Mountains, Trails, and Puppy Dog Tails!
This winter, we’re continuing our celebration of the Gunnison Valley’s most beloved residents—its dogs (and even one very special parrot!). From hardworking ranch companions and loyal service animals to backstage helpers and adventure-loving trail partners, these local pets are woven into the fabric of our mountain community. Their journeys have taken them from shelters, ranches, and far-off places to lives filled with purpose, play, and plenty of fresh Colorado air.
Their stories are ones of devotion, resilience, and pure, tail-wagging joy. Whether it’s Gracie providing life-changing support to her human, Milo greeting performers and guests around town, Kuma leading family adventures across the valley, or Tater expertly working cattle on the range, each of these animals brings something unique and irreplaceable to the lives they touch. Together, they remind us that companionship comes in many forms—and that the bonds we share with our pets make this place even more special.
Bluebird is honored to feature these heartwarming stories in this edition of Bluebird Days Magazine. Read on to meet the extraordinary animals who help make life in the Gunnison Valley so rich and rewarding!
Mountains, Trails, and Puppy Dog Tails!
By Nancy Bush
This winter, we are continuing our 2025 salute to some of our favorite companions in the valley! Our pets provide unwavering loyalty, brighten our days and improve our mental and physical health through their constant love and companionship.
In this issue, we are highlighting more of our favorite local dogs! Dogs you will meet all across the valley - greeting guests at local events, tending cattle at a ranch, blazing down a Nordic trail, or just taking a break on Elk Avenue. These are our companions who live for their work, their play, and loving their humans. It’s sunshine, belly rubs, and good vibes only!
Saving Grace
Gracie is one of our local treasures. A mix of primarily Australian Cattle dog and Rottweiler, Gracie is a trained service animal. Adopted from Oh Be Dogful Rescue and Sanctuary in Crested Butte by her human, Dave Windsor, approximately 3 years ago, Dave has since trained Gracie as a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) service dog. Gracie is trained to perform specific tasks that mitigate the symptoms of PTSD and greatly improve Dave’s independence and quality of life. Gracie alerts to aggressive personality traits in others or other potentially stressful situations and intervenes to move Dave out of harm’s way or herd others out of the area to create a safe place for Dave in public. If Dave has an anxiety attack, Gracie will alert and act to interrupt that attack by jumping, pawing, or nipping at him physically to try to bring him back and provide comfort. Gracie’s constant presence and companionship enable Dave to navigate day-to-day life with increased security and ease.
Dave is from upstate New York and moved to Crested Butte almost 30 years ago. Like a lot of other people around here, Dave planned on staying only a year or two, but never left! Dave loves dogs and previously worked at the Crested Butte Animal Hospital as an Anesthesia Technician and assisted with microchipping the animals – even volunteering his own time to microchip the shelter animals at Paradise Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in town. Dave is now a certified animal holistic care provider, taking a comprehensive, integrated approach to animal health by considering the animal’s physical, emotional, and environmental well-being to create a complete and personalized care plan. He is also a professional pet sitter at CB Holistic Dog Care (cbhdc@hotmail.com).
Gracie and Dave live in town, and you will see them regularly running errands or just relaxing outside, enjoying the day. Gracie loves to play with the other dogs in town, run along Peanut Lake trails, and chase chipmunks! Gracie is gentle, loving, and playful, but she is also very keen to Dave’s needs at all times. They are a lucky pair!
Best in Show!
Presenting Milo Boardman! He’s our favorite helper at The Center for the Arts (CFTA)! Milo – a Jack Russell Terrier and Chihuahua mix – helps run the stage productions at CFTA with his human, Ed! AKA Dead Head Ed!
Adopted from Montrose Animal Shelter in Montrose, Colorado, three years ago, Milo has joyfully adapted to his new life in Crested Butte, becoming a staple at CFTA, greeting guests and performers and, of course, helping with technical direction! You will also see Milo assisting Ed at I Bar Ranch in Gunnison, Public House in Crested Butte, Wednesday Music on the Mountain in Mt. Crested Butte, and other local weddings and events. Milo also helps Ed host their weekly radio show at KBUT – Live from the 17th Row – on Tuesdays from 10 AM to noon!
Milo lives in town and knows his way around! He is a wanderer and will frequently go on “walkabouts” to his favorite places, especially Teocalli Tamale and The Secret Stash, looking for a scrap or two! Ed says Milo’s favorite thing is ED! They are inseparable and Milo’s outgoing, happy spirit has helped create immediate bonds with not only the locals, but visitors, musicians, and other performers from all over the country. Milo is the celebrity rock star dog in CB!
Leading the Charge!
