The best-known feature of the DWAA is the annual writing contest, which encourages excellence in writing about dogs in all aspects of communication. The competition is open to all writers, photographers, editors, and publishers — with no distinction between amateurs and professionals.
And now for the finalists and winners in the Regular and Special Categories. All winners are highlighted in blue italic. For those categories in which there was a tie, both winners are highlighted. Congratulations to everyone!
A. Newspaper Articles and Columns
1. ARTICLE – HEALTH OR GENERAL CARE
“My Dog Needed Advanced Cancer Treatment The Price Tag Stunned me” by Kim Kavin
“Suspect Cataracts? Don’t wait” by Eileen Fatcheric
“The Looming Concern about Copper in Dog Food” by Eileen Fatcheric
“The Double Merle Gene” by Joanne Anderson
“Two Total Hip Replacements” by Joanne Anderson
2. ARTICLE – BEHAVIOR OR TRAINING
“The Over-The-Top Excitable Dog” by Eileen Fatcheric
3. ARTICLE – RESCUE
“The Dumping of Pandemic Pets” by Raj Tawney
“Daisy’s Valentine Miracle” by Joanne Anderson
“Raising Funds for Pet Rescue Efforts in Ukraine” by Joanne Anderson
4. ARTICLE – ART OR ANY OTHER TOPIC
“The Last Hope Project – High School Art Show at Starbucks” by Joanne Anderson
“Tribute to Mary Bloom” by Joanne Anderson
B. MAGAZINES
5. SINGLE, RELATED OR ALL-BREED
AKC Gazette by Bud Boccone
Whippet Review Magazine by Bo Bengston
The Lassie Factor by Ace Mask
April/May issue of Dogster Magazine by Laurie Katims
AKC Family Dog (Jan/Feb 2022) by Mara Bovsun
6. ANNUAL, SPECIAL INTEREST or ANY OTHER SUBJECT
Chronicle of the Dog Summer 2021 by Devon Hubbard Sorlie & Chris Guzicki
Chronicle of the Dog by Devon Hubbard Sorlie & Chris Guzicki
C. MAGAZINE ARTICLES
7. ARTICLE – HEALTH OR GENERAL CARE
“Will the Rattlesnake Vaccine Protect My Dog?” by CJ Puotinen
“A short life, A big purpose” by Bridget Greene
“Why a Pet Microchip Can Save Your Dog’s Life” by Mary Schwager
“You Can Manage Diabetes” by Debra Eldredge
“Back on Track” by Jeff Grognet
8. ARTICLE – BEHAVOR OR TRAINING
“Displacement Behaviors Can Be Subtle but Significant” by Melissa Hatfield
“Talking Sports: They Smell a Rat” by Lindsey Dobruck
“Curious about Curiosity” by Melissa Hatfield
“Using Food to Engage Your Dog” Arden Moore
“How to Help an Aggressive or Reactive Dog” by Rachel Brix
9. ARTICLE – RESCUE
“Whale of a Dog” by Jodi Helmer
“Shorty Rossie to the Rescue” by Rachel Phelps
“Hope Found Me” by Christy Doherty
“Saving Detainees & Dogs, One Life at a Time” by Pat Miller
“Dog Lovers Unite for Pets in Ukraine” by Laurie Katims
10. ARTICLE – BREED
“Battle Buddies” by Jen Reeder
“First in Our Hearts” by Jen Reeder
“Striking Gold” by Debra Lampert-Rudman
“Wrinkles in Time” by Elaine Gewirtz
“The Right Puff” by Lindsey Dobruck
11. ARTICLE/COLUMN – ART OR ANY OTHER TOPIC
“A Comet to a Candle” by Sarah Montague
“Dogs Who Go the Distance” by Elaine Gewirtz
“Lawsuit Woes: What to do if You Find Yourself in Litigation” by Melissa Hatfield
“Does Fido Need a Lawyer” by Mary Schwager
“Beauty & the Beach” by Jen Reeder
D. CANINE OR ALL-ANIMAL NEWSPAPERS OR NEWSLETTERS
12. CANINE OR ALL-ANIMAL NEWSPAPERS OR NEWSLETTERS
AKC Canine Partners News by Penny Leigh
