Every summer a mother and her two daughters fly to Sun Valley, not to ride Sun Valley’s 400 miles of single track, play golf on its picturesque courses or attend Sun Valley’s Ice Show. They come to walk dogs.
The mother was pregnant with her first daughter when she started taking part in Mountain Humane’s unique Hikin’ Buddies program. Now, the daughter has graduated from high school and is headed to college.
“They’re part of a military family based overseas, so they travel thousands of miles specifically to hike our dogs,” said kennel manager Bailey Gould, who is in charge of Hikin’ Buddies. “It’s been cool for our volunteers to watch the girls grow up so they can walk the dogs themselves. They’re just real dedicated to the cause.”
Hundreds of dog lovers have taken part in Mountain Humane’s program since it began 25 years ago. Adams Gulch was chosen because of its variety of trails and large parking lot with plenty of room for Mountain Humane to set up its booth.
“We’re about the only program of this type. Other shelter supervisors have told me they can’t imagine having the volunteer bandwidth to help out with a program like this,” said Gould.
Gould loads up five to eight dogs in Mountain Humane’s van every Wednesday morning during the summer, then drives them to Adams Gulch trailhead near Ketchum where she has them ready to go at 9 in the morning.
“The drive up to Ketchum is very loud with the dogs barking and me singing songs to whatever’s on the local radio station,” she said. “The van has built-in crates and kennels in the back so it can be hosed down after we’ve finished. But, initially, it’s a big scary metal box for the dogs that have never been in it before. They’re sitting there wondering where they’re going to be dropped off.”
Once the dogs get out of the van, they immediately recognize, “Hey, it smells different here.”
“There are trails to hike, birds flying in the sky… They get a lot of enrichment out at the trailhead—it’s a change of scenery from the shelter,” said Gould. “Dogs that go every week know the routine, they know what’s happening, and they are all excited when they hop in the van.”
The menagerie taking part in the weekly hikes has included Labrador retrievers, chihuahuas, huskies, doodle dogs, cattle dogs and hound dogs.
“We go for the bomb-proof dogs—the ones that are going to be good with other off-leash dogs coming up to them, the ones that are not going to mind children petting on their faces, the ones that are not going to pull people’s arms very hard,” said Gould.
Puppies who haven’t had all their vaccines don’t go out on walks, but they get to hang out in a pen where they can interact with people and be socialized.
Between 20 and 60 people show up on any given day, wanting to take the dogs out for a walk. There’s often a line waiting when Gould pulls up in the parking lot. Dogs are paired up with those first in line, and away they go, the dogs wearing bright yellow vests and leashes that say “Adopt Me.”
“People like to come early so they can meet all the dogs and figure out which dog might be the best match for them,” said Gould. “When the dogs return, we sign them out to another party to go on another hike— just like a library book.”
Some of the dog walkers are vacationers who left their dogs at home—walking the shelter dogs gives them the dog fix they’re craving. Others want to adopt a dog, and taking one out on hikes gives them a chance to see if they’re a good match.
Still, others can’t have a dog for one reason or another, but they love dogs and so relish the opportunity to walk them.
“We have twins in their 60s from Jerome who drive up here every week just for Hikin’ Buddies. So, it’s been a hoot to see them every year,” said Gould.
“They just want to make a shelter dog’s day,” said Christine Ferguson, the executive director of Mountain Humane.
Rosemary Aquilante was among Hikin’ Buddies’ early volunteers. She says that not only does it offer kids an opportunity to learn how to be around dogs, but it also lets dogs decompress as they “sniff and sniff and explore as much as they want.”
She notes that the walks give the dogs exposure to people on horses, even the moose that spend time in Adams Gulch.
“It opens dogs up to the real world,” she said. “The dogs that come to Hikin’ Buddies have never swam in water, and it’s especially fun watching them when the little creek is flowing and they experience it for the first time. Some like to paddle around; others are frightened and try to run away. A lot come to the bridge and halt because they don’t know what to do. But they’re going to need to cross a bridge once in a while if they live here.”
And when the day’s over?
“The ride home is much quieter,” said Gould. “The dogs are all napping.”
Last year Hikin’ Buddies resulted in the adoption of six dogs—some to families visiting from California and Washington.
“Shelter life can be stressful for some dogs, and Hikin’ Buddies is a great opportunity to give them a real-life experience off-site, allowing us to learn more about a dog’s behavior and personality,” said Gould. “It provides them physical and mental stimulation outside of a shelter environment, and it sets them up for success when they do get adopted.”
IF YOU GO
- Hikin’ Buddies runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday at Adams Gulch from the first Wednesday of June to the last Wednesday of August.
- Dog walkers are given instructions and poop bags when they sign out dogs.
- Children under 18 are not allowed to take a dog out alone. Young children may hold the leash only if an adult is also holding it.
- It’s recommended that dog owners not bring their own dogs unless they have another handler to walk them separately.
- Those interested in volunteering for Hikin’ Buddies may submit a volunteer application at www.mountainhumane.org.