Welcome to Talk’s first annual Top Dog Contest! Each of these super stars is worthy of the hardest working “Top Dog” honors but only one will take home the glory on June 25 - National Take Your Dog to Work Day. Vote for your favorite - you can vote once each day through 6:00 p.m. on Monday, June 21. Thanks to all of our participants and their owners - you are all winners!
MEET ABBEY
Our dog Abbey Holdridge is not only New Hanover County’s “Top Dog”, but North Carolina’s, as well. She’s regal (a kennel owner’s word, not mine, thus aka Queen Abbey), pretty, smart, loyal, takes her responsibilities as a family member seriously (keeps the yard free of squirrels and other intrusive creatures), social, kind and loving, and gracious towards our two cats. Are there any other possible adjectives to describe a dog? She’s getting up there in years. We don’t really know how old she is, because we got her from the pound, where she was taken after found wandering on Shipyard Blvd, without a collar. She was such a special dog that the pound people couldn’t bear to put her down, even though her time was long past due. She was meant to be a member of our family. -Submitted by Diana Holdridge
MEET CUBBY
This is my Yorkshire Terrier, Cubby. He comes to work with me at Poplar Grove Plantation, every day. He weighs all of four pounds. And I love’m to bits. - Submitted by Jeanne Walker
MEET ENZO
I began fostering Enzo in October of ‘09 and knew within minutes of picking him up that he would not be leaving my home! He had been chained up 24/7 and a neighbor notified the rescue group Tails U Win, who I did fostering for, and the rest is history. He is such a love-pup, coming up and leaning into you for a cuddle. He has never met a stranger. I have three other larger dogs, all females, and he quite comfortably wears the pants in the pack!! Mr. Personality is always up to something. Enzo will throw a toy for himself and fetch it - if he is in the mood to play and no one is outside with him. He loves companionship. -Submitted by Kate Tomaselli
MEET HANNAH
Hannah gets the paper at the end of the driveway each morning and brings it into the house. Hannah is a Certified Therapy Dog, certified thru Carolina Canines, and she visits patients and families of patients at the Cape Fear Hospice Center. -Submitted by Joe & Nancy Stoner
MEET HUCK (FINN)
In addition to being very active Huck (Finn) exerts himself after a nap by draping himself over the sofa. He also walks from the couch to the office which has another couch upon which he rests. -Submitted by Kenneth Hall Epple
MEET (ACTION) JACKSON
It is my honor and joy to nominate (Action) Jackson, our Shih Tzu, for the Talk, Inc. Top Dog Contest. My business, Bec and Call, is in the business of providing a variety of services to and usually within other local businesses so Jackson really gets around! The majority of my clients not only welcome Jackson, they almost insist. If I ever show up without him the first words out of their mouths are “where’s Jackson?” Jackson is pretty laid back for a small dog and my clients (and their customers if it’s a retail establishment) get a lot of joy out of petting, scratching on and hugging Jack. I don’t think I have to tell you how much he enjoys it in return.
