist Humphrey—and few of you could. Winning both the Reader’s Choice in this category and the judges’ vote (and gracing our cover), Humprey leads the “Best Adventure Dog Photo” category. Humphrey hails from Hyde Park and loves to SUP (he’s been doing it since he was just a year old)—so much so, that the staff at Green River Reservoir State Park have dubbed him “The Bark Ranger.”  He’s five years old, and owner Lauren Traister says, “Our best guess is that he’s a Golden Retriever/Great Pyrenees mix.” Humphrey loves the water and snow and Traister has entered him in this contest multiple times with photos of Humphrey exploring rivers in Maine and chasing her on backcountry skis. For Traister, who works as the 4-H Teen and Leadership Program coordinator at University of Vermont Extension, Humphrey is her go-to adventure buddy.  “The only season you won’t find him out is mud season. Then he’s on the couch,” says Traister.

(2) Runner up: Archie, Burlington

Archie is an Australian Cattle Dog from Texas who came to Vermont via Random Rescue in Williamstown. He now lives in Burlington with his owner Tom Kupfer. Kupfer says: “While his human prefers to scope out the mountain bike features before sending them, Archie prefers to use the send-first-look-later method. His favorite place to ride is Perry Hill because the rock rolls and slabs are so much fun! His low center of gravity is perfect for railing berms and keeping things stable at high speeds on Vermont’s best trails.” Archie seems to enjoy the après just as much as the rest of us. Only instead of a good beer, a great stick will do.

(3) Runner up: Summit, Burlington

One of the benefits of working at Burton is you get to bring your dog to work at the company’s Burlington headquarters. Weekdays, that’s where you’ll often find Danielle Sweet and Summit. Sweet describes Summit as “a fluffy, and not fluffy as in fat, fluffy like you-always-find-random-dog-hair-in your-food fluffy, light-red Siberian husky.” Weekends, both love to mountain bike, snowboard, hike, kayak and skateboard. Summit has been known to surf and even jetski. “Yeah, you should have seen the kayaker stare when he saw a dog on a jet ski go by,” Sweet says. Summit even has his own  Instagram account, @summit_the_shred_dog and is featured in the Chill Foundation calendar. “He has a pretty great personality. People around Burlington recognize my dog and have no idea who I am,” says Sweet, adding “But honestly, I’d rather know a dog than a human, too.”

(4) Runner up: Aeolus, Killington

Rescued from a West Virginia kill shelter, brought up to the Northshore Animal Rescue in Salem, Mass., and then to the Killington area, Aeolus the Beagle is Appalachian Trail Adventures’ mascot. In Greek mythology, Aeolus was the custodian of the winds. But owner John Keough named his beagle after a cave where he and a friend dug open a blocked passage to discover the largest cave in New England, in 2000. The cave, located just north of Manchester, Vt., is named after the mountain, Mount Aeolus. Keough often takes Aeolus out on trips with his clients. A regular participant on guided kayaking, caving and hiking adventures,  “That crazy beagle makes everyone laugh, whether it’s riding in the minivan, running nonstop on the hiking trails, racing through belly-deep mud or riding on the bow of the kayak, where he drinks water while trying not to fall off, barks at any wildlife he can sniff out, and on the longer trips, pees right off the bow!” says Keogh.

 Watch: Aeolus vs. Cow

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