Dog Watch Newsletter by Cynthia Foley & Debra Eldredge
E. CANINE OR ALL-ANIMAL NEWSPAPERS OR NEWSLETTERS ARTICLES
13. ARTICLE – ANY TOPIC
“Elbow Lameness” by Debra Eldredge
“Let’s Stay Safe This Summer” by Eileen Fatcheric
“Vestibular Syndrome Symptoms” by Debra Eldredge
F. Online
14. BLOGSITE
Dorothy Wills-Raftery-Five Sibes Blog & K9 Epilepsy Resource Library
Jenise Carl – Happy-Go-Doodle
15. WEBSITE
Lauren Katims – Dogster.com
AJ Arapovic – Showsight Magazine.com
Teoti Anderson – A Dog’s Best Friend.com
Dawn Secord – A Dog Bling.com
16. ONLINE MAGAZINE
No entries
17. ONLINE NEWSLETTER
No entries
G. ONLINE ARTICLES OR BLOG ENTRIES
18. ONLINE ARTICLE OR BLOG ENTRY – HEALTH OR GENERAL CARE
“Escape from Icy Waters” by Deborah Fazenbaker
“Beware” by Suzanne Smith
“Feel Like It’s a Day at the Spa” by Jenise Carl
“The Best Flea Treatment for Cats & Dogs” Kaitlyn Wells
“Guide to Rawhide Chews for Dogs & the Latest Alternatives” by Rachel Phelps
19. ONLINE ARTICLE OR BLOG ENTRY – BEHAVIOR OR TRAINING
“Dog to Dog Greetings: Your Dog Doesn’t Need to Say Hi” by Sassafras Lowrey
“How to train a Doberman Pinscher Puppy” by Yasmine S Ali
“Do Therapy Animals Enjoy Their Work?” by Rise VanFleet
“Pasco County K-9s See Increase in Demand Following Laundrie Case” by Miranda Grace
“How do I Teach My Dog to Put His Nose in My Hands” by Kate Basedow
20. ONLINE ARTICLE OR BLOG ENTRY – RESCUE
“After Heartbreaking Abuse, Boone the Therapy Dog Wins Top Title at American Humane Hero Dog Awards” by Jessica Comstock
“My Greatest Risk (& Biggest Reward); Why Rescuing My Dog was the Best Decision I Ever Made”by Jodi Helmer
“German shepherd Saves Owner’s Life during a Stroke Just Months After Adoption” by Jen Reeder
“Shelter Dog Spots Girl having Anxiety Attack & Rushes to Help” by Mary Schwager
“Adopting a Dog During the Pandemic” by Raj Tawney
21. ONLINE ARTICLE OR BLOG ENTRY – ANY OTHER TOPIC
“Comfort Dogs Build a Bridge to Healing from Uvalde to Sandy Hook” by Courtney Campbell
“Woman with Dementia Rescued After 3 Days Thanks to Loyal Lab’s Barks” by Jen Reeder
“A Heart Dog’s Origin Story” by Bryn Souza
“Easy Tips for Eco-Friendly Dog Training” by Maggie Marton
“Dogs: Our Unsung Heroes” by Cori Solomon
H. GRAPHICS
22. SINGLE PHOTO
“Boxer Lincoln” by Naomi Gibbs
“Apache The Unadoptable Dog Turned Cover Dog“ by Ryan Brix
“Labrador Retriever Flynn” by Elizabeth Arellano
“Effie” by Barbara Magera
“ISCA Memo Cover 10-2021” by Dawn Secord
23. SERIES OF PHOTOS
“Boarding Enrichment Series” by Ryan Brix
“Photographing Your Cavalier” by Barbara Magera
“Enrichment Series” by Ryan Brix
24. SINGLE ILLUSTRATION OR PAINTING
“Heatstroke in Dogs” by Ann Hohenhaus
“Scottish Deerhound” by Sandy Bergstrom
“No Ghoulish Green Monsters Here” (cover) by Dawn Secord
“Irish Setter Club of America Memo” Cover by Dawn Secord
“Garden of Love: A Dog & Love Alphabet Party” by Debra Lampert-Rudman
25. SERIES OF ILLUSTRATIONS OR PAINTINGS
“Doggie Language: A Dog Lover’s Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend” by Lili Chin
“Garden of Love: A Dog & Flower Alphabet Party” by Debra Lampert-Rudman
“No Ghoulish Green Monsters Here” (illustrations) by Dawn Secord
26. POSTERS, CALENDARS, BROCHURES OR PAMPHLETS
“Lazyriver 2022 Calendar” by Susan Norrie
