We've seen plenty of viral pet videos this week, from a puppy trying to protect his big sister from a nail trim to the moment a cat saw a sunset for the first time.
But our readers have also been sending in pictures and videos of their pets. If you want your pet to be featured in Newsweek's Pet of the Week, follow the instructions at the end of the story to get involved.
Winner
This week's Pet of the Week is the dancing dog Pumpkin, a 2-year-old bichon mix who lives with her owner Diane in Covington, Kentucky.
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Diane told Newsweek: "Pumpkin is a ball of energy and fun. She's always finding new ways to make me laugh, whether it's sneaking up behind me and jumping on my head or playfully hiding under the covers, barking as if I won't find her."
Pumpkin is a huge fan of dancing, too, and loves to boogie to her favorite tunes. Despite her love of dance, she won't get moving to just anything.
"Pumpkin is picky, but she's a Harry Styles superfan, with 'As It Was' and 'Late Night Talking' being her favorites. However, she made it very clear that she's not into the Bee Gees—she literally covered her ears," her owner said.
Above all, Diane said, Pumpkin is so much more than just a pet: "Pumpkin isn't just a dog—she's my best friend. She fills my life with so much love and joy."
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Finalists
Among this week's finalists is a group of five dogs—Nate, Twister, Bruce, Kujo, and Gina—who live with owner Frank Marchese in Milwaukee.
Nate, the leader of the pack, is an 8-year-old shepherd and husky mix. Twister is a 6-year-old Siberian husky. Bruce and Kujo are 2-year-old shepherd-husky siblings. And Gina is their 4-year-old German shepherd mother, whom Marchese's nephew originally adopted as a puppy.
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"They all have different personalities and are very different," Marchese told Newsweek. "There is a story about every one of them that keeps me busy. Every day is different dealing with them."
Next up this week is Gucci Mane, a long-haired Maine coon mix who lives with owner Liberty Bishop in Washington.
Gucci was adopted by his owner from the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service, where he had been for eight months. He was underweight and suffering from scabs and hair loss. Still, Liberty saw his potential and was determined to adopt him from the shelter.
Bishop recalled the moment she thought Gucci almost slipped through her hands. "While I was poking him through the bars of his cage, I overheard two friends deciding between cats—and one of their choices was him," she told Newsweek.
After rushing to the desk to adopt Gucci, she realized why the other visitors were there. They wanted to sponsor an adoption, covering the fee for a cat in need.
"I felt pretty bad about how I had snaked them to be first in line, so I told them they should sponsor a different cat because I was taking that one with me," Bishop said, but they insisted and covered Gucci's adoption.
Gucci Mane, named after the famous rapper, now has a second chance at life with his new owner.
Last but not least this week is Dribbles, a male pug who lives with owner Ella Luttmer in California.
"He gets his name 'cause when he drinks his water, he dribbles water all over the house," Luttmer told Newsweek. But his quirky behavior adds to his charm, as his owner shared pictures of him enjoying the California heat.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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