Who Will Claim The 2024 NZ Top Dog Crown?

Forty of New Zealand’s hardest working hounds are one paw closer to glory, after making it into the finals of the 2024 Frog Recruitment NZ Top Dog competition.

With three coveted titles up for grabs – New Zealand’s Top Dog with a Job, New Zealand’s People’s Choice and New Zealand’s Top Office Dog - there’s a category for every pooch, from the four-legged office friends who boost our morale and wellbeing, to the clever canines making their mark as therapy dogs, pest detectors, teacher aides and sheep herders.

Nearly 400 dogs nationwide were nominated for this year’s contest, a fitting tribute to the indispensable role they play in our communities and workplaces.

Nighdee, a Border Terrier from Little River in Canterbury, is one of 20 contenders for the Top Dog with a Job award.

Handler Karin Bos describes her as “a wee hero for the biodiversity of Kaitorete,” exceling as a hedgehog detection dog for Pest Free Banks Peninsula.

“Nighdee has found many hedgehogs in her one and a half year deployment, saving the lives of hundreds of birds, lizards, geckos and insects.”

Meanwhile Burt, the Labrador Huntaway Cross from Rotorua is also in the running for the Top Dog with a Job title, thanks to his weekly visits to The Care Village in Ngongotaha. Owner Emily McGowan says Burt’s work as a canine friend and therapy dog makes a positive difference to the village residents.

“On Mondays we go into a local retirement village and spend time with the residents. Most of them have Alzheimer’s and dementia, not remembering most recent things, but remembering years gone by. Burt’s job is to bring company to those who cannot get out, and his visits trigger a lot of stories, whether it’s about dogs they had growing up on farms, showing dogs at breed shows, and even stories about Burt Munro, who Burt is named after.

“Some people I have never heard speak until they pat Burt. One lady gets quite chatty in te reo Māori every time we see her!”

The efforts of Nighdee, Burt and the hundreds of Kiwi dogs like them underpin the Frog Recruitment NZ Top Dog competition, which is now in its ninth year, and has become a firm calendar highlight among dog devotees nationwide.

“This competition was established to celebrate man’s best friend, and acknowledge the extraordinary impact they have on people’s lives, and the positive contribution they make to society,” says Frog Recruitment Managing Director Shannon Barlow. “The huge popularity of this annual event highlights the immense value we place on our four legged friends.”

While the types of dogs, and the jobs they do, grows every year, Barlow says one thing never changes: “All our pooches share one common attribute – they make life better.”

NZ’s Top Dog competition is organised by Frog Recruitment in partnership with sponsors Simparica Trio and JetPark Hotels, and this year raises money for NZ mental health and dog-related charities. The competition will be judged by JetPark Hotel, Frog Recruitment and K9 Medical Detection NZ CEO Pauline Blomfield, with category winners taking home a Top Dog trophy and a slew of prizes. Winners will be announced live on Frog Recruitment’s Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube channel on Thursday, 29 August 2024 at NZT 12:30pm.

There’s still time to have your say. Find out more about the finalists and cast your People’s Choice Award vote before NZT 09:00 am on 29 August at https://www.frogrecruitment.co.nz/nztopdog

© Scoop Media