I feel very blessed to have him to share my days and even more blessed that my work allows me the opportunity to share with other Take Your Dog to Work type of businesses and people. -Submitted byRebecca V. Powell
MEET JAGER
Jager has been going to work with me for almost 9 years. I am a massage therapist and he is a such a Zen pup. He greets clients who know him at the door with a wag and if he really, really likes them he prances up and down the hallway. I don’t bring him in for a new client’s first visit because not everyone likes dogs. I feel sorry for them. He has a pillow in the back of my room where he sleeps during the session and he gets up and leaves with me when it is over. If for some reason he doesn’t come into the office with me, everyone wants to know why he isn’t there. Some days I think they would rather see him than me. But I don’t mind. It is such a joy to have him with me that on days when he doesn’t come, the car and the room seem very, very empty. -Submitted by Katrina Moncrief
MEET LEIA
My name is Leia. Actually, that’s Sweet Leia Landshark. My mom named me that after I landsharked a whole roasted chicken when her back was turned. Those were the days. Now, she keeps a better eye on me. As you can see from my name, I’m also sweet and I’m a princess - like Princess Leia. (My brother, Luke, passed away last year). It’s TOUGH work being a princess. People think it’s a breeze with servants managing everything, but seriously ruling a kingdom takes a lot of energy. You have to be constantly on guard lest someone try to upset the balance of power or take advantage of my kind nature. As Princess, I keep watch over my court, ensure the day’s schedule stays on track (meal times are particularly important), and give love to those who serve me well each day.Thank you for honoring us with the Top Dog contest. Even as a princess, it feels good to hear how awesome I am. -Submitted by Tracy Tuten
MEET LUCKY
I adopted “Trooper”, whom I later renamed “Lucky“ at the New Hanover County Animal Shelter on January 18, 2008. In my mind’s eye, I could picture my future dog: a medium-sized black lab girl. Looking at the dogs, I didn’t see my black lab but was reminded of how important it was for the dog to pick me (black lab or not). I was drawn to the one dog that seemingly paid me no attention, unlike the other dogs. He was listed as a St. Bernard/Collie mix and was definitely not my black lab girl. I took him out to test our rapport and that was it: he had picked me. We both knew. Lucky taught me a very important lesson the very first day I met him: that sometimes you don’t know that what you are looking for is not what you really want or need…and being open to that is the trick. So, I renamed him “Lucky” for the “lucky fin” in Finding Nemo.
My life has changed in that he has taught me about a higher level of responsibility and generosity. I enjoy taking care of him, of making sure is comfortable and happy, and letting him share everything that I have. I love Lucky very much. I love taking him for walks and taking him on vacation with me. I love sharing my life with him and want him to be happy. This is why Lucky should be the “Top Dog”. -Submitted by Danielle Wallace
MEET LUNA
Luna deserves the “Top Dog” title because she is such a great example of her breed (Pit Bull). She is super sweet and great with kids. I wish I could bring her to work with me everyday, but I can’t! She always brings a smile to everyone’s face - and is more than willing to give out puppy kisses. Luna love to catch frisbees and run around the backyard with her two sisters, Sadie and Mollie. She is known to all our friends as a serial snuggler - just one big love bug!!! -Submitted by Tanya Szulak
MEET MICAH
Micah deserves the hardest working dog honors because he is a vital part of Kenny Barnes’ Studio. As the top dog, he considers it a privilege to enthusiastically greet anyone who comes to the studio. He makes clients feel loved and welcomed. Micah comes to work every day with a great attitude. He’s never in a bad mood. He smiles all the time. When it comes to being a team player, he is very encouraging to the other people who get to work with him at the studio. Along with the fun and friendly side of Micah, there is the serious, business side as well. Many days, he is not available to see the clients because he has very important business issues that he has to attend to in his “office.” On these days, he stays in his office and lays really still so he can think clearly. It may look like he is asleep, but he’s not! Micah assures us that he thinks better with his eyes closed.
Just to further prove that Micah should win the Top Dog honors, this portrait shows that he stands behind the work of the studio by having his own portrait done by his daddy, Kenny Barnes. He is such a dedicated little guys! -Submitted by Kenny Barnes
MEET REBEKAH
This is Rebekah at work in her dad’s accounting office. Rebekah was 9 weeks old on this work day. She is now 9 months old and preparing to take her Canine Good Citizen test so she can become a Certified Therapy Dog with her sisters, Hannah and Sara. -Submitted by Joe & Nancy Stoner
MEET RORY
I am nominating Rory for top dog because not only is he the most friendly shop dog, he is an all round caring guy. When his Uncle Finn lost the use of his hind legs, Rory would coax him along on his daily walks, and helping to keep his best friend mobile. He is a champ! -Submitted by Mary Holst
MEET SPARKY
Sparky works tirelessly day and night to make our lives safe, happier and more efficient. His “title” of “house pet” is quite simple, but he willingly accepts many tasks without whimpering or complaining. He excels in being a team player, but also works well independently. His many jobs include the following:
- Physical trainer - Without Sparky, we would not regularly exercise. He walks with us everyday, multiple times, and we always walk further than we planned, because of his exuberance and love of the outdoors.
