dotCANTON.com

Gunny's smile says it all as he keeps his Leaps & Bones gift basket within reach Sunday. Photos: dotCANTON

Gunny enjoys a little peanut butter ice cream courtesy of Leaps & Bones' Franny Toro.

Gunny, Canton’s new Top Dog, was at the Shoppes at Farmington Valley on Sunday, July 10, to pick up Tag #1 and a basket of goodies prepared especially for him by Leaps & Bones.

An 11-year-old American bulldog, Gunny lives on Mohawk Drive with three “brothers” — Barcley and Barnaby, also American bulldogs, and Zeus, a German shepherd — and one “sister,” Honey Girl, another German shepherd. Gunny is the oldest of the group.

Gunny, who brought along his mom, Susan Foster, and grandma, Janet Foster, accidentally knocked down a display shortly after his arrival at Leaps & Bones, but he settled down and seemed to enjoy the attention, posing patiently for photographers.

He also clearly enjoyed the cup of peanut butter ice cream that Leaps & Bones supervisor Franny Toro provided when it looked like Gunny might be getting a little warm amid all the excitement.

While she was there, Susan Foster picked up some K-9 knollis (peanut butter and cream cheese) to go along with the cheesy bacon and peanut butter biscuits that had been included in the Leaps & Bones gift basket along with a new collar and some fun-looking bully sticks for Gunny (and perhaps his siblings) to chew on.

Gunny won the title of Canton’s Top Dog in a drawing on Wednesday, July 6, at town hall. Gunny and 655 other dogs in town had been licensed in time to be eligible for the drawing. Gunny will wear Tag #1 for a year.

– dotCANTON

All dog licenses in town need to be renewed by June 30. Licenses are issued throughout the year, as state law requires the licensing of all dogs when they reach the age of 6 months.

In order to save money on postage and materials, reminder postcards were not mailed this year to owners of currently licensed dogs.

Licenses can be obtained at the town clerk’s office at town hall or by mail with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Canton Town Clerk, P.O. Box 168, Collinsville, CT 06022

A rabies certificate is required to license your dog. Click here for a Dog Licensing Form. The fee is $19 for an unaltered dog or $8 for a spayed/neutered dog with a certificate of proof. For additional information, call the town clerk’s office at 860-693-7870.

All dogs whose licenses are renewed by June 30 will be entered in a special drawing to determine Canton’s top dog for the next 12 months. The winning entrant (picked at random on July 6) will receive tag #1 (see photo above).

Canton's top dog will wear this tag for a year.

It’s licensing time for dogs, and all canines whose licenses are renewed by June 30 will be entered in a special drawing to determine who will wear Canton Tag #1 for the coming year. That drawing will be held on July 6.

Every dog must be licensed when it becomes 6 months old. Dog licenses are issued throughout the year, but renewals of current licenses take place during the months of May and June.

In an effort to save money on postage and materials, reminder postcards will not be mailed this year to the owners of all currently licensed dogs. Licenses can be obtained at the town clerk’s office or by mail with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Canton Town Clerk, P.O. Box 168, Collinsville, CT 06022. A rabies certificate is required to license your dog.

Click here for a Dog Licensing Form. The fee is $19 for an unaltered dog or $8 for a spayed/neutered dog with a certificate of proof. A $75 fine will be imposed by the animal control officer on unlicensed dogs in accordance with the state law.