Dog of the Year 2025
The ultimate celebration of our much-loved pets
From the best adventure buddy to the most adorable cuddle champion, we’re on the hunt for the nation’s top tail waggers. Could your pooch take the podium?
Submit a photo of your four-legged friend for the chance to win a dog-friendly weekend away.
Find out more
Decide which canine category you want to enter and then upload your best photo.
How to enter
Best adventure buddy
Submit a photo of your dog enjoying the great outdoors, the more adventurous the better! Think hiking a mountain, paddle boarding or on a camping road trip.
Best cuddle champion
Submit a photo of your dog enjoying home comforts, because not every dog will be surfing waves and scaling peaks! Think garden games and sofa snuggles.
Best working wonder
Submit a photo of your incredible service dog, from guide and therapy dogs to farm dogs. We want to hear how your pooch supports you and others.
Best rescue dog
Submit a photo of your rescue dog of any age who has found love in a second home. We want to hear about your dog’s rehoming story.
The judging process
Enter your dog into one of the four Dog of the Year categories by 11 September. The judging panel will then review the entries and shortlist five dogs in each category.
This shortlist then goes to a public vote – voting opens on 24 September 2025. It’s up to you to decide which dog should be crowned Dog of the Year 2025.
The winners will be announced on advertorial.ourmedia.co.uk/doty2025 on 20 October 2025 and in the December 2025 issue of BBC Countryfile Magazine, on sale from 27 November 2025. The dog with the most votes overall will be crowned champion and the top-voted dogs in each of the other three categories will be named category winners.
Terms and conditions apply.
All eligible entries will be reviewed by our judging panel: the BBC Countryfile Magazine team and one independent member. The panel will shortlist five standout dogs from each of the four categories based on a combination of image quality, composition, originality, the supporting statement and how well the photo reflects the chosen category.
Once shortlists are confirmed, the public will be invited to vote for their favourites. The dog with the most votes is the overall winner and the top-voted dogs in each of the remaining three categories are the runner-up category winners. The overall winner receives the main prize of a £500 voucher for Rural Retreats. The three runner-up category winners will each receive a £250 voucher for Outdoor & Country.
Promoter: Our Media Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 05715415). Residents of the UK and Channel Islands aged 18+ can enter. The closing date for entries is 23:59 on 11 September 2025. One entry per person per category, and each dog may only be entered by a single owner. Shortlisted entries will be judged before proceeding to a public vote, which will open on 24 September 2025 and close on 16 October 2025. The winners will be announced on advertorial.ourmedia.co.uk/doty2025 on 20 October 2025 and in the December 2025 issue of BBC Countryfile Magazine, on sale from 27 November 2025.
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The overall winner will receive a £500 voucher for Rural Retreats to spend on a dog-friendly holiday. Choose from over 800 luxury, self-catering cottages in beautiful locations across the UK.
The three runner-up category winners will each receive an Outdoor & Country voucher worth £250.