Meet Kuma – a 14-year old female Samoyed – born in the Gunnison Valley as part of a litter of Samoyed puppies from longtime locals, the Wheeler family. Bred for the cold and built for mountain life, the Wheeler’s Samoyeds were adopted primarily by Gunnison Valley locals and, suddenly, our valley was full of these incredibly cute, white, big-personality dogs!
For Kuma’s humans, Danica and Trent Bona, it was love at first sight! When they went to visit the new puppies, there was always a pack of barking, jumping fluffballs at the front of the pen... and one sleepy pup in the back who’d glance at them, yawn, and go back to sleep. They chose her.
Kuma has been an independent, quirky, loving, and adventurous part of their family ever since. She’s traveled to over 10 states—barking at waves in the Atlantic, standing on peaks across the Rockies, floating rivers in Arkansas, strutting around the desert dyed pink from desert rainstorms, chasing squirrels at truck stops in Tennessee, and enjoying ski touring and Nordic days all over the valley. Her first season skiing with Danica and Trent was in their backpacks as a puppy. Winter is her element. She’s happiest sleeping outside in a snowstorm, totally invisible under a fresh layer of powder, and always the first one out of the door on a cold morning.
Kuma pranced—off leash, perfectly in step—at the front of Danica and Trent’s bike parade through town on their wedding day. She curled up around their babies (Waylon and Rory) when they came home from the hospital and guarded their condo from everything (mostly nothing) in those early weeks.
Kuma now has a loving family and large property in the valley on which to run, roam and roll to her heart’s content. Some days she’s chasing mice or patrolling the perimeter. These days, more often than not, she’s just napping under the big Colorado sky. Whether it’s 80 degrees and sunny or 10 degrees and snowing, she sleeps like a rock outside in her yard!
Kuma is still ready for every family adventure. Just this summer, she hiked Scarp Ridge and tagged along on plenty of mountain outings—still leading the charge and letting out her signature yelp to remind her family to keep up!
Saddle Up!
On any given day in the Gunnison Valley, you’ll find Tater Croke – a pure-bred Border Collie doing what he was born to do: working cattle. Tater moves quickly and confidently through the pastures, reading the herd as if he knows what they’ll do before they do it. Whether it’s gathering cows from the brush, nudging them down a trail a bit, or keeping them together just where they need to be, he works with precision and heart. Unlike any piece of equipment, Tater brings an intuitive sense to the job that makes him indispensable—and often makes his owner’s work as a rancher possible.
Border Collies are known for their intelligence, grit, and incredible herding ability, but Tater’s human, Erin Croke, considers Tater a true standout! A “pick of the litter” born at a ranch right here in the Gunnison Valley, Erin knew from the beginning that Tater was something special. At just two years old, he is already excelling at his job on the ranch. In addition to his training with Erin, much of what he does on the job comes from his own instinct and from watching the older dogs at work. Ranching can be demanding and having a helper like Tater brings both efficiency and joy to Erin’s long days.
Beyond work, Tater is Erin’s much-loved companion and a constant reminder of the remarkable bonds between people and their working dogs. Tater is very athletic and loves playing with his tennis ball and swimming in any water he comes across! He has also been known to sneak some of the horses’ treats when Erin is not looking! A true Border Collie—driven, loyal, and endlessly focused—Tater represents the best of the valley’s tradition of working dogs that have helped shape ranch life in the Gunnison Valley for generations.
The Center of Attention!
As a reminder that our precious pet residents come in all shapes and sizes and species(!), we celebrate sweet Jackie Jones, our local celebrity parrot, keeping order on Sopris Avenue.
Jackie – a handsome African Grey – is a highly intelligent bird, known for his silvery-grey plumage and bright red tail! Jackie has lived with his human, Jay Jones, for 22 years in Houston, Texas, but summers in Crested Butte every year! Jackie is very social and loves to mimic! He enjoys parties at his house and is an active participant in the evening cocktail conversations. You may hear an occasional “Hook ‘em Horns!” or a request for Jackie’s favorite food, “corn!”
Jackie loves action and noise – and grandchildren bearing peanuts! The open windows in summer bring in the sounds of town outside, whether they are sourced to Lacy dump trucks or gregarious magpies! The noon whistle never fails to attract his attention as well! But Jackie’s best times are when friends and family gather in the kitchen, putting together a fine meal with wine and conversation free flowing – and a lot of laughter!
If you are interested in pet adoption in the Gunnison Valley, contact:
Paradise Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) at info@pawscrestedbutte.org
Oh Be Dogful Rescue and Sanctuary at ohbedogfulrescueandsanctuary.com
Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League at gvawl.org
