My Dog Rox: NoCo’s Best Hiking Dog Winner
Whenever it's a gorgeous day in Northern Colorado, you'll see thousands of locals flocking to the trails and, of course, they'll have their active dogs in tow.
We asked our audience to send us their best photos of their hiking dog: on the trail, jumping into a lake and, overall, truly being man's (and woman's) best friend.
4-year-old Ollie was our very special hiking Labrador who took home the grand prize. Ollie and her owners live in Fort Collins, and when the sun's out, they love to hike Horsetooth as much as they can.
Ollie was originally training to be a guide dog, but she and her owners had such a special bond that they decided to let her retire early and dedicate herself to becoming NoCo's four-legged hiking champion. Now, she spends her days begging for treats and finding any excuse to take a swim.
Ollie received 644 votes, so she and her owners took home a prize pack valued at over $300 that includes a gift basket courtesy of Fort Collins Veterinary Emergency and Rehabilitation Hospital and a free grooming service from Aussie and Friends Mobile Dog Grooming.
The contest is also made possible thanks to First FarmBank, which supports the local community and embraces Colorado's love of dogs.
Check out our five fantastic runner-ups below: Snickers, Chavi, Mocha, Annabelle and Bubs! Congratulations to all the great hiking dogs: We'll see you out on the trails.