Readers, we are happy to report that you submitted more than 700 photos of your canine companions to our Top Dog in Georgia photo contest.
You shared photos of tiny Chihuahuas, and one of a 170-pound mastiff. You shared the picture of the loyal standard poodle who waits for the children at the school bus stop. There was also the basset hound that somehow got onto the kitchen counter. (We suspect he got help with that feat.)
There were therapy dogs, dogs in tutus, nappers, ball fetchers, snugglers and swimmers.
Big, small, smooth, fluffy - the dog world was well represented, and so was the world of warm-hearted pet owners.
There were so many wonderful dog photos and personal stories that, frankly, the judges struggled to narrow this down to five finalists. So we decided to expand the finalists' group to the 10 great dogs that you see above.
Now it's time for you to vote for your favorite, just one vote per day please. The voting period will close at 5 p.m. on Aug. 30.
And please use the comments area below to tell us why you chose your Top Dog.
If you are reading this on a mobile device, you may not be able to see the poll. We suggest you try this link, or visit us from a computer.
Is this stupidity still going on?
Every Thursday, a retired Atlanta Policeman posts photos of the dogs that are in danger of being put to sleep the very next day, in an effort to get them adopted before they lose their lives. I respectfully ask you to take a moment to look at their Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Douglas-County-Animal-Shelter/376572402360958
In fact, many of the dogs entered in this contest are rescue animals who got lucky enough to find a home. At Patch, we love all dogs, but we do have a special place in our heart for animal rescue. You will find that most of our Patch sites run Pet of the Week features to highlight adoptable animals. And rescue groups are welcome to post Adopt a Pet notices directly to the Announcements on our sites. (Anyone can go to the News tab, then click Announcements and then click the button that says Add An Announcement.)