We are extactly TWO weeks away from the Barking Beast Runway Show to Benefit Shelter Pets! YAY! And at the risk of stating the obvious, I am beyond thrilled about my celebrity judge panel line up.  But you already knew that, right?  As if we needed one more reason to celebrate, we just got it- the famous pet appearances!  I am thrilled to announce we’re expecting a paw-some line up of celebrity dogs all who have made themselves household names in the San Diego pet community.  Allow me to introduce our event MVP’s ( Most Valuable Pets ) . . .

Dozer

Roughly 53 pounds – (taking a guess on that one) and over 31 inches long, Dozer the Surfing Dog packs a stalky stance and he’s not afraid to use it. Celebrating his fourth year in a row 1st place win at Del Mar Helen Woodward Surf A-Thon and over all eleventh year in row winning other major surf competition, there is a good chance Dozers trophy collection will continue to grow for years to come.  With that said- Dozer truly represents what it means to be San Diego’s MVP’s “Most Valuable Pet”.  He is also an actor too!  The handsome meatball has been featured in a number of national commercials, movies, and other sports networks such as ESPN check his feature here. You can always find him as a guest on many of the Southern California local news stations showcasing his surfing.  He recently published a children’s book Dozer Surfs which has been a huge hit in the community, click here to order yours today. When Dozer is not surfing he enjoys spending time with his parents, flirting with ladies, and eating bacon.  To learn more about Dozer visit his website Dozer Surfs. 

Speedy

On the other end of the leverage system at 3.8 lbs is the most adorable Chihuahua I’ve ever seen!  Speedy, the 6 year old apple head Chihuahua is a registered therapy dog who volunteers at senior homes and libraries providing security, calmness, and a sense of normalcy to patients dealing with difficult times.  His goal in life is to make people happy and by looking at that adorable face, I can’t imagine him failing at that- ever.  Speedy’s trademark outward tongue only adds to his appealing charm!  With over 25k followers on his Instagram page, it’s easy to see what makes Speedy and MVP and a high commodity in the pet therapy community.  To learn more about Speedy visit his website SpeedyBoyBoy.com. 

Chopper the Biker Dog

This Boston Terrier may be one of the most hard working canines in show biz.  Best known as the “Chopper the Biker Dog”, this adorable dog makes appearances at all types of social functions riding on his miniature Harley Davidson with leathers, bandana and all.  With a resume longer than that of most humans, Chopper catapulted into stardom after his 2009 Toys for Tot’s motorcycle ride.  Shortly thereafter, he appeared at the annual “Shop with a Cop” event, in which numerous police organizations come together and take over 250 “less fortunate” children shopping for Christmas gifts.  He is also very involved in his community, making appearances at social functions with a goal to give back to San Diego charities and programs in need.  What makes Chopper an MVP is the way he uses his notoriety for a good cause.  His appearances are all volunteer and free or charge, never asking for anything in return, setting out to bring people joy from his heart.  It’s all about making a difference.  To learn more about Chopper visit his website ChopperTheBikerDog.com 

Ballistic Racers Faye and Mochi

These trained acrobatic racing dogs have got to be some of some of the fastest dogs in town.  Having seen them do their racing in action, I challenge any greyhound to race these pooches. Just put a drag strip style light or flag on front of them and I guarantee these dogs will win in a relay race.  Every. Single. Time.  Better known as the Balistic Racers, they play a sport called Flyball that consists of a relay race for dogs that requires speed, agility, and jumping.  Faye a Ballistic Racer standouts has been flyball racing just over a year but has already attained several titles.  She is a 2 year old mixed breed from Second Chance Rescue.  She is known for her extremely quick swimmer’s turn on the box and definitely a crowd pleaser.  Mochi a 7 year old ballistic racer top competitor.  She found her niche in flyball after first trying agility.  Being a mixed breed, joining the team from the San Diego Humane Society, she is known for her light footed box turns and long strides down the flyball course.  Photo by Clark Kranz.  To learn more about the Ballistic Racer visit their website BallisticRacers.com.