The votes are in. Meet the pup crowned as the cutest dog in the Triangle.
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Suzie Mae, a rescued pup from Saving Grace in Wake Forest, won The N&O cutest dog contest.
- Owners report Suzie Mae enjoys hiking, beach visits, play and a vocal happy growl.
- Suzie Mae advances to a national McClatchy poll; voting begins Monday, Nov. 10, 2025.
It’s official. There’s a new top dog claiming the title as the cutest in the Triangle.
After going paw to paw in our pet poll, a winner has been declared in The News & Observer’s cutest dog contest: Suzie Mae from Garner.
Before finding a fur-ever home with her owners, the small pup was rescued from Saving Grace in Wake Forest.
“She was the last sibling left from her litter. We picked her up and she gave each of us kisses which sealed the deal,” her owner, Anissa Gooch, shared in an email with The News & Observer. “She has a one of kind personality. So loving yet so ferocious. She loves to show her teeth playing and she has this one of a kind talk when she is happy or wants your attention. Sounds like a happy long growl howl.” In the words of her owner, Suzie Mae’s favorite things to do are similar to babies — eat, sleep, play and to be with her family.
She also loves to hike and visiting the beach, but not the water.
Fun fact: Suzie Mae even has an Instagram account with over 24,000 followers (@adventuresofsuziemae).
As the winner of The N&O’s cutest dog contest, Suzie Mae will now advance to compete in a national poll that includes winners from fellow McClatchy papers across the U.S.
This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 3:18 PM.