DOGS big and small have been captured on camera as part of our Love Your Dog competition to find a picture-perfect pooch.

We are happy to announce that our winner was Chewi, a four-year-old German shepherd, owned by Glor Bruce.

Glor said: “Chewi deserves to be the dog of the year because big breeds tend to get a bad press, but Chewi is the most lovable ‘bear’ I have ever met. He is special in his own way.

"When we first saw him, we just fell in love with him.” Chewi won the competition after a panel of judges chose their final two and then came top in a public vote.

Chewi wins a year’s worth of raw dog food, supplied by our competition partner Durham Animal Feeds, based in Ferryhill, County Durham.

Chewi will also feature, along with 11 runner-ups, in Durham Animal Feed’s calender 2021, all pictured here, and all worthy of a place.

The Northern Echo:

Bethany Stokoes’ pack of Staffies and Staffie crosses

The Northern Echo:

Nicole Wilkinson’s puppy Stormy the Cockerpoo

The Northern Echo:

Loki the Siberian Husky, owned by Claire Walton

The Northern Echo:

Winter and Anubis, Standard Poodles sent in by Tina Lawler

The Northern Echo:

Nahla the Doberman, sent in by Katie Steel

The Northern Echo:

Niko a Polish Lowland Sheepdog sent in by Katie Taylor

The Northern Echo:

Walt, the labrador owned by Tori Ross

The Northern Echo:

Paddy the English Springer Spaniel sent in by Lynne Chatterton

The Northern Echo:

Secret the Beagle sent in by Sam Goldberg

The Northern Echo:

Seda, Mica and Stella Australian Shepherd and Shetland sheepdog sent in by Christina Dodds

The Northern Echo:

Spike the wirehaired Fox Terrier sent in by Samantha Osborne