Dog contests

The Be a Responsible Dog Owner Poster Contest was such fun.  Mom and I had a great time looking at all the entries.  In fact it was so much fun, I decided to see what other types of dog contests were going on.  And I found a bunch!  There are lots of photo contests for dogs.  So have your mom or dad get out the camera.  Maybe you can be the next winner! 

CutestPetContest.com is currently accepting entries for their quarterly cutest pet photo contest. All of the entries they receive are voted on by their site viewers. The pets with the most votes will win a spot in their next book and qualify as semi-finalists with a chance of winning $1,000.00 in cash. Trophies & $100 Pet Smart Gift Cards will be awarded each quarter and the grand prize is awarded annually. There are absolutely no fees or subsidy payments required to enter the contest. Enter your cutest pet pic today to receive cash and prizes including a cash grand prize of $1,000.00.

 The Bark is partnering with Greenies to find the dog with the brightest smile—enter the SHOW US YOUR PET’S HEALTHY SMILE contest for a chance to get your dog on the cover of The Bark. Greenies is inviting cats to join the fun (they've got a special cameo planned for the winner). Both the dog and cat winners will receive a year’s supply of Greenies® Chews and Treats.

Modern Dog Photo Contest -  Every week, the dog with the most votes will be featured as Dog of the Week on the moderndogmagazine.com homepage AND will have a chance to appear in an upcoming issue of Modern Dog magazine!

Enter Your Dog's Photo in the Orvis Cover Dog Photo Contest!


Does Your Pooch Have What It Takes to be a Poster Dog?  Anchorage Animal Care and Control Center (AACCC) is announcing its annual Poster Dog Contest.  The winning dog(s) will be the next AACCC poster dog(s) for the dog licensing campaign in 2012.  This contest is open to any licensed dogs, and their people, currently living in the Municipality of Anchorage.
 
WANTED: Handsome old fellows and beautiful old girls for the Sanctuary's 9th annual photo contest for Graying Muzzles 2013.  Don't miss out. Enter your favorite senior dog (7+ years) in our photo contest to benefit the Sanctuary for Senior Dogs. The winners will be featured in the 9th annual Sanctuary calendar. Each winning dog will receive a calendar and be invited to “pawtograph” calendars at a Sanctuary event.

FlipFlop 2013 Calendar Contest.  Don’t miss the chance to have your dog’s photo featured on their website.  Submit that precious picture of your dog on a FlipFlop vacation.  From those received, they will select 13 for their 2013 calendar and the lucky winners (both Owner and Companion Family) will receive a free calendar. Be sure to fill in the application completely and then click submit. You will be notified if your photo is selected for the calendar.

I'm off to get mom to get the camera out and take my picture! 

Meet Shorty - and his Mom and Dad

A while ago Mom and Dad celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.  25 years!  That's even older than me!  Mom and Dad wanted to go someplace special but not too far away.  Since I haven't been well this year they wanted to be close in case they needed to come home quickly.  The answer - a trip to Hot Springs.

As I mentioned in an earlier article, Hot Springs is for lovers so what better place to go for a romantic weekend away.  And they picked the best place in Hot Springs to stay - Tinkerbelle's Wildwood 1884 Bed and Breakfast.  And that's where they met Shorty.

Mom chose Wildwood because she says it's elegant and yet comfortable and homey.  It is owned by The Colonel and Tinkerbelle.  But Shorty, and his mom and dad, Rebecca and David, really run the place.  They came to Hot Springs from Dallas in 1995 to find the perfect Victorian house and searched for 7 years before finding Wildwood.  The dream of building Wildwood began when Sarah Elizabeth Van Patten of Washington D.C. became the bride of Prosper Harvey Ellsworth, a physician, in 1873. Sarah moved from a highly cultured and socially conscious eastern city to join Prosper in the rough-hewn country village of Hot Springs. Sarah chose the basic design from a magazine and persuaded her brother to do the architectural work.  

As you drive up, you will see Wildwood sitting on a beautiful acre lot set back from Hwy 7 (Park Avenue), nestled in among trees taller than the house. They have plenty of off-street parking and a circle drive to the front which is convenient for unloading luggage.

Mom said one of the best parts of the place is the Butler's Pantry, alias "The Snack Room". Here Rebecca keeps home-baked goodies, bottled water, sodas, popcorn, chips, etc...This is also where you will find the ice machine, ice buckets, refrigerator and microwave. Or, in the main dining room, you can visit the coffee bar for a cup of gourmet coffee, hot tea, or hot chocolate anytime during your visit. All snacks are included in the room rates. Steal a brownie, and then wander around outside and enjoy the grounds and the porches with wicker furniture.  Mom says Rebecca makes the best brownies in the world.  Dad says the chocolate chip cookies are better.  All I know is they didn't bring either one back for me!

Mom and Dad stayed in the Kind David Room. This room is regal with the high-back, half-canopy queen-size bed, complete with featherbed and down comforter. Mom said the room was large enough to relax and Dad liked the TV complete with DVD player.  A wide selection of movies are available to borrow from the TV room downstairs at no extra charge. And Mom fell in love with the antique claw-foot bath tub that's right in the room.  She couldn't wait to enjoy a candlelit bubble bath!  She said Rebecca and David even supply the candles and the bubble bath.

While at Wildwood, Mom had a chance to spend some time getting to know Rebecca and that's when she met Shorty.  Shorty is a miniature dachsund that came to live with Rebecca and David when he was 8 months old.  He was a birthday gift from Rebecca's son to her daughter.  Rebecca's son breeds pitbulls and he traded one for Shorty.  Rebecca says Shorty came when she was out of town so it was a bit of a surprise but now he is just part of the family.

Rebecca and David got into the Bed and Breakfast business to help cover the cost of owning an old Victorian home.  But once they did, they found they loved doing it and so they have kept Wildwood open.  They have 5 bedrooms and 2 cottage suites and are open year round.  Mom said that besides her brownies, Rebecca is known for her famous three-course breakfast that is included when you stay at Wildwood.

Mom said she would have been content to just relax around the house and grounds at Wildwood.  But Dad did want to get and do some sightseeing.  Hot Springs is a great place for a weekend getaway.  Mom loves the lakes and trees, and the history.  Dad loves the fishing.  Plus this trip they took a tour of Fordyce bathhouse.  Mom said it was interesting.  Dad said it looked like a torture chamber!  And of course, Mom took the opportunity to make another visit to Garvan Woodland Gardens.

Small town atmosphere, history, nature, lakes, trees, Bathhouse Row, Garvan Gardens, and Wildwood - Hot Springs sounds like the perfect place for a romantic anniversary celebration.  Maybe next time Mom and Dad will take me so I can meet Shorty.  Until then, when you visit Shorty - and Rebecca and David - tell them Traveling Bob sent you!

To contact Rebecca and David and find out more about Wildwood,  call (501) 624-4267 or (888) 763-3707 (toll free) or e-mail them at wildwood@ipa.net.  Or visit them online at http://wildwood1884.com/.