Lucky dogs

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There’s a method to the madness at Lucky Dog Adventures — a kennel-free, off-leash doggy daycare and boarding business. With just a few dogs they might stray away, but upwards of 20 pups pack tightly together while running around the 40 acres of secluded hills and draws outside of Sheridan, Wyoming.

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“It happens pretty naturally, the pack acts as the glue,” Jim Zier said, who’s owned and operated Lucky Dog for eight years.

“What makes this work is they have somebody to follow around,” Zier said. “They have me to follow, so that’s the other part of the equation.”

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Zier, an endurance athlete, spends his days hiking, trail running and backcountry skiing with a gaggle of pups in tow, some of which are picked up and dropped off townside in the adventure van. Throughout the day, Zier makes a point to take lots of photos to send home to humans and to post on Instagram.

Most of his furry companions are there only for the day. For overnighters, an open-floor-plan greenhouse is a warm, cozy space to sleep off a long day of prairie romping. Either way, the idea being that a tuckered out, well-exercised dog is a content, relaxed dog.