Vogue has named the winner of the Dogue Cover Star 2026 contest. Elegant Italian Greyhound Sir Spud beat thousands of rivals and earned his own digital cover. Judges assessed not only the photo, but also personality and natural “dogueness”.
How the Dogue Cover Star 2026 Contest Worked
Vogue invited dog owners from around the world to enter the cover contest for a special edition of Dogue for the second time. Entries came in through the Vogue app. Owners had until August 4 to submit their best shots of their pets.
The previous edition attracted more than 56 thousand photos. This time there were also thousands. The judges selected 25 finalists, and then chose one winner in a conference room. The criteria were clear:
- photo composition – 50%
- the dog’s personality visible in the photograph – 25%
- “dogueness”, that elusive doggy flair – 25%
Sir Spud won thanks to a perfect pose and a gaze that combined calm with curiosity.
Who Is Sir Spud, the Dogue 2026 Winner
Sir Spud is an Italian Greyhound. He lives with his carer Amina in a bilingual household, where English and French are spoken. He got his name from Catholic nuns. His family did not want to change it, but added the nickname Sputnik – after the first satellite.
Amina says Sir Spud is very loyal and affectionate. He always wants to be close to people, preferably on their laps. He even sleeps with his front paws crossed – exactly as in the winning photo. It is his natural pose.
He also has both “human” and “doggy” traits. He loves chasing cats, rabbits and squirrels. At the same time, he can pull treats out of bags and backpacks like a professional pickpocket. He jumps twice his own height, which often ends with food disappearing from the countertop.
If he could speak in a film, Amina would choose the voice of Ian McKellen. His favourite food? Dry food mixed with wet food and pieces of meat. Occasionally a cashew nut. His least favourite is… dry food.
What Else Is Inside This Year’s Dogue
The contest is only part of a bigger project. The 2026 Dogue edition also features celebrities’ dogs. Among them:
- Sansa – Bad Bunny’s beagle, who ate spaghetti at a table in the style of “Lady and the Tramp”
- Winnie – Millie Bobby Brown’s miniature poodle
- Lena Dunham’s hairless dogs
- other stars of the four-legged fashion world
Vogue shows that dogs have become full participants in popular culture. They not only accompany celebrities – they themselves become the stars of photo shoots, interviews and covers.
