Season 1 Registration Open · Round 1 expected Jan 1, 2027
Is your dog America’s Top Pup?
Win $10,000 cash and the cover of Pupupp Magazine. Enter free in about 60 seconds, then rally friends and family. Round 1 is expected to start around Jan 1, 2027.
- No purchase necessary
- Free votes every day
- Helps feed shelter dogs
Season 1 cover
$10,000 prizeCould this be your dog?
America’s Top Pup
- $10,000Grand prize plus the magazine cover
- 100% freeTo enter, vote and win — no purchase necessary
- Fair groupsUp to 80 dogs per group, top dogs advance
- Feeds shelter dogsEvery order funds meals, counted publicly
How it works
Three simple steps to the cover
Thousands of dogs, balanced groups, one champion. Here’s how your pup gets from your camera roll to the $10,000 finale.
Step 1: Enter free
Upload your dog’s best photo and name. We place them in a group and build a shareable voting page instantly.
Step 2: Share and earn votes
Friends and family vote free every day. Invite other dog parents and you both get +10 free bonus votes.
Step 3: Climb every cutline
Advance through Top 20, 15, 10 and the 4-dog Group Finals to reach the National Semifinals and the $10,000 Finale.
Takes about 60 seconds · No credit card
Prizes
What your dog can win
Real prizes at every level — not just for number one.
Grand champion
$10,000
Cash prize plus the cover of Pupupp Magazine and a champion trophy.
Every group winner
Framed canvas + $50 shop credit
Win your group finals and take home a framed portrait of your pup.
Every entrant
A shareable cover card
Your dog gets a personal voting page and a magazine-style card made for sharing.
Season 1 contenders
Meet the Season 1 contenders
Tap any dog to cast a free head-start vote. Round 1 elimination voting is expected to begin around Jan 1, 2027.
Official Season 1 schedule
The road to $10,000
Eight rounds, one champion. Every stage runs automatically — and after each round closes, we pause for a 24-hour vote audit before the next group advances.
Fair-start guarantee
Round 1 voting begins only when both the registration end date has passed and at least 10,000 dogs have entered. Every vote and referral you earn early carries into Round 1.
- 1
RegistrationLive
Enter free and collect head-start votes
Nov 6 → Dec 31
- 2
Group cuts
Top 20 → 15 → 10 → 4 in every group
Jan 1 → Jan 31
- 3
Group finals
One winner per group, plus a wildcard round
Feb 2 → Feb 12
- 4
National semifinals
Group winners face off in mini-groups of 4
Feb 14 → Feb 20
$10,000 finale
One dog is crowned America’s Top Pup
Feb 22 → Feb 28
See the full round-by-round schedule
Swipe to see every round
- 1 Done
Phase 0A: VIP Pre-Registration & Early Access
Lock in your pup’s spot early, generate your cover card & invite friends (+10 Opening Votes each).
Nov 3 → Nov 6
No Elimination — Pre-Load Round 1 Votes
- 2 Live now
Phase 0B: Official Season 1 Registration Period
100% Free Entry. Bracket unlocks Round 1 when Registration closes & 10,000+ Dogs are registered.
Nov 6 → Dec 31
Dual Gate: Date Reached + 10,000 Dogs (No Max Cap)
- 3 Upcoming
Round 1: Group Opening Cut (Top 20 per Group Advance)
Top 20 dogs in each group advance after a 24-hour official vote verification audit.
Jan 1 → Jan 7
Top 20 Advance
+ 24-hour vote audit before the next round
- 4 Upcoming
Round 2: Group Second Cut (Top 15 per Group Advance)
Top 15 dogs in each group advance after a 24-hour official vote verification audit.
Jan 9 → Jan 15
Top 15 Advance
+ 24-hour vote audit before the next round
- 5 Upcoming
Round 3: Group Quarterfinals (Top 10 per Group Advance)
Top 10 dogs in each group advance after a 24-hour official vote verification audit.
Jan 17 → Jan 23
Top 10 Advance
+ 24-hour vote audit before the next round
- 6 Upcoming
Round 4: Group Semifinals (“Groups of 4” Cut — Top 4 Advance)
Top 4 dogs in each group advance after a 24-hour official vote verification audit.
Jan 25 → Jan 31
Top 4 Advance
+ 24-hour vote audit before the next round
- 7 Upcoming
Round 5: Group Finals (4-Dog Cage Match → 1 Group Winner)
The 4 semifinalists in each group compete for the Group Champion title + Framed Canvas & $50 Shop Credit.
Feb 2 → Feb 8
1 Winner Advances
+ 24-hour vote audit before the next round
- 8 Upcoming
Round 6: 72-Hour Wildcard Overtime Round
72-hour flash comeback round for runner-up finalists before the National Semifinals.
Feb 10 → Feb 12
1 Winner Advances
+ 24-hour vote audit before the next round
- 9 Upcoming
Round 7: National Semifinals (Mini-Groups of 4)
Group Winners & Wildcards face off in Mini-Groups of 4 for a ticket to the Grand Finale.
Feb 14 → Feb 20
1 Winner Advances
+ 24-hour vote audit before the next round
- Grand finale
Round 8: The $10,000 Grand Finale
Finalists compete for the $10,000 Cash Grand Prize & the Pupupp Magazine cover!
Feb 22 → Feb 28
1 Winner Advances
+ 24-hour vote audit before the next round
The Pupupp Shop
Gifts that give votes
Custom keepsakes, cozy gear and instant digital portraits. Every order adds bonus votes to the pup you choose and funds shelter-dog meals.
Built to be fair
A contest you can trust
We designed Pupupp so every dog gets a real shot — and so you always know exactly how it works.
Verified votes
Every free vote is verified by email code or Facebook — one vote per dog per person every 24 hours.
Balanced groups
Dogs compete in groups of up to 80, so a new entry is never buried by a giant national pool.
Always a free path
No purchase is ever necessary. Free bonus votes are also available by mail — see the Official Rules.
Public rules + audits
Our Official Rules are public, and each round ends with a 24-hour vote audit before anyone advances.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Can’t find what you need? Email support@pupupp.com and a real person will reply.
Is it really free to enter?
Yes. Entering your dog is free, and every person can cast 1 free vote per dog every 24 hours. Optional shop purchases add bonus votes, and free bonus votes are also available by mail — see the Official Rules. No purchase is ever required to enter, vote, or win.
Who can enter?
Legal residents of the 50 U.S. states and D.C. who are 18 or older can enter a dog and win prizes. Friends and family anywhere in the world (13+) can vote for an eligible dog.
How does my dog win?
Every dog is placed in a group of up to 80 contenders. Once registration closes and the 10,000-dog threshold is reached, weekly cutlines narrow each group (Top 20 → Top 15 → Top 10 → Top 4 → Group Winner). Group winners then meet in the National Semifinals and the $10,000 Grand Finale.
What does the winner get?
The national champion wins $10,000 cash and the cover of Pupupp Magazine. Every group winner also earns a framed canvas portrait and a Pupupp shop credit.
How do friends and family vote?
Share your dog’s personal voting link. Anyone can tap it, verify with an email code or Facebook, and cast a free daily vote — no app and no account needed.
How do bonus votes work?
Digital portrait packs, custom ornaments, mugs, sweatshirts and dog gear each come with bonus votes for the dog of your choice. The exact number of votes is shown on every product before checkout.
How does Pupupp help shelter dogs?
A set number of shelter-dog meals is funded with every order (shown on each product). Our live meal counter only counts meals from real orders.
Your dog deserves the cover.
It’s free, it takes about a minute, and the earlier you enter, the more days of votes you collect.