This is a sponsored article.

Following the impossible task of deliberating the cutest pups in Essex County, the top nine finalists for our 2nd Annual Montclair Girl Puppy Bowl 2023 have been chosen!

Voting will take place from Friday, February 10th to Sunday, February 12th at 11:59PM and the winner will be announced on Wednesday, February 15th. You can vote as many times as you want within that time frame.

Thank you to all the dog parents who submitted photos of their fur babies AND who donated to Hounds in Pounds! Keep reading to cast your vote and crown one dog as the winner (of some amazing local prizes!). We will also be donating a portion of the sponsorship fees to Hounds in Pounds.

VOTING BELOW – first, a look at our top 9:

The Finalists

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Duke, The Australian Shepherd 

IG: @dukedaaussie_boi

Duke’s owner shared with us:

“He likes to go for long hikes and a eat nice dinner in his doggy bowl. He’s an Australian Shepherd, loves being outdoors, and is always down for new adventures with his humans. He always loves nice belly rubs, otherwise he’s playing with his toys. He lives in Forest Street, Montclair, New Jersey and enjoys meeting new people every day while he’s walking around the town or meeting new fur friends at the Brook-dale doggie Park. He likes to impress people and show them how smart he can be.” 

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Monte, the Shih Tzu/Terrier mix

IG: @montetherescuepup

Monte shared with us:

“I’m Monte, a rescue dog who lives in Montclair with loving humans and a cat who hates me. My hobbies include chasing squirrels, birds, and balls that I can’t catch and tricking people into thinking I haven’t eaten enough with my cute face. I act tough around mail carriers and big dogs, but I love sniffing the small canines-especially the ladies. If I win I’ll eat all the food and wear my new sweater in the car so I can roll the window down and enjoy the breeze in winter.”

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Moose, the Beagle

IG: @Bowie_Finley_DogsNJ

Moose’s owner shared with us:

“Moose is a 10-month-old Beagle. Moose was one of the 4,000 beagles rescued last year from the Envigo laboratory dog breeding facility in Cumberland, Virginia. Peace4Paws in Bergen County NJ rescued Moose and several other beagles as a part of this effort. From the time he was rescued, Moose has made everyone he meets smile. He’s a silly, fun-loving, and happy-go-lucky dog. His favorite things are sticks, playing with other dogs at the dog park, and destroying dog toys within minutes of receiving them. He loves long walks in the park and trails, with his favorites being Mills Reservation in Montclair and Hilltop Dog Park in North Caldwell.”

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Cookie, the Rescue Pup

Cookie’s owner shared with us:

“Cookie and her siblings were found abandoned and then rescued by Hounds in Pounds and brought up north. Every morning she wakes me up by putting her favorite bouncy ball in my face. She could play fetch from dawn to dusk. Her other favorite hobby is swimming. It’s hard to keep her out of her puppy pool, she’s even gone for midnight swims despite my protests.”

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Sunny, the Havanese/Poodle Mix

Sunny’s owner shared with us:

“We adopted Sunny from a Puerto Rican nonprofit pet rescue named Miracles for Satos. He’s 9 months old and we think he’s part Havanese part Poodle. He loves socks and playing tag.”

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Jesse, the Rescue Pup

Jesse’s owner shared with us:

“Unfortunately, we do not know Jesse’s age, birthday, or even what type of dog he is because he is a rescue. Jesse loves anything that has bacon in it, and he loves to socialize with small dogs.”

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Ranger, the Silver Lab

Ranger shared with us: 

“Hey, I’m Ranger the Silver Lab, but my parents call me Bubba, Buddy, GoodBoy, and of course by my full name: Ranjareo. I spend most of my days over in Little Falls but sometimes my parents take me on a ride over to the big city…Montclair. I love my bones and hikes and road trips, I eat anything in sight and am what you call a handful, but I’m also full of love and licks.”

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Dakota, the Rescue Pup

Dakota’s owner shared with us:

“We adopted Dakota through Hounds in Pounds in Nov. 2021. People say we saved her, but she saved me! We lost one of our furbabies to cancer one month after we adopted her. She got me through that tremendous loss with all her snuggles. Dakota loves bananas! She also loves playing with siblings in her play yard with her balls!”

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Sir Snickerdoodle AKA Snickers, the Miniature Schnauzer

Sir Snickerdoodle’s owner shared with us:

“We fell in love with Snickers and his sister Sadie and the dynamic duo became our new best furry friends. ‘The pups’ as we often referred to them as have brought us so much joy over the years and have been by our side through life’s ups and downs. Snickers’ favorite snacks are carrots + Holsten’s Vanilla Ice Cream (on occasion). He loves going on walks around Brookdale Park to terrorize all the local Squirrels. He is the best snuggler and is most content during couch time with his humans.”

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NOW, TIME TO VOTE:

Submit your name + email below* and then you’ll be able to VOTE for your favorite pup. (You can vote as many times as you want, now until 11:59PM on Sunday, 2/12)

Oops! We could not locate your form.

*Submitting a ballot adds you to the  The Montclair Girl newsletter and information from our partners.

The Prizes

JustFoodForDogs | 1125 Maxwell Lane, Hoboken

IG Handle: @JustFoodForDogs

Giveaway Gift + Value:  A month’s worth of food for a dog  (up to 35lbs or equivalent; $175 value)

Porta Montclair | 499 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair

IG Handle: @portamontclair

Giveaway Gift + Value: $50 gift card + a Porta Doggie Hoodie ($100 value)

 

Cast your votes starting today through Sunday, February 12th at 11:59PM.

Stay tuned for the crowned winner on Wednesday, February 15th of our second annual Puppy Bowl Contest.