An Unforgettable Dog And Her Duke University President Companion

Duke University President Vincent E. Price Remembers His Beloved Dog, Scout

Duke University President Vincent E. Price plants a kiss on the forehead of his dog, Scout, while his wife, Annette, and labradoodle, Cricket, take a break during a walk around West Campus in July 2022. Photo by Stephen Schramm.
Duke University President Vincent E. Price plants a kiss on the forehead of goldendoodle, Scout, while he and his wife, Annette, and labradoodle, Cricket, take a break during a walk around West Campus in July 2022. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

During the peak of the pandemic, Duke University President Vincent E. Price’s inquisitive goldendoodle, Scout, was almost always by his feet while he discussed difficult decisions with other leaders during Zoom meetings from home.

One day in late 2020, before an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Price knew Scout might get into mischief while he talked about Duke’s testing protocols on a national stage, so Price asked his wife, Annette, to let Scout play in the backyard during the interview.

Somehow, shortly after filming began, Scout figured out how to open the backdoor with her paws and bounded upstairs and into the study in Hart House just as Price finished the interview.

Scout, Vincent Price's first-ever dog, is seen here during a walk around campus in July 2022. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

“She was like a teenager,” Price said. “You love them, and yet, they drive you crazy. She was that way her whole life.”

Scout, Price’s first-ever dog, died last August at age 15, leaving behind a lifetime of memories and reminders of how her joy and limitless energy made the lives of the Price family better, alongside her faithful companion, the Price’s other labradoodle, Cricket, 13.

Over the years, the first dogs of Duke – Scout and Cricket – made scores of appearances together around campus during long, relaxing walks with Price, Duke’s 10th president, and Annette.

The appearances dotted social media feeds over the years, including Price’s own Instagram channel, where he remarked on the value of walking and well-being, especially with his pets during the pandemic.

“We’re out on a walk on the Al Buehler trail, taking in a bit of fresh air with the dogs,” Price told followers on Instagram shortly after the start of the pandemic. “Here we have Scout and over here is Cricket. Annette and I are trying to break the tedium of staying indoors … . I hope you’re doing the same. I hope you’re taking care of yourself, practicing social distancing, but also getting a little exercise when you’re able, getting plenty of sleep. And before you know it, we’ll all be back together right here on campus, and this Al Buehler trail will be as busy as ever. Take care.”

President Vincent E. Price joins a history of Duke presidents with dogs, including John C. Kilgo, left, and Terry Sanford, right. Photos courtesy of Duke University Archives.

Much like U.S. presidents, former Duke presidents and notable figures were dog lovers, too. Serving as president of Trinity College from 1894 to 1910, John C. Kilgo had a dog, whose name is unknown. During his tenure, Terry Sanford had his dog, Zoomy, at Knight House near Duke Forest. And Doris Duke, the only child of James B. Duke, owned as many 12 dogs at one time.

After Price was named president in 2017 and he, Annette and the dogs moved into Hart House, a wooden fence was installed around the backyard so Cricket and Scout could run free. The pups didn’t go unnoticed by the campus community, and many people asked Price about his pets.

“This community so loves dogs,” Price said. “It’s just another of the many, many things there is to love about the Duke community.”

As the sixth of eight kids, Price didn’t grow up with dogs. Annette did. When they got married, it became a debate about whether or not to get a family dog. After compromising with a cat, Rosie, when their children were young, Annette eventually won out.

“I lobbied for years,” Annette said. “At first, it was, ‘we need a house.’ Then we needed a house with a fenced in backyard. And then we finally got a house with a fenced in backyard and he said, ‘What about the floors?’” 

Annette and the children finally convinced him that dogs were worth the chaos and cleanup. In 2007, the Price family traveled to Maryland to pick up Scout, their first dog as a family. Two years later, they decided Scout needed a buddy, and along came Cricket.

“I fell in love with dogs,” Price said. “It’s hard not to love dogs. They’re bottomless pits of affection.”



Annette Price, left, walks labradoodle Cricket while Duke University President Vincent Price walks Scout around West Campus in July 2022. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

During the pandemic Scout and Cricket offered Price comfort and support during uncertain and challenging times. In a discussion with Duke-NUS Medical School Dean Thomas Coffman, Price remarked on the connection between dogs and well-being.

Annette, left, and Vincent Price, hang out with their dog, Cricket, in the living room of Hart House on campus. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

“The pandemic, I think, offers us an opportunity to focus less on what we’re missing and more on what we have,” Price said. “We have a little more time with family. We have a lot more time with dogs, for those of us who have dogs in the household. So, let’s be more content with the slower pace.”

At nearly a century old in dog years, Scout, named after a character in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” started slowing down over the summer of 2022, walking more gingerly and developing incontinence problems. Their veterinarian discovered a large mass on Scout’s liver. A few days later, the Price family had to say goodbye.

“I’m not sure if there’ll be another Scout,” Price said.

During her time in Durham, Scout explored every inch of the Price’s Hart House home, sleeping in different rooms each night and roaming around with stuffed giraffe, Zoe.

“Her best years were at Duke,” said Annette during an interview in the living room of Hart House. “She really liked all the entertaining. She’d see those caterers come through, and she’d hang around, hoping for a piece of Manchego cheese.”

Price is grateful to his family for opening his life to the joys of dog parenthood, even as he now embarks on another first, grieving the loss of a dog. Over 13 years with both dogs, Price has compiled photos and stories like any proud father.

Cricket, left, and Scout, right, pictured with the Price's niece, were ring bearer and flower girl at their daughters wedding over Memorial Day Weekend 2022. Photo courtesy of Annette Price.

Memories with Scout stretch back to the family’s house on San Juan Island in the state of Washington, where Scout once alerted the Price family to a wounded sea lion in need of rescue, and where the Prices plan to scatter Scout’s ashes. The family had what turned out to be a last hurrah with Scout. She and Cricket served as flower girl and ring bearer at the Prices’ daughter’s wedding over Memorial Day Weekend in 2022.

Price too will never forget Scout’s final day, a difficult Saturday morning when they called in Lap of Love to help them say goodbye. They gave Scout her favorite ice cream treat and put on a Spotify piano music playlist called “Dog Sitting” that he and Annette created when Scout was a puppy but can’t bring themselves to listen to anymore.

In the time since then, gifts from family and friends have brought comfort. A family friend gave them a scrapbook of photos of Scout. A few days after Scout died, Price received a note from his brother, quoting something he found on the internet. Price returns to the note and quote when he wishes he could see Scout at the end of the day when she greeted him with her unconditional wagging tail:

“Dogs’ lives are entirely too short,” the note said. “It’s their only fault.”

Send story ideas, shout-outs and photographs through our story idea form or write working@duke.edu.