THE VOTES HAVE been counted, and the results are in.

It seemed like an impossible choice. Three wonderful dogs, but only one winner. We asked you, our readers, to choose between Bella, Archie and Kasper… And when all was said and done, Archie came out on top. 

Archie brought home the gold with a whopping 4870 votes, and as the winner of the first edition of our monthly Great Irish Bark Off contest, sponsored by Allianz, Archie and his owners will receive a €30 voucher for pets.ie, as will each month’s winner. 

As a reward for participating in the democratic process, here is a photo of Archie enjoying his favourite pastime — napping on top of his brother, a giant golden retriever named Indiana Jones.

Since we’ve received so many wonderful doggos into our inbox, we feel as though we should share some of the joy. That’s why this month we’re giving an honourable mention to Ozzy, a 2-year-old patterdale terrier mix, whose hobbies include long walks in the country, playing with his squeaky toys and long evening snuggles. You’re welcome.

To take part in next month’s poll and be in with a chance to win a prize for you and your dog, submit a picture of your doggo by emailing competitions@thejournal.ie with the subject line ‘Bark Off’. Be sure to include your dog’s name, age, photo and a description of their personality and hobbies.