Find out which human and pup teams took home the prizes in PawSwap's first Hikes and Trails Challenge of 2021.
Local dog owners spent the first month of 2021 competing in a huge dog-friendly interactive hiking challenge, with the most active human and pup pair taking home an amazing prize - and the results are in.
The first Hikes and Trails Challenge by PawSwap app, ran from January 7 - January 31, and invited locals to kick off 2021 by exploring the best dog-friendly hikes around Vancouver with a chance to win a huge prize.
102 human and dog teams signed up to the interactive challenge and battled it out for the top prize Outdoor Adventure Pack worth over $1700, with amazing prizes including a 2 night staycation at Whistler's award-winning Nita Lake Lodge,
It was a closely fought contest throughout, but in the end it came down to two competitors, with both completing over 140 hikes each during the 3 week challenge.
And the winner is...
The PawSwap team went live on Instagram on Thursday January 28, to announce the winner and meet some of the challengers and their pups. If you weren't able to join live, be sure to check it out below and get some inspiration for your next dog-friendly hikes!
1st Place - Ashley and Kyro Australian Shepherd Kyro and owner Ashley topped the Leaderboard and took home the 1st place prize pack, after a very busy three weeks of hikes!
Before the big reveal, Ashley admitted that she got extra competitive during the challenge and really pushed herself, as well as sharing some her favourite hikes. "I was really shocked and impressed with Ridge Park Loop Trail, and I hadn't actually went before this challenge!", admitted Ashley. "Dog Mountain is one of our absolute favourites, and it does get busy but if you get up early and beat the crowd, it’s really beautiful." Ashley's Prizes included: - 2-night dog-friendly stay at Whistler's Nita Lake Lodge
- Protective Dog Jacket from The K9 Guard
- Brize 25 Backpack from Arc'teryx
- ‘The Foghorn’ toque and ‘Woodsy & Me’ cap from Wirth Hats
- 15 Signature fresh dog meals from Kafka’s Organic
- 30 day supply of smoothies courtesy of Justgo Smoothie
- 6 piece ‘Pet’s Don't Stink’ grooming set from Walton Wood Farm
- 10 bag customized variety pack with your favourites from Hardbite
2nd Place - Alex and Jesse
Border Aussie Jesse and owner Alex came in a very close second, and although there was originally only a prize for the winner, the team at PawSwap knew this pair deserved some treats after their dedication! Thanks to the generosity of some local companies, PawSwap was able to introduce a second prize package valued at $500.
"I had to take 3 days laying on the couch after the challenge to recover, but I’ll definitely be doing one long hike a week from now on as I really enjoyed it!", laughs Alex. "It was really awesome and really motivating! It definitely pushed me out of my bed every morning. My body was like ‘Are you kidding me?!, but Jesse loved it!" Alex's prizes included: -1 night stay in a pet-friendly room at the Georgian Court Hotel in Downtown Vancouver - A swag bag valued at $100 filled with human and dog goodies from Nuun Hydration, TreatSmarts, Herbaland Gummies, Garu Food, Sacred Foods, Rumble Supershake, We Love Van, Keelo & Kona Treats and lots of dog treats supplied by Anipet Animal Supplies - A PawSwap sweater - $50 to Walton Wood Farm 3rd Place Coming in 3rd place was 6-month Bernedoodle Elsie and her owner Julia, who also received a thoroughly deserved 3rd place prize package worth $100, thanks to the generosity of local companies.
"I love hiking and Elsie came into our family just a few months ago, so it was a perfect opportunity to introduce her to the local hikes and she absolutely loved it!", shares Julia. "I’m not usually a big competitor but it brought out a new person in me and it was so fun to see the Points rise, and to see which places had the Triple Points - it was so fun!"
"Thanks to the challenge, I discovered Ridge Park, which I'd never been to before, and I loved it as it was quiet, and it was great for a puppy. I also loved Deer Lake!"
Julia's prize included:
-A swag bag valued at $100 filled with human and dog goodies from Nuun Hydration, TreatSmarts, Herbaland Gummies, Garu Food, Sacred Foods, Rumble Supershake, We Love Van, Keelo & Kona Treats, and lots of dog treats supplied by Anipet Animal Supplies
Photo of the Week Winners
Each week, participants were able to win 10 additional Points towards their balance by entering the 'Photo of the Week' contest. They were asked to post the "cutest, quirkiest and most adventurous photos of your pup completing hikes and trails from the Challenge".
The winning photos were featured on PawSwap's Instagram and you can check out the winners below!
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Want to see more cute photos of local pups enjoying the challenge? Search the #HikesandTrailsChallenge hashtag on Instagram.
If you missed out on this Hikes & Trails Challenge, not to worry! PawSwap is already planning its next Challenge so sign up below to be sure you don't miss any announcements!