Are you up on the Dogspotting trend?
It’s an online social game that’s run through a Facebook group. As its name suggests, Dogspotting is all about spotting dogs while you’re out and about, taking a pic of the pooch, and then sharing it with the group, which awards points based on a number of factors.
How do I get involved?
First things first, head over to the Dogspotting meet-and-greet area and introduce yourself to the community. Feel free to also show off your dog there and tell them a bit about yourselves.
Next steps
Now you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for unique or quirky-looking dog situations when you’re out running errands. See a dog you think happens to resemble Taylor Swift while grabbing a coffee? Or how about a couple of fancy-looking pups hamming it up against a dramatic sunset? Snap away!
Some things to avoid
When Dogspotting, it’s important to abide by some fundamental rules. First, you cannot cheat the Dogspotting system by posting pictures of your own canine (or even a dog you already know well). It’s just not the sporting thing to do.
Also, don’t steal other people’s photos you’ve found on the Internet.
Oh, and don’t attempt to photograph a service dog at work. That’s not cool. (Police dogs are fair Dogspotting game, though.)
Beware the lure of low-hanging fruit
Pictures taken during the following scenarios are also banned from Dogspotting: At the vet’s office, in a dog park or pet store, at a dog show or other canine-centered event.
Why?
They’re just too easy to snap.
As the official rules state, “There is no challenge in getting a spot in a place you know there will be dogs. Get out in the world and hunt some spots!”
How do I get points?
You’ll want to download a little something called the Dogspotting Scoring Matrix, which lists various scenarios and tells you how many points each photo is worth.
Some choice categories include the Ronin (a dog carrying his own leash for three points), the Wizard Portal (peeping a dog through a hole in a fence or wall for two points), and the Joker, which involves a dog with both eyes closed and her tongue out and awards points on the basis of a dice roll and flipping a coin.
Oh, and if you happen to spot a statue of a Hero Dog (or a dog spotted in the act of performing a heroic deed), you’ll snag a gargantuan 25 points.
Need some inspiration?
Here’s a quick run through of some of the greatest Dogspotting pics of last year. First up, here are two pooches planning a road trip:
Here’s your classic Pom cruising around in a sports car:
Finally, this frisky one speaks for itself …
One last bit of direction from your safety-conscious friends here at Dogster: There are more than a few photos of dogs hanging out of car windows that make us cringe. Skip taking those pics. And if you spot a dog in a hot car, you know what to do. Other than that, head over to the Dogspotting Facebook group to start building up your own points total.
