If your furry friend could give Hairy Maclary or Schnitzel von Krumm a run for their money in the doppelgänger department, you're in luck!
Penguin Random House New Zealand is in search of real-life look-a-likes of the lovable canines from Lynley Dodd's 'Hairy Maclary' series as they celebrate the 40th anniversary of the very first book.
Becky Innes, director at Penguin Random House New Zealand, told RNZ that Hairy Maclary has brought endless joy to countless kids over the years. I mean, can you blame them? That scruffy terrier stole our hearts!
Fun fact: Kiwis have laid their eyes on over 100,000 copies of the first 'Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy' book in the last decade alone.
Author Lynley Dodd, the creative genius behind this furry frenzy, cooked up the idea of a lookalike contest last year.
Initially, she suggested an in-person contest but ultimately opted for an online competition.
"We have a Hairy Maclary Facebook page, and we often have people posting photos of their similar-looking dogs there, so we knew that people would love to do this," Innes said.
Now, hold onto your leashes because here's how you can enter your furry friend.
You don't need a clone of Hairy Maclary himself to enter this tail-wagging extravaganza. Any pooch who resembles our favourite furry gang is welcome to participate.
A panel of judges, including the dog-loving Dodd herself, will be the ones making the tough calls. After all, who better to decide than the creator herself?
So, what's in it for the winners? Oh, just a pawsome pack of books, including a special 40th-anniversary edition of the original book.
And that's not all! They'll also receive a snazzy print of the dog their pet most resembles, signed by the legendary Lynley Dodd herself.
Get those cameras clicking and submit your doggy doppelgängers photo before July 5th to enter.
Who knows? Your pup could be crowned the real-life Hairy Maclary or one of his mates.
