1 of 4
2 of 4
3 of 4
4 of 4
More than 100 pet owners entered their animal companions in SLM’s inaugural pet contest. Though only a select few prevailed, you can see all of the entries HERE.
Winner
Chrissy Allen took this photo of Arnie, a Great Pyrenees pup, eight months ago; now, he weighs 95 pounds, and he’s still the consummate snuggler: “He loves to watch TV with us on the couch—we watched the Westminster dog show with him—and he always wants to put his head in your lap,” Allen says. His worst puppy mischief was to chew “a bunch of DVDs—whole seasons of shows.” His finest trait is his loyal concern: Great Pyrenees are bred to guard livestock, and since there aren’t any goats or sheep in sight, Allen says, “he’s always looking out for us.”
Photograph courtesy of Chrissy Allen
Runners-Up
When Eden the Destroyer plays out “Timmy’s in the well!” scenarios, it’s not to rescue a kid—it’s to make Shirley LaMear come move the furniture, so Eden can get to the mouse hiding behind it. She’s a Norfolk terrier, and she got her nickname because she (gulp) loves to chew up magazines. (With a face like that, you can forgive a lot.) Eden goes on squirrel patrol at dawn, herds the cats (the German shepherd taught her), and attends rally classes. At day’s end, she jumps into LaMear’s bed and rests her scruffy cheek on the pillow, exhausted from her adventures.
Photograph courtesy of Shirley LaMear
Lola is…Lola. At all times. She likes to sleep in the sun, nap at Hope Wills’ feet, and sleep with the family—but she snores so loudly, she’s been relocated to a fancy dog bed downstairs. She loves peanut butter and bacon, she used to love cucumbers, and she’ll go anywhere with anybody. She heads down the alley to visit neighbors and has the grace to look guilty (but not ashamed) when Wills calls her back. When she’s excited—like every morning when she wakes up—she growls and snorts and runs around the house, then flops down on her side exhausted. “She’s piggly,” Wills says. “And a big flirt.”
Photograph courtesy of Hope Wills
Whitaker greets Jazzy Loyal at the door, will do almost anything for a belly rub, and gives a sort of bark when she’s upset. If she’s confused, her high purr rises with human-like inflection. She’s a domestic shorthair with distinctive markings (the shape on her side looks like either a cat or a horse, depending on your viewing angle) and a crisp sense of self. “She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to ask for it,” Loyal says. “If we don’t get up early enough, she jumps onto the dresser and knocks off important, expensive things, like jewelry and clocks.” Her last resort’s a glass of water on the nightstand, splashed right in Loyal’s face.
Photograph couresy of Jazzy Loyal