“Please Keep Us Cool” (poster) by Dorothy Wills-Raftery
I. HUMOR, POETRY, SHORT FICTION, ESSAYS/EDITORIALS
27. HUMOR
“How to Have a Successful Real Estate Open House withThreeBasenjis in Residence” by Marcia Woodard
“A Little Dog’ll Do Ya” by Chelle Martin
“Basenjis in My Dating Profile” by Marcia Woodard
“Vincent Van Dog” by Elizabeth Jarrell
“Badminster Dog Show on SNL: How We’d Help the Troubled Dogs in This Hilarious Skit” by Austin Cannon
28. POETRY
“Canine Social Media” by Catherine Lawton
“Tomato Girl” by Debra Lampert-Rudman
29. ESSAYS SHORT FICTION
“A Day in the Life of Puppies” by Barbara Magera
30. EDITORIALS
“Passages: Chollie’s Story” by Miranda Carney
“Ban Puppy Mill Stores” by Joanne Anderson
“Please Don’t Write Off Shelter Dogs Because of Major Biden” by Jen Reeder
“Why do Dogs Win Our Hearts” by Martha Everett
“Living Large” by Tiffany Butler
J. OTHER MEDIA
31. VIDEO, DVD OR TV BROADCASTS
“Multimodal Management of Arthritis” by Chris Zink
“How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth” by Kaitlyn Wells & H Boone
“Picking a Puppy-4 Steps to Evaluate Puppy Structure” by Chris Zink
“Notes from the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center ER” by Carly Fox
”Remembering 9-11” by Dennis Sprung
32. PODCAST
“Down & Back: Stories from the AKC Archives” by Melissa Olund & Bud Boccone
“Pet Emergencies with AMC’s Dr. Anne Marie Zollo” by Ann Hohenhaus
“Dog Training DisrUPted, UPWARD Dogology” by Billie Groom
“Ring-Ready LIVE!” by AJ Arapovic
“Bobby Bones Salutes Service Dog” by Arden Moore
33. RADIO OR OTHER AUDIO
“American Veterinarians Volunteer at Ukrainian Borders” by Arden Moore
“The Corgi Song” by Monty Drover
“ Meet Cooper: Big Dog on Campus” by Arden Moore
K. CLUB PUBLICATIONS (NATIONAL, REGIONAL OR LOCAL)
34. MAGAZINE FORMAT
“The Courier” by Susan Myrick
35. NEWSLETTER FORMAT
“Dawg Scoop” by Jo Unbehaun
L. CLUB PUBLICATION
36. ARTICLE – ANY TOPIC
“Your Cirnechi & Their Smile” by Debra Eldredge
“Best Friends” by Brynn McGuire
“ Cynosport – Bound; Running An Atypical Dog with Optimism, Patience & Love” by Cheyenne Lord
37. REGULAR COLUMN OR SERIES REGULAR COLUMN OR SERIES
“The Great Chase: Sealyhams In Service: Therapy Dogs; Sealyham Temperament: Genetics or Environment” by Bev Thompson
“Walking Your Cavalier Part II” by Barbara Magera
“Recollections: History Unfolding, An Interview with Maryanne B. Murray” by Maryanne Murray
“Planning Ahead” by June Greig
M. CLUB SPECIAL PUBLICATION
38. CLUB SPECIAL PUBLICATION
“2021 DPCA Year in Review” by Susan Hurrell
“2020 DPCA Year in Review” by Susan Hurrell
N. BOOKS
39. SINGLE, RELATED OR ALL-BREED
Extraordinary Old Dogs by Laura Greaves
Dogs of the Decade by Deborah Thompson
40. RESCUE OR ADOPTION
Returned by Amy Victoria Gilvary
I Am Dexter by Steve Walter Pollinger and Dr. Dru Pollinger
41. TRAINING OR SPORTS
A Dog Show Companion by Leila Grandemange
The Original Rocket Recall by Lisa Lyle Waggoner
Chew This Journal by Sassafras Lowery
Positive Herding 101 by Barb Buchmayer & Sally Adam
Component Training for TD & TDU by Ed Presnall
42. BEHAVIOR, HEALTH OR GENERAL CARE
Doggie Language by Lili Chin
Proactive Pet Parenting: Anticipating Pet Health Problems Before They Happen by Lowell Ackerman
