Pooch Playoffs 2026: 16 Dogs, $2,100 Raised, and One Story I’ll Never Forget

It’s National Dog Day, so it seemed like the perfect time to go back to one of my favorite things I did this spring:Pooch Playoffs.

If you missed it, picture March Madness, but instead of basketball teams, we had dogs.

Pooch Playoffs has been happening for several years, with photographers around the country and even internationally hosting their own competitions to raise money for causes they care about.

This year, I decided to bring Pooch Playoffs to our community here in Gilbert, Arizona.

And somehow that turned into16 dogs, two very full days of photographing, a week of voting, and $2,100 raised for the Dogtopia Foundation.

16 Dogs. One Bracket. A Lot of Personality.

The best part about photographing dogs is that absolutely nothing goes exactly according to plan.

There was Hercules, our sweet giant who pretty much did whatever Hercules wanted to do.

Tink and Tucker came in full of energy and absolutely nailed it.

And then there were the dogs who had zero interest in whatever plans we humans had for them.

Honestly, those moments are part of what I love most about dog photography.

Dogs don’t care about my plan. They bring their own personalities with them, and my job is to capturethat.

The goofy expressions. The stubborn moments. The excitement. The calm. And all those little things their people know and love about them.

That was really the heart of Pooch Playoffs.

Each of these 16 dogs was completely different, and that made every session fun in its own way.

Then There Was Bosco

Bosco made it all the way through the bracket and into the championship round against Kyros.

On the final day of voting,Bosco won the entire 2026 Pooch Playoffs competition.

And then, that same night, he unexpectedly passed away.

That one is still hard to put into words.

What had started as this really fun, slightly crazy dog competition suddenly became something much bigger.

Bosco’s family now has a piece of wall art of their boy hanging in their home, and I keep coming back to that.

If the only thing that had come from Pooch Playoffs was giving them that portrait of Bosco, it would have been worth every bit of it.

Because sometimes a photograph is simply something you love.

And sometimes, without any warning, it becomes something you are incredibly grateful to have.

That is such a big part of why I believe so strongly in creating photographs that don’t just live on a phone or computer, but become something you can actually see, enjoy, and hold onto.

Pooch Playoffs Had a Bigger Purpose

Of course, Pooch Playoffs wasn’t only about adorable dogs and a little friendly competition.

The event supported theDogtopia Foundation, which helps fund service dogs for veterans and autistic adults.

Every dog who entered, every person who voted, everyone who shared the competition, and everyone who followed along helped turn a fun community event into something that could make a difference for someone else.

By the end of our first Gilbert Pooch Playoffs, we had raised$2,100 for the Dogtopia Foundation.

Sixteen dogs.

Two days of portrait sessions.

Weeks of voting.

One very deserving champion.

And$2,100 raised for a cause I was proud to support.

For something I had never done before, I’d say that was a pretty incredible first year.

What I Learned From Our First Pooch Playoffs

I learned a LOT.

Some things I would absolutely do again, and some things I’ll change for next year.

For 2027, I’d like to start photographing and promoting earlier so everyone has more time to meet the dogs and follow along.

I’d also love to keep more of the voting within our local community. That ended up being one of my favorite parts of the whole experience.

And one idea I’m especially excited about is hopefully putting together anart show featuring all 16 dogs.

Because as fun as the bracket is, I want every dog involved to have their moment.

Pooch Playoffs 2027 Applications Are Open

So yes, on National Dog Day, I’m already thinking about Pooch Playoffs 2027.

There will once again be only16 dogs, and applications are now open.

If you’re in Gilbert or the surrounding East Valley and have a dog with a big personality, a goofy face, a great story, or simply one you love more than you can put into words, I’d love to hear about them.

Your dog might just be one of our next Pooch Playoffs competitors.

And today, give your dog an extra treat from me.

Because they’re never with us long enough.

~ Andria

Huge shoutout to our sponsors! We truly could not have made Pooch Playoffs happen without you.