From a whimsical series chronicling a dog’s ears from puppy to adult, to breathtaking action shots and deeply emotional portraits, the Dog Photography Awards has announced the winners of its 2025 photo competition celebrating the artistry and humor of canine photographers and the extraordinary diversity of man’s best friend.
Chosen from thousands of entries across 48 countries, including the United States, China, Australia, Italy and Finland, the winning images capture the beauty, resilience and irresistible charm of dogs in all their forms—playful, proud and profoundly loyal.
ForbesCute, Funny, Amazing Dog Photos: 20 Winners Of Dog Photography AwardsBy Cecilia Rodriguez About The Dog Photography AwardsNow in its fifth year, the Dog Photography Awards continues to highlight the beauty and downright goofiness of dogs through five main categories: Portrait, Action, Studio, Dogs & People and Documentary—with a new Open category added for 2025.
Established in 2021, the Dog Photography Awards welcomes submissions from both amateur and professional photographers worldwide, ages 18 and older.
Every year, the photo competition shines a spotlight on the art, storytelling and emotional connection that make dog photography a beloved form of visual art today. Each winning image tells a unique story, from dogs caught mid-air in joyful motion to quiet, soulful moments that reveal the deep bond between humans and their canine companions.
Forbes12 Funny, Cute, Prizewinning Dog Photos To Celebrate ‘Dogust’ And Dogs DayBy Cecilia Rodriguez Overall Winner: International Dog Photographer Of The Year 2025This year’s International Dog Photographer of the Year title went to Australian photographer Belinda Richards, a globally acclaimed pet photographer and educator.
Richards, who has also won the Australian Pet Photographer of the Year for four consecutive years (2022–2025), is praised for “redefining pet portraiture with her signature blend of humor, empathy and high-end artistry,” according to the competition organizers.
“I Am All Ears,” her witty and heartwarming photo series illustrating the growth of a dog through the changes of its ears, is a clever, emotional reminder of how quickly our furry friends grow up.
I Am All Ears, Overall Winner, Studio categoryBelinda Richards, Australia - Dog Photography Awards 2025 Action And Open Category WinnersCatch it!; First Place Action categorySylvain Langler & Rudy Anthoine, France - Dog Photography Awards 2025Rainbow Bridge, 2nd Place, Action categoryHe Huapei, China - Dog Photography Awards 2025Suppertime, First Place, Open categoryKatie Brockman, U.S. - Dog Photography Awards 2025A modern reimagining of The Last Supper, this image is a composite of more than a dozen separate shots. “My goal was to not just pay homage to an iconic piece of art, but to also showcase the unique personalities of all the pets I he been fortunate enough to photograph,” says Kate Brockman.
Dog's Justice, 2nd Place, Open categorySandy van Kruijsdijk, Netherlands - Dog Photography Awards 2025“Dog's Justice” sends the message: They will follow you blindly. They don't judge. Love them and treat them well. They deserve nothing less.
Contrails, 3rd Place, Open categoryBarbara Cesari, Italy - Dog Photography Awards 2025A photographic experiment to portray the vibrant dance of this extraordinary duo, their synergy is so magnetic it draws the space around them into the rhythm of their motion.
Documentary And Portraits OutdoorWatching and Waiting, Winner, Documentary categoryRebecca Williams, New Zealand - Dog Photography Awards 2025A team of sheepdogs, a fox terrier and a German short-haired pointer, wait patiently as their owner does a farm job that doesn't require their help. The quad bike with trailer is a popular mode of transport for teams of working dogs in New Zealand.
Dog Sanctuaries, 2nd Place, Documentary category. Angelica Briones, U.S. - Dog Photography Awards 2025This extraordinary shot captures dogs running down the mountain in Territorio de Zaguates (Land of the Strays) in Costa Rica—with nearly 2,000 dogs, it’s the largest dog sanctuary in the world.
There are some 200 million stray dogs worldwide, living in vastly different conditions. While some are cared for by their communities, most are not as lucky.
Angelica Brioness has visited and documented the work at dog sanctuaries around the world, from Hawaii to Costa Rica to Thailand: “Each place is unique, but all share one goal: to offer dogs safety, dignity, and a chance at a better life.”
The Shape of Stillness, Winner, Portrait Outdoor categoryDenisa Zbranková Albaniová , Czechia - Dog Photography Awards 2025A lone white shepherd dog stands on a pale stone staircase, gazing upward into a dreamlike expanse.
Majestic, 3rd Place, Portrait Outdoor categorySusan Lang, UK - Dog Photography Awards 2025A Lurcher dog freezes in a frieze-like pose in front of a 17th-century doorway.
As ownership of greyhounds was formerly restricted to the aristocracy, commoners faced severe punishment for possessing such dogs. Commoners evaded the restriction by breeding the Lurcher, a cross between a Greyhound and a working breed that was drafted for poaching game.
Dogs & People In Dog Photography AwardsMay the Fur Be With You, Winner, Dogs & People categoryJane Thomson, Canada - Dog Photography Awards 2025Rescued from a hoarding situation in Las Vegas, Petunia now thrives in Eugene, Oregon, as an ambassador for the Luvable Dog Rescue website. She is in training to become a therapy dog, a role well suited to her calm and affectionate nature.
With her striking resemblance to Yoda, this portrait was imagined as both a tribute to her resilience and a playful nod to her otherworldly presence.
Soulmates, 2nd Place, Dogs !& People categoryAlessandro Musicorio, Italy - Dog Photography Awards 2025No need for words. In that quiet closeness, everything is already known. Love, in its purest form, asks for nothing—it simply is.
My Faithful Shadow, 3rd place, Dogs & People categoryTony Hertz, U.S. - Dog Photography Awards 2025"Dogs are like shadows, they follow us everywhere,” says Tony Hertz. So he showcased the relationship with “a shadow selfie with my dog Lolly. Self-portraits are a testimony of our companionship while we seek more awareness in our world."
Honorable Mentions At Dog Photography AwardsA Girl And Her Dog, Honorable Mention, Dogs & People categoryNatalie Genberg, Sweden - Dog Photography Awards 2025"I wanted to create an image that could capture the friendship between humans and dogs and make my daughter look back on the playful, loving friendship she had with our dog,” explains Natalie Genberg about an image that truly reflects the saying ''man's (or in this case, girl’s) best friend''"
La Gare, Honorable Mention, Portrait Outdoor categoryDenisa Zbranková Albaniová, Czechia - Dog Photography Awards 2025Inverted, Honorable Mention, Open CategoryKatie Brockman, U.S.- Dog Photography Awards 2025Under Her Wing, Honorable Mention, Studio categoryNika Kuplenk Golobič, Slovenia - Dog Photography Awards 2025Flying Sigma, Honorable Mention, Action category.Jarosław Wojtecki, Poland - Dog Photography Awards 2025Stripes, Honorable Mention , Studio categoryDaniela Schnabel-Sahm, Germany - Dog Photography Awards 2025The Overall Winner photo and all the category Winners and Honorable Mentions of the Dog Photography Awards 2025 can be seen here.
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