Tillie, a Dachshund-Cocker Spaniel mix, captured the hearts of Internet voters to win the Best in Show prize in Dog Show USA, billed as an online dog competition to celebrate the average Fido.
A rescue dog, 1-year-old Tillie was one of eight finalists in the Purina-sponsored contest, taking the top prize as the representative in the mixed-breed group.
She's a joy to have, said owner Julie George from Eagle Rock, Calif. She won my heart she loves to lick faces, and that's what she did, gave me kisses.
The finalists one for each American Kennel Club dog group plus the mixed-breed category were selected by a panel of three judges from 15,000 entries submitted to the dog show website. Online voters then selected their favorites for Best in Show.
Other winners included Mia, a 3-year-old Beagle that won Cutest Dog; Lucy, a 2-year-old Schnoodle that won the Owner Look-Alike contest; and Leroy, a 2-year-old Border Collie who cooked food, set the table and played dinner music on a piano to earn Best Trick.
The winners were announced on the website Jan. 31, and on television Feb. 4. The prizes included a years supply of Purina dog food and a trip to the 2006 National Dog Show in Philadelphia.
Posted: Feb. 6, 2006, 3 p.m. EST