Aspen the Mountain Pup Joins the Ranks of the Instagram-Famous Dogs

Amid the famous models, celebrities, and “fitstagram” accounts filling the Instagram feeds of over 300 million active users (who share a total of around 70 million photos each day), a new celebrity has emerged. While a few famous felines — including the odd-faced Lil Bub and the iconic Grumpy Cat — had the spotlight for a while, dogs are barking their way into the hearts of Instagram users all over the world.

In Denver, there’s a new dog in town that’s taking the Instagram world by storm. His name is Aspen the mountain pup, and he’s a four-year-old Golden Retriever from Denver, CO, who loves the great outdoors. On the pup’s Instagram, you’ll find pictures of him out among the trees, enjoying the fresh air of nature, and exploring the world’s natural beauty.

Although Colorado is his usual stomping grounds, Aspen is no strange to adventure. Recently, the dog took a trip to Canada, where he went canoeing with his owners. The trip is documented on his Instagram page, @aspenthemountainpup, where users are able to see Aspen in a plethora of natural locales, his golden fur contrasting brilliantly against the bright green of foliage and the deep blue of water.

So far, Aspen’s Instagram page has amassed 27,200 followers — and with only 20 pictures posted. While that may seem impressive for an internet pooch sensation, Aspen is only in the minor leagues compared to the other Instagram famous dogs making it big these days.

Take Chloe, @chloetheminifrenchie, for example: a mini french bulldog who has racked up over 69,000 followers and counting. Chloe has 1,455 posts, and has been seen in countless ads, from PetSmart to Budweiser.

So why the fast and furry-iously rising trend of internet famous dogs? For Loni Edwards, Chloe’s mom and manager, the answer is simple: happiness.

“A lot of brands are starting to reach out to dogs because dogs make people happy, and brands what their ads to make people happy,” Edwards explained.

And it appears that these dogs’ fame aren’t only making people happy — the pups are pretty happy themselves.