It is with great sadness...
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| Smokie Bear in Alpine Flowers |
that we have recently lost our Smokie Bear, co-founder of Alpen Schatz (along with Schlappi, who we lost 3 years ago).
"Smokie Bear", AKC Garland Ridge's Alpen Schatz
Aug 21, 2002 - Feb 24, 2012
Smokie Bear was a large part of the Alpen Schatz community from the very start. He was right by our side during the beginning days of our web-site and then was a large part of the Alpen Schatz Boutique that we later opened in Telluride, Colorado.
He played collar model, dog greeter, and gave "doggie fixes" to many Telluride visitors who were missing their dogs. He had fans that would come back year after year just to pet him and say "HI". He must have been part of over a thousand pictures that people took of him in our little Boutique shop over the years.
Smokie Bear was also a working dog:
He was the chie
f wagon puller in our 4th of July Parade each of the 8 years we lived in Telluride. He hiked the mountains in sun, rain, wind and snow and even wore his own backpack for overnight adventures.
He participated in many road trips around the USA, staying in some of the Nation's top Pet Friendly Hotels . He assisted as Chief Dog Critic in the articles I would write after our visits for "Fido Friendly Magazine".
He was a great mentor to his baby Berner brother, Valentino, who came along after Schlappi passed.
He had a HUGE HEART and LOVING SOUL
WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU SMOKIE BEAR!
Mary Dawn and Valentino Schatz...and all your Fans out there
To see some of the highlights of his life in pictures click HERE 
