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(Published in the June 2008)
The Year of the Pug
America's Top Dog Model Contest 2008 winner is announced.
By Scott and Ann Springer
The search for America's Top Dog Model is over and the 2008 national contest winner is a fawn pug named Maia.
Maia was selected as a finalist during the Minneapolis casting call held on the red carpet at the luxurious Excelsior and Grand Club Room in St. Louis Park, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis.
Maia rose to the top of the pack of 46 other canine contestants because of her poise and charm on the red carpet and her professionalism in front of the camera, says Jo Jo Harder, the contest creator and president of The Jo Jo Companies, LLC., a Boca Raton, Fla-based company.
This year's contest theme was "Entertain with Style." Each participant of the contest, which is in its fourth year, was required to submit a professional-quality color photograph of his or her pooch in its favorite party scene. Maia's photo portrays her celebrating the Chinese New Year complete with Chinese cookies and garlic-scented liver pâté. Her outfit was custom-made to fit her almost three-year-old pug frame.
"Her photograph just stood out from the rest and she caught the judges' eye," Harder says. "Her runway skills were impeccable because she's really poised."
Maia's owner, Minneapolis resident Nellie Hofmeister, says she was amazed and excited that her dog had won the contest because Hofmeister had decided on a whim to enter the contest.
"She looked so wonderful," Hofmeister says. "She just trucked down that red carpet with confidence."
Each final contestant was judged on how well its photographs followed the contest theme, its overall photographic quality, and its portrayal of the dog's style. Judges also considered poise and character of the contestants.
The celebrity judging panel included America's Top Dog Model creator and author, Jo Jo Harder; KMSP Fox Channel 9 reporter M.A. Rosko, FM107 radio personality Alexis Walsko, Animal Humane Society Director of Corporate Relations Amy Rosenthal, author and fashion icon Margot Siegel, and LuLu & Luigi's Certified Master Pet Stylist Julie Berkeley.
"Everyone thinks their dog is a star," says Liz Sand, a co-owner of LuLu & Luigi's, a retail store in Wayzata, Minn., one of the sponsors of the event. "It was so fun to see all the types of dogs that entered—from big to small and luxurious to sporty."
There was no entry fee for participants; however, donations were collected on behalf of the Animal Humane Society, a local charity group. The more than 100 guests at the event enjoyed food and drinks, prizes and giveaways, free professional pet photo sessions, and an animal communicator.
As the winner of the contest, Maia received a one-year modeling contract with Chateau Poochie, a custom-designed coat and lead from Chien Coature, an Austrian crown from Dorothy Bauer Designs, and a Burberry designer dog bowl. She will also don the cover of America's Top Dog Model 2010 calendar.
Eleven of the national finalists will also be featured in the America's Top Dog Model 2010 Calendar and website and will receive Austrian crystal jewelry from Buddy G's.
For more information about the contest go online to: www.americastopdogmodel.com. |
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