At a dog costume contest, every pup is a winner
NEW YORK CITY (SBG) — Of all the tough decisions that I've had to make throughout my lifetime, I can confidently say that none has ever been nearly as difficult as that of a judge at a dog costume contest.
Honestly, I have no idea how the panel of judges at the 23rd annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contestin New York City was somehow able to narrow down a pool of nearly 100 qualified — and adorable — applicants to just 10 finalists. They were also responsible for the near-impossible task of determining which of those 10 dogs would make it to the final three. From there, the power then shifted to the spectators, whose enthusiastic cheers determined the fate of those top dogs.
This year's competition, which took place at Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park on Oct. 31, represented a return to the long-running event's typical format.
In 2020, there were no judges. Instead, the results of the 22nd annual Great PUPkin were entirely audience-driven, as the COVID-19 pandemic required the event's organizers to pivot to a virtual model to avoid canceling the competition altogether. Since skipping even a single year after over two decades of successful events simply wasn't an option, Brooklyn nonprofit Fort Greene PUPS invited contestants to submit photos of their costumes digitally throughout the month of October. Tons of dogs from New York City and beyond entered in hopes of receiving enough votes from the public in the Great PUPkin Gallery to make it to the next stage of the competition— a livestream event featuring the top 10 dogs that culminated in one more online vote to crown the winner.
Despite the shift in approach for 2020's contest, the organizers were still blown away by the response. But while the virtual contest undoubtedly served as a bright moment for all those forced to remain home last Halloween, the astounding in-person turnout for the 23rd annual Great PUPkin clearly captured the sense of excitement felt citywide as revelers were once again able to celebrate the spooky holiday face-to-face with other people. And what better way to join in the festivities than by watching a parade of dogs prance across a stage in elaborate disguises?
Only 10 dogs took home the coveted rosettes, but truly, every dog who participated in this year's competition was a winner. Check out our photo gallery of contestants above or by clicking here to see which dog would have been your pick to take home the grand prize.
The third prize went to a pet and owner pair dressed as a s'more, edging out seven other top 10 finalists, including a grim reaper dog driving a hearse and an out-of-this-world pup who traveled via spaceship.
The homemade s'more costume allowed the owner to strap her pet to her chest, but she also demonstrated the ability to separate the components of the campfire favorite, such that the dog could freely roam the stage as a square of chocolate sans graham cracker and marshmallow.
The second-place team was familiar with the feeling, having also finished just shy of the ultimate title in 2020's virtual competition. Their dogs, whose Kiss-inspired band placed second to aborder terrier wearing a coronavirus particle costume last October, made a very convincing Carl and Kevin from the beloved Pixar animation "Up," complete with a model of the movie's iconic house, during this year's event. The dogs' owners joined in on the fun by dressing as two of the other main characters from the movie, Dug and Russell.
There was no question that the crowd went wild for these exceptionally detailed costumes. The s'more seemed to be a solid third place, but it was difficult to distinguish between the volume of the cheers for the other two contenders. Again, I don't envy the panel of judges who had to make the final call.
But there can only be one top-place finisher in the Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest, and this year, that honor went to "Howie's Hot Dog Stand."
Howie, a mix between a chihuahua and a dachshund, first started using a wheelchair due to complications fromintervertebral disk disease. Intervertebral disk disease, or IVDD, is a degenerative spinal disorder to which certain breeds, including dachshunds, are especially susceptible. In Howie's case, his back legs became paralyzed in 2019 following an emergency back surgery to alleviate the suffering caused by IVDD. Now, the little dog is able to get around pain-free with the help of his trusty wheelchair.
It also makes the perfect structure on which to place an incredibly accurate replica of a New York City hot dog cart.
Howie's humans, Alana Davis and Courtney Cox, made sure that the wheelchair's attachment was both extremely lightweight and sufficiently padded to guarantee that Howie stayed comfortable during the competition. The hot dog cart was truly a labor of love, and the amount of effort put into its creation did not go unnoticed by the audience members, whose screams ended up being loud enough to bring victory to Howie and his humans.
Check out photos of dozens of dogs in our gallery above or by clicking here.
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