It's a dog's life: Winning images from the Kennel Club's Dog Photographer of the Year competition

The Kennel Club has announced the winners of its annual Dog Photographer of the Year competition.

Now in its fourteenth year, the international competition received almost 7,000 entries from over 70 different countries around the globe, including Brazil, Canada, USA, China, Russia, Australia and New Zealand.

Denise Czichocki from Switzerland has been chosen as the overall winner of the competition with “Dreaming Merlin”, which sees Merlin, the 14-year-old rescue Podengo, sat amongst a magnolia setting, which was also placed first in the ‘Oldies’ category.

After finding out she had won the world’s largest canine photography competition, Denise said: “I am really proud and overwhelmed, I still can’t believe it! There are so many good photographers out there and I won this title, it is absolutely amazing.

“I have always loved to take pictures of everything, and my passion for dog photography started when I had my own, I wanted to create lovely memories of all of them. Over the years I have developed my photography to become more emotional.”

The Kennel Club’s Dog Photographer of the Year competition comprises ten categories: Portrait, Man’s Best Friend, Dogs At Play, Dogs At Work, Puppy, Oldies, I Love Dogs Because… (for entrants aged between 12 and 17 years old), Young Pup Photographer (for entrants aged 11 and under), Assistance Dogs and Rescue Dogs.

The overall winner will receive an original oil painting of their image by award-winning artist Sara Abbott, and all of the winning images plus the photos that placed second and third for each category will be on display at the Kennel Club in London from 5th July until 3rd October. 

You can see all the finalist images below.