It’s no secret Bozeman loves its dogs. Ask almost any pet owner, and they’ll likely tell you their pup is the cutest in town. Now, a local competition is putting that claim to the test — all while giving back to the community.
The first-ever “Mutt Madness” dog competition, organized by Howdy Bozeman, has narrowed down dozens of entries to just two finalists: Hazel and Magnolia. The bracket-style contest aims to crown Bozeman’s cutest dog while raising money for Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter.
“I thought when we first started this, we would get maybe 20, 30 people entering it,” said Sam Howdy, who runs the Howdy Bozeman social media platform. “We announced it, got it live and entries kept coming in.”
Sam said his platform focuses on connecting the community through local events, arts and small businesses — and Mutt Madness quickly gained traction.
“It doesn't matter if you’ve been here a day or lived here your whole life, I just want to make something that celebrates how special this town is,” he said.
The competition grew so quickly that entries had to be capped at 128 dogs to create a balanced bracket. From there, community voting took off, with some residents even turning it into a daily routine.
Beyond the friendly competition, the event also supports a local cause.
“In total with Mutt Madness year one we raised 1,400 dollars for Heart of the Valley,” Sam said.
Now, the contest heads into its final round, featuring two dogs with very different stories.
Hazel, a 9-month-old Newfoundland, is described by her owner as a gentle giant with a resilient past.
“There was a neglectful breeder situation, and they had 30 Newfoundland's that had to be rehomed,” said owner Jessica Daley.
Daley said she’s proud — and a bit surprised — to see Hazel make it this far.
“It’s fun! I did not expect her to get quite this far! But yeah, she's happy, I am happy,” she said.
Her competitor, Magnolia, is an 18-month-old therapy dog in training, working to support local firefighters by helping them decompress after difficult calls.
“How important therapy dogs are to first-responders and how it can help them decompress,” her owner Donna said.
Despite the competitive title, the final matchup remains lighthearted.
“They are both puppies so it’s a perfect match!”Donna said as the dogs played together.
Voting for the winner opens Friday morning on Howdy Bozeman’s Instagram story, with the winner set to be announced Saturday.
The celebration will continue that day at the Gallatin Regional Dog Park, where dog owners and community members are invited to attend a party featuring free “pup cups”for attending dogs.
“We want to throw a big party so we are going to be bringing a ton of whipped cream and having free pup cups for every dog that comes!” Sam said.
To vote and more information on the party:https://www.instagram.com/howdybozeman/
