Organised by Rover.com, the competition's Scottish leaderboard has gone live with dog-loving pub goers being encouraged to cast their vote to find the perfect pub for pups.
A spokesperson for the competition, which is now in its fourth year, said: "Not only do the awards show appreciation of existing dog-friendly establishments, it also aims to promote dog-friendly values across all pubs nationwide - inspiring dog owners in the UK to discover and visit their local pubs."
Currently topping the table in Scotland is Arrochar's Slanj Loch Lomond, with the The Stables in Kirkintilloch and the Crown Inn in Biggar mounting a serious challenge for the title of Scotland's most dog-friendly pub.
1 Slanj Loch Lomond, Arrochar
2 The Stables, Kirkintilloch
3 The Crown Inn, Biggar
4 The Sorn Inn, Sorn, Mauchline
5 The Red Lion
6 Café Tartine, Edinburgh
=6. Queen Vic
7 The Fly Half, Edinburgh
= 7. The Kirkstyle inn, Dunning, Perth
8 The Four Seasons Hotel, Saint Fillans
Speaking about the awards, Simon Le Grice from Rover said: “This is a critical point in the competition for the nominated pubs. These leaderboards could still dramatically change in the last few weeks of the competition.
“If you can’t see your local on there, or you think it should be at the top of the leaderboard, get voting to help it climb up the table! Every vote counts as right now, it’s anyone’s game.”
To vote for your favourite, visit pubs.rover.com, with Rover donate 25p to the RSPCA, who rescue, rehabilitate and rehome thousands of dogs every year.
Public voting closes on Wednesday 6th November 2019. Winners will be announced Wednesday 20th November 2019.
Lisa Hens, senior scientific officer at the RSPCA, who is one of the judges of the Rover Dog-friendly Pub Awards added: “It’s great to see establishments considering the needs of the dogs that might visit them and the Dog-friendly Pub Awards is a brilliant way to recognise this. It is important to consider the well-being of dogs in a busy, sometimes crowded, environment such as a pub, and to ensure that all their needs are catered for whilst there.
“The key things that stand out for me are pubs having somewhere quiet for dogs to go if they want to chill out, providing separate water bowls for dogs who aren’t comfortable sharing, as well as making it clear on their website that dogs are welcome so owners can plan their visit. These pubs deserve to be celebrated, so don’t forget to vote.”
