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Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy Photo: Penguin
Is your dog a dead ringer for Hairy Maclary, the scruffy terrier from Donaldson's Dairy? Perhaps it looks more like one of Hairy's mates, like Schnitzel von Krumm (with a very low tum), or Bottomley Potts (all covered in spots)? In that case, you're in luck.
Penguin Random House New Zealand is on the hunt for real-life lookalikes for the canine chums in Lynley Dodd's iconic Hairy Maclary series to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first book.
Becky Innes, director at Penguin Random House New Zealand, told Lisa Owen that countless children have delighted in Hairy Maclary's antics over the years. More than 100,000 copies of the first book, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy, have been sold in New Zealand in the last decade.
Innes said the idea for a dog lookalike contest first came from author Lynley Dodd last year. Dodd originally suggested a real-life contest ("that made my heart quail a little") before they switched to the idea of running an online competition.
"We have a Hairy Maclary Facebook page, and we often have people posting photos of their similar-looking dogs there, so we knew that people would love to do this."
Photo: Lynley Dodd / Penguin Books New Zealand
The lookalike search is open to all dogs who resemble - even if it's just in the minds of their owners - Hairy and his mates. Innes said a panel would judge the dogs on personality as well as looks.
"Lynley is an absolute passionate dog lover, and I know that she's going to really enjoy looking at them as well, so she'll be on the panel. In the end, I feel that she will probably have the say on what matters most."
Dodd's books also include other members of the animal world, but the contest will not include a search for his greatest nemesis, Scarface Claw.
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"Hairy Maclary is a dog and his dog friends are who we want to be looking at cute photos of," Innes said.
"Many of us are cat people. We don't want to discriminate against the cats, perhaps in the future to celebrate Slinky Malinky or Scarface Claw's anniversary we'll do a cat lookalike competition. But this is just for the dogs."
Winners will receive a pack of books, including a 40th anniversary edition of the original book, and a print of the dog their pet most resembles, signed by Dodd. The competition closes 5 July.