Kids and Paws — Furever Love Photo Contest
Purchases help fund Comparative Oncology Research and Cancer Treatment Grants for Working Dogs


There are no more heartfelt images than those which showcase the bond between kids and animals. W.C. Fields once said, “Never work with children or animals." That's because these special souls will upstage and outshine all that surrounds them. And, what better way to celebrate the bond between kids and dogs than with a photo contest that will benefit not only the winning participants but also a worthy charity dedicated to helping our four-legged friends?

In this contest, every $1 donated in a particular dog's name will award that entry 1 vote. With such a small amount, we are hoping you will be able to get all your family and friends to support your entry. After reaching at least 800 votes (though we'd love to get many more) among our entries, the top 6 vote-getters will share in a fabulous $700+ prize package. It costs nothing to enter, so please provide your most adorable photos. They can incorporate any breed dog and any aged youngster (babies to teens), so featuring a bond between the two.

A wonderful 45 entries were received with 855 total votes cast. The top winners are below but be sure to click here to see all our fabulous entries!

 



 



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Our Contest Winners!
 

1st Place: "Keller and Golden Tally (Goldiva's Tangled Up In Blue CGC) are the world's best playmates. All they need is a simple stick to have a blast as long as they're together." Photographer Laura Jill Simmons.
 

 

2nd Place: "Our Rescue Golden, Sydney, 6 years young, and our granddaughter Kiersten. Love at first sight. We got her from Golden Rescue in June 2008. She was afraid of people, never looked directly at anyone, drooled, and never played. Now look at Sydney! She has a new wonderful life." Photographer Lysee Kierstein.
 

 

3rd Place: "Five year old Jack, loves dogs so much he dressed up as one for Halloween and posed with his Golden Retriever buddy Jester before heading out to trick-or-treat." Photographer  Cindy Ostergaard-Hughes.
 

 

4th Place: "Camden and Goldens Indiana and Dakota (left to right) looking out window. Was that a squirrel? Indiana has the dark coat, Dakota has the light coat." Photographer  Jennifer Rinker.
 

 

5th Place: "Our granddaughter, Mercedez, and Golden Aine gazing out at the world." Photographer  Felice Haggerty.
 

 

6th Place: "Everyone is enjoying the bubbles. There are Goldens Ridley, Kelly, and Morgan (left to right). Sarah is in charge of making bubbles while Emily is embracing her fur pals and just loving it all." Photographer  Diana Stark.
 

 

Click here to see all our fabulous entries!

 

Contest Rules

 1. Submissions must be ones in which you are the photographer. For those under age 18, an adult must submit the entry. Dogs depicted need not be your own. Please obtain permission for publication from those persons depicted in your photos.
 2. There is no limit to the number of photos that may be entered. However, one entry form MUST be completed for each photo submitted.
3. Photos must incorporate a dog of any breed with one or more youngsters (ages 0 to 18), so demonstrating their bond.
4. Photo images should be large in size and have good focus. We do reserve the right to refuse any entry that does not meet these criteria, or is of poor quality.
5. We reserve the right to utilize any submitted image on the Land of PureGold Foundation site. The copyright, however, will remain with the photographer.
6. The top 6 vote-getters will be awarded with prizes. All prize winners must receive a minimum of 15 votes.
 7.

The Land of PureGold Foundation reserves the right to modify these rules without providing prior notification.
 

Entry Submission

Be sure to provide the following information with your photo jpg file as incomplete entries cannot be processed. Then, click here to email your photo & complete entry material.
  • Brief Photo Description (including dog and child's first name)
  • Pictured Dog's Name and Breed
  • First and Last Name
  • Complete Mailing Address
  • Contact Phone Number
  • Contact Email Address

$700+ Contest Prize Package

 

Stephen Huneck Toy Chest (1st Place vote-getter)
We got our hands on only a few of these Stephen Huneck home gems but knew it would make a wonderful grand prize. Fun and functional, this cleverly cute toy chest provides ample room for all your dog's treasures. The amusing scene features a pair of dogs playing tug of war with the laces of a shoe amid bones, balls, teddies and socks.

Reproduced from the hand-carved original by Stephen Huneck, it features a hand-painted resin relief on the front panel. Brightly colored wood construction with hinged lid, it measures 18.75" high x 13" deep x 27.5" wide. Assembly is required, but we are told it is not a difficult job at all. Click on the toy chest on the right to see a glorious supersized image.

We are also including a Set of 10 Fine Linen Art Cards & Fun Stickers and Tell Bell Training System, as shown below. Total Value: $366 (incl. shipping).
 

Oliver's Paw Pal: The Next Generation in Nail Grooming (2nd Place vote-getter)
Peter F. Baekkelund, Oliver's Paw Pal inventor, has graciously donated one of his marvelous units for our contest. We have used ours for many years now and just cannot imagine life without it. Think about grooming your dog's nails without  all of the Blood, Sweat and Tears! A guillotine nail clipper, named after an execution device, is typically sold with styptic powder to stop bleeding. And, the nail grinders that are available for pets are merely rotary power tools—originally designed for industrial applications—not living, feeling beings.

