Here at Woof Republic, we are so saddened by the news that the social media sensation, Aspen the Mountain Pup, has passed away at the age of 11. Since his debut on Instagram, the gorgeous Golden Retriever, who lived in Boulder, Colorado, stole hearts all over the world. Fans enjoyed beautiful pictures of the pup’s many adventures taken by his owner, professional photographer Hunter Lawrence. 

While speaking to CNN in 2016, Hunter shared that he did not intend to make his furry friend famous. 

“I thought it was a waste of time to dress my dog up, make him look certain ways and then share it with random strangers,” explained the photographer. “But once I realized I actually had created some really beautiful content of Aspen from places all over the USA and Canada that I was really proud of, I sort of just bit the bullet and went for it. People seem to love it and to be honest, I really love it now. Even if his feed never gained popularity I probably would still do it, because I enjoy it – I guess that’s all that really matters.”

In the CNN interview, Hunter also shared that his canine companion was just as popular in real life as he was on Instagram. 

“Ever since he was little, my wife [Sarah Lawrence] has always said it takes us ages to get anywhere because he’s so cute. Every time we take him out there’s always a crowd of people around him – he’s a great dog,” said the father of one. 

Hunter and Sarah announced the devastating news of their dog’s passing in a January 20th post on Aspen’s official Instagram account. The upload featured numerous pictures of the pup exploring different terrains and showing off his expansive hat collection. 

“Our hearts are aching beyond belief. Our best friend Aspen is no longer with us. How could we even put words to the 11 years we had with him? It would take endless pages to express the magnitude of joy he brought to our lives. He was more than just a pet; we were kindred souls,” read a portion of the caption. 

The couple also expressed gratitude for the furry friend’s loving fans and requested them to share their favorite Aspen moments. 

Rest in peace, Aspen. Thank you for taking us on all your adventures. You will be missed!