Canine Enrichment for the Real World Workbook by Allie Bender & Emily Strong
PUPPY SOCIALIZATION: WHAT IT IS & HOW TO DO IT by Eileen Anderson & Marge Rogers
Discovering Your Dog by Chris Zink
44. REFERENCE
Beware of Dog: How Media Portrays the Aggressive Canine by Melissa Crawley
45. FICTION, ADULT OR HUMOR
The Hiding Place by Paula Munier
The Wedding Plot by Paula Munier
An Embarrassment of Itches by M.K. Dean
Smoke Screen by Karen Harbert
46. CHILDREN – PICTURE BOOKS (UP TO AGE 3YO)
Dog Daycare by Kathryn Kazoleas
Garden of Love: A Dog & Flower Alphabet Party by Debra Lampert-Rudman
Ill-Served by Susan Kroupa
Switched by Bruce Hale
Dog Park by Kathryn Kazoleas
47. CHILDREN – EARLY READERS (AGES 4 TO 8YO)
Rats in the White House by Judith Ann Tabler
Bella & Blue: Bella Meets Blue by Berrie Torgan-Randall
Twas the Night Before Christmas: A First for Gus by Sherry Roberts
Tucker Finds His Forever Home by Beth Cherryholmes Miller
A Dog’s Best Friend: A Sesame Street Guide to Caring for Your Dog by Megan Ciskowski
48. CHILDREN – YOUNG READERS (AGES 9 TO 12YO)
Dog Daycare by Kathryn Kazoleas
Garden of Love: A Dog & Flower Alphabet Party by Debra Lampert-Rudman
Ill-Served by Susan Kroupa
Switched by Bruce Hale
Dog Park by Kathryn Kazoleas
49. CHILDREN – YOUNG ADULT (AGES 13 TO 18YO)
Color Me Canine (Terrier) by Sandy Bergstrom Mesmer
DWAA 2022 Contest Special Award Winners
AKC CLUB PUBLICATION EXCELLENCE AWARD
“Mitral Valve Disease in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels” by Barbara Magera
AKC REUNITE MICROCHIP AWARENESS AWARD
“How A Microchip Helped Rescue A Tibetan Mastiff with Breeder 1800 Miles Away” by Elaine Gewirtz
AKC RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD
“Puppy Obedience Training: Tips for A Successful Approach” by Amy Shojai
AKC FAMILY DOG AWARD
“Tucker Finds His Forever Home” by Beth Cherryholmes Miller
THE CANINE SCRIBBLES AWARD
“How to Help Clients Reduce the Stress of A Finding A Puppy & End Up With the Dog of Their Dreams” by Debra Eldredge
THE CAPTAIN WILLIAM LEWIS JUDY AWARD
“Down & Back: From the AKC Archives” by Melissa Olund & Bud Boccone
THE DOGSTER HEALTH & WELLNESS AWARD
“Can Dogs Eat Bones?” by Paula Fitzsimmons
THE MANETTE BEGIN-LOUDON MEMORIAL AWARD
“Guide to How to Train A Pit Bull & Why It Is So Important” by Rachel Brix
FEAR FREE DOG ENRICHMENT AWARD
“Call Bravo K911” by Penny Leigh
THE GREY MUZZLE AWARD
“Passages: Chollie’s Story” by Miranda Grace Carney
THE HARRISON STEPHENS INSPIRATIONAL FEATURE AWARD
“A Malinois in a Wiener Dog Suit” by Mara Bovsun
JAMES COLASANTI, JR POETRY AWARD
“Tomato Girl” by Debra Lampert-Rudman
DWAA JUNIOR WRITER AWARD
“Growing Up Corgi” by Theodore Bernstein
THE RIO AWARD
Kenzo: A Love Story by Debby McMullen
THE SLEEPYPOD PET SAFETY AWARD
“Why a Pet Microchip Can Save Your Dog’s Life” by Mary Schwager
UPWARD DOGOLOGY THE ‘OUTDOOR ADVENTURE’ AWARD
“Beauty & the Beach” by Jen Reeder
THE PSI PROFESSIONAL PET CARE AWARD
“Dogsitter Check List” by CJ Puotinen
THE WALTER B FLETCHER MEMORIAL AWARD
“A First for Bloodhounds” by Kim Campbell Thornton
DOGWISE BEST BOOK AWARD
“Rats in the White House” by Judith Ann Tabler
DWAA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
Joel Gavriele-Gold, PhD