VOTE: Which Is Massachusetts' Top Dog? You Decide

MASSACHUSETTS—In August, we launched our Top Dog In Massachusetts contest. We asked you to tell us about your amazing dog, adding a photo or two, for a chance to win prizes.

We received scores of entries, telling us about many awesome dogs. It was a tough task, but our panel of Patch editors has whittled this list of adorable, fluffy, lovable pets down to 10 finalists.

The first-place winner receives a $300 gift card for Especially for Pets. Second place gets a $125 gift card and third place gets a $75 gift card, also from Especially for Pets, our contest sponsor.

All of these dogs have amazing stories to tell. And they're pretty darned cute. Meet them here and vote below. Voting will continue through Friday, Sept. 28.

LUCY from Everett, formerly Malden

From day one she loved me, even when I couldn't pick my head up off the table to love myself. She is a highly intelligent ball of energy who tells me what she wants when she wants it. Lucy learns tricks fast. From eight weeks, she learned sit, come and stay. She has never gone on the floor, from day one, plus pee pads! She is very obedient. She is super friendly to both dogs and people but she LOVES kids and babies. I am diagnosed with lupus and was very sick, depressed and lonely. I thought I wouldn't be able to be the kind of parent she deserved because it was hard for me to be active and I knew it required just that. I had no idea that getting her would actually cause me to become more active. Now I'm able to walk her around the whole corner, which is phenomenal compared to where I started, which was barely the end of the street. When I cry, she climbs me and showers me with kisses and nuzzles. Getting Lucy was the best decision I've ever made because she challenges me to be better physically today than I was yesterday. - Nubia Love

OTIS from Brockton

This is my guy Otis. He is a bearded collie of the right young age of 6. He catches frisbees from 50+
feet while getting completely airborne. He sings to the song by Brad Paisley “She’s everything." That song is my wife’s ringtone when she calls me and he sing to it each and every time. He opens Christmas/birthday presents, and participates in the egg hunt on Easter opening up each egg gently to ensure the egg and the treat remains in tack. But to be completely honest, that doesn’t make him the top dog. Otis is the top dog because he is the kindest, most lovable animal to my two kids of 4 and 2 years old. And to those two kids, he’s their everything. - Matthew Bernstein M. Ed., Brockton Public Schools, adaptive physical education

DIMPLES from Holliston

Abandoned at one week old, she and her litter mates were found by a rescue organization in Louisiana, and made the long journey to Baypath Humane Society in Hopkinton. We met her at 11 weeks and fell in love. Although she looks a lot like a Dalmatian, her DNA tells us she is: 25 percent Labrador Retriever, 12.5 percent Border Collie, 12.5 percent American Staffordshire Terrier, 12.5 percent Chow Chow, 12.5 percent Bassett Hound and an assorted 25 percent of herder and hunter breeds. At just 35 pounds, she is a truly adorable all-American mutt. You should hear her bray like a Basset Hound! She is now just over a year old, and is lightning fast as she spends her days alternating between protecting us from bunnies, woodchucks, squirrels, and chipmunks, and attempting to herd us when we are outside playing with her. - Kelly Lockwood Primus

REMY from Chelmsford

This is Remy, and 11-year-old Boxer. I think he is the best dog because he is a fighter. He has been battling degenerative myelopathy for close to a year. He has been in his wheelchair for three months. He has almost no feeling in his backend. He works hard everyday keeping up with his exercises and keeping the rest of his body strong. He has taught me so much about strength and determination. He is certainly one of the best things that has happened to me. - Jenn McEwen

COOPER from Natick

Cooper is my best good pup, even when he is being naughty. He’s great with his younger brother (a very active toddler) and is always up for an adventure. His favorite activities include swimming, boat rides, and destroying couches; however, he’s happy as long as he’s with his family. - Kate Stanton

