Ava McDonnell
The votes are in—and we’re thrilled to announce the winners of our Cutest Pet Contest! From floppy-eared dogs to sassy cats, your furry friends stole our hearts and made this year’s competition unforgettable.
But we didn’t just stop at looks! To celebrate the unique personalities behind the cuteness, we asked each of our winners’ pet parents to answer some questions about their beloved companion. Get ready to meet our winners and learn what makes them truly one of a kind—from favorite snacks to quirky habits and heartwarming stories.
1st Place: Little Bit
Parents Names: Mike & Vicki Long
Pet’s Home: Orlando, FL
Age: 11 years old
Breed: Chihuahua Mix
What are any funny habits or quirks your pet has?
“Little Bit has several little habits/quirks. First she loves to lay outside and sunbathe, secondly she loves to lay on top of our foot-warmers and lastly she has supersonic hearing. She can be dead asleep at the back of the house and can hear you when you open the freezer and get out of an ice-cream bar. She will come strutting down the hallway. ”
What’s their favorite non-pet food?
“No doubt, anything with the word chicken attached to it! Second is Peanut Butter!!”
How did they become part of your family?
“August 10, 2014 I was at the Petco parking lot on Colonial Drive and I saw a young girl holding the cutest little dog and I could tell she was distraught. Long story short I told her she need not worry that her baby was going to a good home. She was only a year old. I brought her home that day. The next day she was dipped, clipped, and chipped and she was at her new home. I often wonder if Little Bit remembers that day, since I take her there to get her nails trimmed at that same Petco. That day I went there to get a bed for a dog I was sitting on, coincidentally I had been rescued and my neighbors adopted her, and I came back with a new dog. We love her so much.”
What’s their favorite activity to do?
“That is an easy question. Her favorite activity is loving and snuggling and laying in her daddy’s lap. We take her everywhere we go, except restaurants. She has various little sun-visors and when kids and grownups see her they want to pet her and hold her. I wished I had a dollar for every-time someone said ‘adorable,’ ‘so cute and precious.’ LOVE is her favorite activity.”
If they were a person, what job would they have?
“Little Bit is our little person. She would make a great therapist! Everywhere she goes people have the biggest smile when they are giving her a rub, a snuggle, a treat or see her across the room. When they feel good, that makes me feel good and of course Little Bit feels good. My husband said she would make a good veterinarian.”
“When I say she is small but she is mighty! She is. On June 21, 2019 she was attacked by a 65 pound dog when we were on our morning walk. It was horrible!! We took her to our vet and they could not do anything, so we took her to AVS in Maitland. They saved her life! We did not know if she was going to make it. We went every morning and every evening for 36 days. She lost a lot of her teeth, had a big hole in her backside. Her tail had to be amputated, had numerous blood transfusions. Lots of fractures. 36 days later we brought her home!! She had therapy for 6 weeks after that to learn how to walk again. Now you can hardly tell it. She is very special and very loved!” – Vicki Long
2nd Place: Lloyd Christmas
Parents Names: Leia and Tommy Monk
Pet’s Home: Lake Nona, FL
Age: 4 years old
Breed: Coonhound/Labrador Retriever
What are any funny habits or quirks your pet has?
“Lloyd loves to HOWL and hunt for lizards.”
What’s their favorite non-pet food?
“He loves only all natural treats (specifically Pet Wants Lake Nona’s) Elk antlers and peanut butter & blueberry biscuits.”
How did they become part of your family?
“We adopted Lloyd from All Paws Rescue when our friends (Kim + RJ) were fostering him and his siblings.”
What’s their favorite activity to do?
“Lloyd loves to go to Chick-Fil-A for a pup cup, chase a laser pointer, and to go swimming in the pool!”
If they were a person, what job would they have?
“If he were a person his job would be, a limousine driver (he loves long drives but that’s also Lloyd Christmas’ job in the movie!).” – Leia Monk
3rd Place: Daisy
Parents Names: Lynn and Scott Clark
Pet’s Home: Orlando
Age: 7 years old
Breed: Golden Retriever
What are any funny habits or quirks your pet has?
“Daisy won’t jump into the car or pool, but she jumps onto the bed or couch. She won’t fetch unless she is in the pool. She can’t catch a ball if you toss it straight up in the air but she usually doesn’t miss catching a treat!”
What’s their favorite non-pet food?
“Daisy has a lot of favorite non-pet foods so choosing one is tough. One of her favorite treats is a puppuccino. She slobbers everywhere and makes a complete mess. But she looks adorable with the whipped cream ‘beard’ and it makes her so happy.”
How did they become part of your family?
“Daisy came to our family at a time when our other dog, Finnegan, was eight years old. Our daughters were in Middle School, and we thought it would be the optimal time for another dog. Adding Daisy to our family helped keep Finnegan young.”
What’s their favorite activity to do?
“Daisy’s favorite activity is dressing in a daisy necklace or any other costume. She will watch me pull it out of the closet and instantly she turns her head upward to help me put the necklace or costume over her head. I think she loves it because she knows we are going out on an adventure and she will get people to pet her. With Daisy, that is the ultimate goal and it is even better than a puppuccino! One time we met someone who said they think she likes to wear the costume because it makes her feel pretty. We met other people who simply tell me that petting her makes their day better! Either way, she loves this activity!”
If they were a person, what job would they have?
“If Daisy were a person, her ideal job would be runway model. She always smiles in front of the camera, she is used to people telling her how pretty she is, and she makes everyone smile!” – Lynn Clark
Thank you to everyone who participated and voted—this contest was a celebration of the love, laughter, and companionship our pets bring us every day. Until next year, give your furry friends an extra treat and a scratch behind the ears from us!
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