Technically speaking, Rupee isn't the first dog to set foot on Everest. Nepal has a big stray dog problem, with Wisdom Panel estimating that there are over 20,000 stray dogs in the streets of Katmandu alone. In a country with a rabies problem, street dogs are considered "suspicious" and many stay away from them for fear of getting bit or contracting a disease (via Nature and Travel Lovers).
But climbers, especially foreigners who aren't particularly afraid of dogs, are appealing to strays. These are the kind of humans that will often share food and even a kind word or a pat on the head, so dogs will follow climbers and often end up joining treks towards Everest.
But Rupee, who has been nicknamed "the slumdog mountaineer" after his mountain adventure, it's the first dog officially recorded at Mount Everest's base camp (per Daily Mail). He's also the first dog ever to complete the entire trek to Mount Everest's base camp, an 80-mile, 10-plus day-long walk that's not for the faint of heart, Nature and Travel Lovers reports.
The trek requires walking at least five hours a day (but more on some days) on rough terrain — and while the incline isn't steep, you're trekking at an altitude of over 3400 miles above sea level, which means there's about 50% less oxygen than at lower altitudes (via Adventure Alternative). In short, it's not a walk in the park.
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