Long nails reduce traction, forcing dogs to walk on the backs of their feet and splaying the toes; dogs then walking on 'spikes' instead of gripping surfaces with their pads
Untrimmed nails can result in an uneven gait — which leads to posture and joint problems
Painful nail splits can run into nail bed, possibly cause infection

Easy to use, the Paw Pal naturally mimics the action of a dog's walking on rough surfaces to painlessly wear down his or her nails. There is a smooth finish without need for buffing or filing, and nails are shaped just above the quick, with accuracy. There are no more marks on your skin or costly hardwood floors, and you additionally save on grooming costs! Click here to learn more about this incredible product. Value: $102 (incl. shipping).
 

Half-Gallon Gift Tin filled with 100% Organic Honey Healing Hearts Treats & Tell Bell Training System (3rd Place vote-getter)
This gorgeous Golden Retriever puppy and kitten Gift Tin is one we have had for years, and it still remains one of our most favorites. It even looks as the day we received it. The handle makes the tin so wonderful to transport. It keeps your special treats accessible for you yet just as importantly, inaccessible to your furry kids. And, the tin is filled with incredible treats.

There are absolutely no dog treats available today that can compare to these. Initially developed several years ago for a Golden who was very, very sick with inflammatory bowel disease and pancreatitis, it was a miracle that she lived through her ordeal. These were actually the only treats that she could have. Click on the tin on the right to see a glorious supersized image.

No other dog treat out there has 100% organic and kosher certified ingredients. No treat out there has Active 15+ Manuka Healing Honey. No other treat has been specially formulated to be totally soothing and non allergen-provoking. Not only are our ingredients exemplary, but the companies providing these wonderful items are also beyond reproach.

The ingredients to these heart-shaped wonders are: organic milled whole oat flour, organic apples, organic whole rolled oats, organic oat bran, organic Active 15+ Manuka Healing Honey, organic Saigon cinnamon (5% oil content), and organic ginger. All of our organic whole oat ingredients come from USA based Grain Millers, the world's largest supplier of conventional non-GMO and Certified Organic oats and North America's premier oat milling and specialty whole grain company. And, our organic apples come from the orchards on the shores of the Great Lakes.


The Tell Bell is a specialized dog training device that permits a dog to “tell” his owner when he needs to go outside to the restroom (potty)! This is so much better than guessing, cleaning up accidents, having marked doors from scratching or having a dog bark. Mary Oakes, President and Founder of Kelston Products, LLC spent over two years developing and testing the product.

The Tell Bell was born out of necessity. Following years of pleading from their children, Mary and her husband, Merrill, finally agreed to add a dog to their household. Mary had read and knew people who had used hanging bells to potty train their dogs, and decided to use bells. Additionally, it has been recommended for years by professional dog trainers.

But Mary did not want the bells hanging on the door knob; they were not attractive, the bells would ring every time the door was used, and the dog would mark the door trying to ring the bells. She went to several large pet stores and found nothing, so Mary decided to get a call bell. The problem was that the plunger at the top of the bell was not large enough, resulting in their dog missing the plunger. In addition, the call bell needed to have a smaller radius, so it could sit out of the way by the door. Mary’s husband redistributed the weight and made a larger plunger using thick plastic. In just a few days their dog was ringing the bell.

Mary knew other dog owners could benefit and love the product. While juggling her duties as mom and wife, Mary managed to come up with the design, test and re-test Tell Bell and now her product is patent pending. It took Mary over two years, which she says “it took more time than I thought to design and manufacture Tell Bell and to perfect the methodology.” Now she has dog trainers recommending Tell Bell TM because owners are more successful with the device that is only heard when the dog needs to go outside to potty, and the easy to follow steps reinforce what trainers are stating. Mary refuses to take all the credit, because her children and husband have been instrumental in assisting her.

The product comes in a package containing 2 Tell Bells (an extra one for traveling or a large home), 1 step-by-step positive reinforcement instructional DVD, and 1 training manual. Tell Bell is the total package with a device and methodology. It doesn’t have any electronic features so it is safe. People, who have tried it love it more than hanging bells on the door, because it is attractive, comes with a complete dog training manual; including how to train your dog to wait by the bell when you can’t come immediately. Also, it is only heard when a dog needs to go outside. Value for both prizes: $88 (incl. shipping).


Set of 10 Fine Linen Art Cards & Fun Stickers and Tell Bell Training System (4th to 6th Place vote-getters)
These are oversized 5¼" x 7¼" quality classic ivory linen cards at a hefty 80-pound weight with matching 70-pound linen envelopes. Our lovely art collections of pure Golden whimsy feature original illustrations by the talented artists, Paulina Stuckey-Cassidy, of the Restless Moon Gallery, Anna Moore, and Suzi Beber, founder of the Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund. Paulina's images display an innocence that draws one into her magical brew of whimsy. And Anna Moore's angel is our favorite, joyfully featuring an engaging puppy smile. So unique, these vivid cards can be used for every occasion, in happy times and in sad, for they truly express the joy that only our special Golden souls can convey.

In February 2004, we had the luck to photograph this chubby litter of three 5½-week-old puppies. And, along with their sweet message, we believe they are even that much more irresistible. The actual size for these bright Photo Gloss oval stickers is  4" wide x 1 6/16 high. Value: $66 each (incl. shipping).

 

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