Dash, the Washington State University Alumni Association’s “ambassadog” and the only canine member of the Mug Club at the legendary Pullman bar The Coug, has died. He was 13.
Dash and his human, Ande Edlund (’94 Hotel & Rest. Admin.) were Instagram-famous from their home base of Redmond to Pullman, where Dash enjoyed frolicking on the lawn in front of Bryan Hall, meeting WSU students and alumni, and posing in photos with his best buddy Butch T. Cougar. He especially loved gobbling tater tots at The Coug and visiting classes at the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication as a visiting “pawfessor.” The WSU College of Veterinary Medicine also awarded an honorary “dogtorate” degree.
“If you ever met Dash, you know how special he was. Whether you knew he was famous or not, Dash always lifted your spirits and made you smile. Thank you for loving him,” Edlund wrote the day after Dash died, announcing his passing on Instagram on April 30. In early May, WSU President Kirk Schulz and WSU First Lady Noel Schulz made “a generous gift” to the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine’s Pet Memorial Program Fund in Dash’s name.
Edlund got Dash as a pup in 2011 and created the dash.dog Instagram account in 2015. When a 2018 post of Dash holding a hot dog in his mouth during Bark in the Park Night at a Seattle Mariners game went viral and was featured on Good Morning America, Edlund saw an opportunity to use his pet’s celebrity status for public good.
The beloved golden retriever did social media account takeovers for the WSUAA and The Coug. Dash also directed attention and fund raising toward many worthy causes and organizations. For seven years, Dash produced his own wall calendar benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Dash rooted for the Cougs, Mariners, Seahawks, Storm, Sounders, and Kraken—but never for the Huskies.
While he had other social media accounts, Dash’s largest community—more than 65,800 followers when he crossed the Rainbow Bridge—was on Instagram. Posts were largely written in the dog’s voice. Dash’s accounts are still active, but these days fans see more of his protégé, Edlund’s younger golden retriever, Chase.
To Dash, after his passing, Edlund wrote on Instagram, “You had the sweetest smile, the happiest trot, the softest ears, and the floofiest tail. You were a goofball with the gentlest soul and I’ll miss holding your huge paws. You made me a better hooman. You were perfect.”
Gallery
View some favorite Dash Dog photos in our retrospective gallery.