The search is on for Australia's Top Dog!

Sydney, March 13th 2014.  Move over leggy glamazons: scruffy is the new chic. Media Animal TV has launched a nationwide competition aiming to find Australia's Top Dog.

Unlike fashion mavens, dog lovers know that beauty is not skin deep. So along with the primped and preened pooch, this unique round-up will recognise dogs that reflect a true Aussie spirit - dogs with big hearts, true grit and maybe a larrikin sense of humour to boot.

“Dogs are a huge part of our lives and contribute to our stories in the most incredibly moving ways,” said Tracey Preston, former Channel 9 newshound and Executive Producer of Media Animal TV. “The competition is a fun and light-hearted way of acknowledging that contribution.”

Media Animal TV is an online channel celebrating unique Australian animals and some equally unique Australian personalities – from animal whisperers with amazing insights into our pets to quirky wildlife lovers who show us an unexpected side of nature.

The Top Dog call-out will offer four entry categories to reflect the wide variety of roles dogs play in Australian lives, from rounding up sheep on a dusty station to giving “Welcome Home” licks to brighten an office worker's day.

Did you know?

One in three Australian households includes a dog, in a nation where there are two million more pets and than people. According to a survey by the Animal Health Alliance, 90 percent of us consider our dog or cat a member of the family, and companionship is the main motivation for 70 percent of pet owners.

Pet owners are both healthier and happier, suffering from a lower rate of depression, loneliness and even heart disease, according to the RSPCA. Kids who grow up with pets, especially dogs, suffer from fewer allergies, and grown-ups with dogs make fewer trips to the doctor.

Doing justice to this special role will take some very special judges, including media personality Steve Austin, a renowned dog lover and Elite Dog Trainer, and Ann Harris, Animal Talent Scout and head of leading agency Animal Talent Time.

“All dogs are Top Dogs in my eyes,” said Steve Austin, “but whatever the category, I'll be looking for character. They don't have to be good looking and I don't care if they're from the pound. To me it's about loyalty and heart.”

If you think your dog has what it takes to be Australia’s Top Dog, visit www.mediaanimal.tv for details on how to enter. Entries close March 24th 2014.

The Categories:

§      Top Pet Dog: This category is open to all pet dogs, cute, not so cute, silly, funny loveable dogs in all shapes and sizes.

Top Working Dog: Calling all dogs with jobs, be they farm dogs, assistance dogs, police dogs or military dogs.

Top Talented Dog: Does your dog have a special talent? Can they sing, dance or perform a special trick? This is your category

Top Glamour Dog – It's about style, deportment, coat condition, personality - or perhaps a special sparkle in the eye! If you've got it, flaunt it.

Judges

§      Steve Austin -  Elite Dog Trainer with over 25 years experience training dogs from pets, police dogs, IED detection Dogs to Conservation dogs

§      Ann Harris - Animal Talent Scout and head of  Sydney’s leading animal talent agency Animal Talent Time

§      Mitchell Waygood - An award winning Pet Stylist from Shear Elegance Pet Spa

Prizes

§      1st place winner in each category receives a Kellyville Pets pack valued at $330

§      A contract from Animal Talent Time Agency-representing some of Australia’s well known animal stars! ( Winners outside NSW would be required to travel to Sydney to take up this prize should they win)

§      A photo session with a leading pet photographer. 1^st prize total value over $500

§      2^nd place in each category win a Deluxe Dog Kennel and a goody bag which includes healthy Whimpzees and Wanpy dog treats, dog bowl and  activity toy. 2^nd Prize value $340

• 3^rd place in each category wins a doggy bag stacked with healthy doggy treats, food bowl and activity toy valued at $170

About Media Animal TV
http://www.mediaanimal.com.tv

Media Animal TV is the brainchild of Tracey Preston, an Australian television newshound with a passion for uncovering unexpected animal stories. Along with inspirational tales of ordinary people doing extraordinary work with animals, the online show offers fantastic take home tips and advice from world-renowned pet and animal experts. MATV focuses on highly shareable, positive stories that educate, entertain and celebrate animals.

Media Contact:

Tracey Preston- Executive Producer Media Animal TV

Email: tracey@mediaanimal.tv or phone: 0409 228 929

Available for Interview

 Top Dog Trainer Steve Austin

Tracey Preston-Executive Producer -Media Animal TV

Five things you didn't know about dogs

1/ Aussies have one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world (63% of households). We own 4.2 million dogs (that's one in 36% of households).

2/ The American Heart Association have linked the ownership of pets, especially dogs, with a reduced risk for heart disease and greater longevity. Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression, have lower blood pressure in stressful situations and have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

3/ Who feeds the dog? The typical primary carer for Australia's household pets is a working mum living in the suburbs. But mums, you already knew that, right?

4/ The most popular breed of dog in Australia might surprise you - it's the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, more commonly known as the Staffy. The next popular, in descending order are the Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Border Collie, American Staffordshire Terrier,  Poodle, Pug and the Rottweiler. Overall, our breed preferences suggest we prefer more intelligent varieties, says Dr Kate Schoeffel of the Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders (AAPDB).

5/ Dogs CAN see colour. Many people have heard that dogs see the world in black and white. The truth is a little more complicated – dogs don't have as many types of colour receptors as humans. For them, a rainbow would look dark blue, light blue, gray, light yellow, and brownish yellow. Not as pretty perhaps, but on the upside, their sense of smell is tens of thousands of times more sensitive than ours.

Dog quotes that will have you reaching for the tissues

“You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, 'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'”
—Dave Barry (author)

"A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down."
—Robert Benchley (humorist and actor)

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."
—Roger Caras (photographer and writer)

"I care not for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it."
—Abraham Lincoln (16th President of the United States)

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."
—Will Rogers (actor)

"If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience."
—Woodrow Wilson (29th President of the United States)

Source: http://dogtime.com/25-famous-quotes-about-dogs.html