By Cody Heintz, Staff Writer

On Tuesday outside Hofstra USA, the Office of Off-Campus Living and Commuting Student Services presented the First Annual “Pet Parade and Dog Show.”  Director Anita Ellis hosted, with members of OSLA and Advisement serving as judges. The show had a total of six dogs competing for four awards: Best in Show, Best Trick, Most Beautiful and Most Composed. The dogs were judged on the following criteria: coat, friendliness, owner-dog relation and tricks.

The show began with all of the dogs doing a lap. Afterwards each dog was called up one-by-one to be judged separately. The dogs were asked to walk with their owner alone in a straight line and back, and then, in front of the judges, perform a trick. The contestants were Luca, a Pit-Bull/Chowchow mix, Rico, a Corgi/Shepherd mix, Chloe, a Toy Poodle, Annie, a Yorkshire/Poodle mix, Rosie, a Shiba and Georgi, a Shih Tzu.

The winners were Chloe for Best in Show, Annie for Best Trick, Rosie for Most Beautiful and Georgie for Most Composed. The winners were given a gift bag with a $50 gift card for PETCO and will be featured on the PETCO website. The contestants also received free dog food from PETCO’s “It’s All Natural” section and gift certificates to Napolini Express.

Chloe, a toy poodle, and owner, Jennifer Miller won Best in Show for the Pet Parade and Dog Show. (Photo Courtesy Joseph Estrema)