Nearly two seasons after introducing Aley the avalanche dog to the slopes at Copper, the resort has welcomed a new ball of fur to the team.

A 10-week-old golden retriever puppy, Pico de Gallo, or Pico for short, is already dreaming of the day he can load a ski chair and contribute to the ski patrol team at Copper Mountain. With ski patroller Graham Amato as his handler, Pico is bound for success not only on the mountain, but at home as well.

Since Amato joined ski patrol at Copper nearly five years ago, he has been involved with the avalanche dog unit on the mountain. The consistent work alongside man’s best friend not only sparked a deep love for the tasks the talented avalanche dogs complete, but it also inspired him to get his own aspiring avalanche dog in Pico.

“From the first year I joined ski patrol, I have been involved in the dog program,” Amato said. “I have always been inspired by the work that these dogs do in terms of helping people. The way that they are able to find people in the snow is really inspiring. I also just love dogs. I am excited to be part of the program now.”

While Pico will hopefully someday become a certified avalanche dog, it is still fundamental to train and treat the dog like any normal furry companion. 

“Oftentimes when you get a puppy it is a lot of early mornings and late nights, but he is doing pretty good,” Amato said. “He is sleeping through the night right now. Still waking up pretty early. The big focus this summer is basic obedience training, trying to get him to be a really well-behaved dog outside of his avalanche work.”

Amato will gradually implement some beginner avalanche search drills throughout the summer and early fall in hopes of giving Pico a little taste of what is to come. One of the drills Amato is hoping to introduce is one that tests Pico’s focus and search skills. 

In the drill, Amato will hang out with Pico for a short time, get him excited with a toy and then run to hide behind an obstacle like a corner. Pico will then be released, allowing him to sniff out where Amato went.

“We want to start them small and super slow and mellow,” Amato said. “Have everything be super fun. That is kind of the emphasis on these early drills in combination with the basic obedience training throughout the summer. This winter it will be a little bit more involved and we will get him going on the snow.”

While Pico is a fun and spicy name for a dog, Amato says he chose the moniker for several reasons.

“Dogs tend to learn their names a lot quicker and it is easier for them to recognize when they are two syllable names with a vowel sound,” Amato said. “When picking a dog name that was the criteria I was looking for. I think it is a fun name, but it is short enough to get where we need to go. He fits the mold and the name pretty perfectly. He is flamboyant and super exciting to be around.”

Like many avalanche dogs, Pico comes from a pedigree steeped in obedience, discipline and hard work. Pico specifically comes from the same breeder that bred Aley and several other avalanche dogs in the county. Aley is Pico’s aunt, making the circle of avalanche dogs at Copper feel even more intimate. 

“His breeder is mostly a hunting dog breeder,” Amato said. “We do have our current dog, Aley, at Copper. She is actually Pico’s aunt. He is from the same breeder and they are related, which is kind of fun. They are pretty great when it comes to working dogs.”

Amato does not have any concrete goals for Pico over the summer months, but is rather hoping the young pup can develop a solid foundation of skills. Amato will then lean and build upon this strong foundation as snow begins to fall in November and early December. 

“Making sure he is dialed is really important moving forward,” Amato said. “Setting that base up strong, creating that good foundation that we can then keep moving forward and progressing towards the future.”

Eventually, Amato would love to see Pico become a certified avalanche dog by receiving his certification from Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment (C-RAD). With the training and certification usually taking two to three years on average, Amato is in no rush to reach the major milestone, but is rather enjoying puppyhood with Pico. 

“We are not really necessarily looking towards that,” Amato said. “Obviously, that is the long-term goal. Right now I am more focused on his basic day-to-day stuff. Making sure he is a real dog.”