A team of petMD judges will determine the top 10 finalists based on composition, originality, relevance, photo quality, and merit. Participants will enter by explaining why their dog deserves the award and include a photo of their dog in action. In addition, contestants will tell the judges how many hours of work the dog does each week and any awards or honors the dog has received.

At the end of the contest, the winning pet will receive over $1,000 in prizes, slated to include a $750 PetFoodDirect.com gift certificate, a PawGanics gift basket, a Chuckit! ball launcher and tennis ball pack, a Gnawin' Forever chew toy and refill, a Cardio Canine hands free dog leash, and a year's supply of NaturVet all-in-one powder supplement. Nine other finalists will also get prizes from the sponsors of the contest.

Nicolas Chereque, petMD founder, shared, “In addition to providing pet parents easy access to pet health information, petMD is also committed to raising awareness of preventive pet care and the role exercise and nutrition play in a pet's life. We launched this contest to underscore the importance of fitness and to highlight those dogs that lead healthy, active lives."

Voting will be open to the Facebook community for a two-week period of time once the judges post the top 10 finalists. The dog that gets the most votes during the two-week period of time will be named America’s Fittest Dog.

The website petMD focuses on the health and well-being of pets. Touted as the world’s “largest global source of pet health information,” petMD is a part of a global network of veterinary professionals. Their content was created by veterinarians for consumers and vets. petMD is a subsidiary of the Pet360 brand family that includes PetFoodDirect.com and NationalPetPharmacy.com.

For more information about petMD, visit www.petmd.com.

Interested parties wanting to take part in the contest may log on facebook.com/petMD.