COAL from Salem, formerly Peabody

This is Coal Alexander (obviously, he is royalty; king of our hearts). He is a five-year-old chihuahua mix we got from Northeast Animal Shelter when he was nine months old. It was love at first sight. I have never had a dog of my own before, but after some convincing from my girlfriend, we adopted this little bugger. I have never ever thought I could love something as much as I love this dog. When he needed $5,000 leg surgery, one month after we adopted him, I didn’t even hesitate to find a way to pay for it. This dog is legit my life. I have a bad day, I open the door to see my handsome furson’s face and all is right in the world. His “joker” smile lights up the room. His triple luxe axel twirls in mid air for a piece of cheese cracks everyone up. He is my lil protector of the house flies, my tear sucker upper when I cry, my best friend who listens and gives advice in licks/kisses on the cheek. I will never have a human child, but Coal fills every need and void I ever had with his love and affection. He has forever changed our lives and this is why he is beyond deserving of being the best dog ever! We live in Salem. - Niki and Kristen Currier

GRUBER from Marlborough

This is Gru. He is a two-year old rescue from a home where he was neglected. He’s a smiley cuddlebug who loves everyone and everything he meets. We believe he is such an amazing dog because of the obedience and personality he has despite being left in a cage for 24 hours at a time and not being fed nearly enough (you can see his ribs). From the first day we got him he has been the most loving pup. Gruber would love some new toys to squeak!

BULLWINKLE from Brighton

Bullwinkle, known as “Bully” or “B,” had a hard start to his first six months of life. In an Arkansas home with a man who didn’t take care of him and his brother, Rocky, they were surrendered to a shelter out there. He was pulled from the shelter by a wonderful woman, fostered with her dogs, and shipped to Boston to another wonderful foster home. Fast forward a few months, and I met him at an adoption event on Newbury Street, where he immediately laid on my lap, and it was love at first sight! I’ve had Bullwinkle for almost three years now, and what a gift he has been! A few months ago he tore his ACL and had to have surgery. It’s been a long recovery, but Bully is finally getting back to doing the things he loves- hiking, swimming, running, camping, etc. Such a sweet dog that just loves everyone (even my cat who controls the house!) Pictured first is the day he was pulled from the Arkansas shelter as a puppy, and a picture of him now, living his best life. - Bullwinkle's mom, Meg

TOLIVER from Natick

Toliver is an 11-year-old poodle/Lab/golden rescue who has overcome a traumatic start and is thriving. She was basically feral—and depressed--when I adopted her in 2008, and afraid of everything: human touch, being inside a house, TV, telephone, cars, bicycles, strollers…and especially little children.

On her first night with me, she wouldn’t stop pacing back and forth across my house, so finally I just went to bed. I had set up a nice dog bed in the sunny corner of my office across the hall from my bedroom. When I woke up the next day, I peeked in to check on her. She was not there…and her bed was gone, too! She had dragged it all the way through the house and positioned it in the kitchen next to her water bowl. Right then she earned my utmost respect and admiration. We were officially a team. Toliver is a testament to the power of love, patience and time being powerful healing forces. (The first word that she learned was kiss. I figured “sit” could wait…) Ten years later, she is one happy dog and a poster child for animal rescue and adoption. And a total joy! - Kathryn Doran

MACHETE from Framingham

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved dogs. I always wanted a dog, desperately. And finally, finally in 2012 we brought home the cuddliest, cutest, most perfect corgi puppy and my life has not been the same since. In the best possible way Machete has brought love, laughter, and light into our home and made us a true family. He has taught me so much about myself, about dog training, about enjoying the little things, and life in general. He has been an excellent big “brofur” to our second corgi, Knives — fitting since he started my full descent into corgi madness — and is my constant, most trusted confidant. Machete is an accomplished trick dog, Canine Good Citizen, and certified therapy dog (catch both our corgis at the Ashland Public Library for Read-to-a-Dog every other Monday), he’s an excellent soccer player (he’d make a stellar goalie on any team!), and he’s a very determined and skilled swimmer. Don’t take those little stumps for granted, they are powerful! So much personality in a small, floofy package! I cannot imagine life without four paws and his funny little woofs by my side.- Rae Becerra

Cover photo of Pringles (not in the contest) by Brielle MacDonald