Contest Narrows Down Mighty Dog Finalists

Think you know a “mighty” dog when you see one?  Dog lovers are invited to help select the three winners of Purina’s Mighty Dog Nation video contest.

The contest invited dog owners to submit a video depicting their dogs’ acts of mightiness for a chance to win a starring role in “Mighty Dog Nation: The Movie.” The 3- to 5-minute “dogumentary” will chronicle the founding of the Mighty Dog Nation, which formed earlier this year to recognize and celebrate the “everydog,” whose attitude is bigger than his size.

Visitors to the Mighty Dog Nation website can vote for their favorite finalist until July 17. In addition to the online votes, TV personality Maria Menounos will also be judging the finalists’ videos. Menounos is Mighty Dog Nation’s official human ambassador.

The Mighty Dog Nation contest, which kicked off in April, drew hundreds of entries, according to contest organizers. An independent judging panel selected the 10 finalists from all qualified entries based on the following judging criteria: Appropriateness to the “Mighty Dog Nation: The Movie” theme (demonstrates attitude bigger than size); Mightiness of the Moment (clear demonstration of the entry category behaviors); and Star Potential (engaging and entertaining).

The three winners are expected to be announced the week of July 27 on MightyDog.com. In addition to the featured role in the Mighty Dog Nation movie, which is scheduled to debut on MightyDog.com in early 2010, each winner will receive a film premiere party in his or her hometown and a one-year supply of Purina Mighty Dog brand dog food. Winners also will appear in a 30-second film trailer that will air during a commercial break on the “National Dog Show” on NBC on Thanksgiving Day 2009.