Order the Canine Idol calendar here!

Canine Idol Calendar

Sometimes, the best ideas are the ones you steal from others, and Canine Idol is no exception. Last spring, we heard about a similar fund-raising calendar in the U.S., and it sounded like it was not just a good thing to do for a worthy cause, but also the kind of project our readers could have a little fun with.

And thus our talent search for 12 pinup calendar dogs – Canine Idol – was launched. We set up a website last August in the ‘dog days of summer,’ and invited readers to post a favourite photo of their dog, with a brief description as to why their pooch should win a spot on the calendar.

We were flooded with entries.

In fact, we knew it was going to be a success on Day 1, when our manager of electronic publishing posted his own two Italian greyhound pups on the site, and tried to get us all to take a look (yeah, yeah, they were cute). Then our receptionist sent a photo upstairs of her pet – still in its frame – to be scanned in.

In the end, more than 1,050 photos were posted and more than 36,000 people cast their votes across the province and beyond. We ended up with a front page full of finalists, and one last round of voting before the 12 lovely and talented canine stars you see before you today were chosen.

Over the month–long run of the contest, the Canine Idol site received more than 814,000 page views, creating an instant community of dog–lovers province–wide. It was such a phenomenon we decided to relaunch the site as an on–line pet forum.

I want to thank you in advance for buying our Canine Idol calendar. It means a lot to us to support The Winnipeg Humane Society, for all the good work they do in this community. As far as we’re concerned, you’re all stars – for being such good sports and playing along in the contest, and for supporting the WHS.

Thank you,

Margo Goodhand, Editor Winnipeg Free Press