- Kitchen Assistant - He is always willing to clean all plates before they go into the dishwasher.
- Entertainer - Sparky always keeps us in stitches with his tricks, good disposition and his enthusiasm.
- Therapist - He always puts a smile on our faces, no matter what kind of day we have.
- Greeter - He greets our guests at the door with great excitement. Everyone feels welcome.
- Security Advisor - He alerts us to any out-of-the ordinary noise in or outside of the house.
- Military Intern - He will “leave no man behind”. While walking, he will always wait for the last person to catch up, and he will not enter the house until everyone is home.
- Communication Facilitator - Our family is always contacting each other, day or night, to talk about “Sparkisms”, such as:
- Sparky not eating his breakfast when it was placed in the bathroom - he is normally fed in the kitchen. He sat perfectly still and stared at me, as if to say “I am not eating in the bathroom”, so naturally, the food was moved and he ate.
- Sparky running to the refrigerator if he hears someone getting string cheese out of the drawer. He can be fast asleep or playing ball - nothing keeps him from the cheese.
- Sparky closing drawers, when you tell him to “push”.
- Sparky jumping up to drink water from the bathroom faucet, after I brush my teeth.
Sparky is definitely the “Top Dog” because, not only is he a hard worker, but he is a big, fuzzy 60 pound sweet heart. His only goal in life is to make everyone happy - what a task that would be for most humans. -Submitted by Amy Sanders
MEET STORM
I’d like to nominate my dog Storm, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois. He doesn’t know I’m doing this and he would be mad at me if he found out, so don’t tell him. As a K-9 member of the all-volunteer Brunswick Search and Rescue, Storm trains almost every weekend of the year - and sometimes more often - to be ready to work with law enforcement officials if needed. He’s certified to search for missing people in the wilderness by following their scent through the air. He also is certified to find human remains, either on land or in the water. And he does all this for no greater reward than a handful of kibble or the joy of fetching a stick. Yes, Storm is “my dog,” but he also is my partner as we train, travel and work throughout southeastern North Carolina. When we’re at home, he likes nothing better than to play fetch with his Kong toy or curl up in the living room while I relax. Thanks or the opportunity to recognize Storm’s hard work and dedication. -Submitted by Jim Ware
MEET WRIGLEY
Wrigley is the hard working Sales Manager for Glynne’s Soaps. As Sales Manager, Wrigley’s responsibilities include but are not limited to drawing a crowd to the Glynne’s Soaps booth at the Carolina Beach Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning; acting as a model for the Glynne’s Soaps dog soap advertisements; and being the tester for new dog soaps ideas. Wrigley is a frequent blogger on Glynne’s Soaps blog and he is a twitter hound @wrigleysoapguru. His presence lowers blood pressures and his goofy personality is sure to bring a laugh to the entire office.
While Wrigley is a hard working dog, he is also a dog who knows how to cut loose and have fun. He loves playing fetch on his breaks (or anytime) and is into taking classes and participating in agility and rally. You can read about his adventures on his personal blog Agility Spot. -Submitted by D Gayle Tabor
How to Vote:
On the left side of our Blog page is the Top Dog Voting Poll. Please read all candidates and select the bubble next to the name of who you think is Greater Wilmington’s Top Dog. Then click Vote at the bottom of the voting poll.
Thank You for participating in Talk Inc Greater Wilmington Top Dog Contest!
Micah, a six year-old Shih-tzu owned by Kenny and Elizabeth Barnes of Wilmington, took “Top Dog” honors at Talk, Inc.’s first annual Top Dog Contest in celebration of today’s Take Your Dog to Work Day. The online contest was launched on Friday, June 18 with 16 entries ranging from couch potatoes to service dogs and secured more than 2,100 votes until the polls were closed on Monday, June 21 at 6:00 p.m.
