Ready, Set, Action! Dog Photography Awards Celebrates Dogs in Motion
Dogs leaping for frisbees. Jumping for autumn leaves. Splashing through lakes. There’s always something beautiful about watching dogs in motion. Every year, thousands of photographers from around the world compete for the top prize in the Dog Photography Awards. One of the most popular categories is Action, celebrating the joy and energy of dogs at play. Below are the winners and honorable mentions in the Action category from the 2025 Dog Photographer of the Year competition. Ready, set, go!
“Cute puppy Liv is running through the forest. She had so much fun at the shoot.”
“Skylar, the Border Collie, locked in and jumping to grab his frisbee.”
“As I captured this image, one thought struck me: What kind of strength must this dog have to displace that much water with such explosive energy? It was a moment that revealed pure motion, instinct and joy – all in a single frame.”
“Australian labradoodles Lili and Molla had the best time on a frozen lake with their treasure.”
“The boundless joy sparked by a single leaf drifting down on an autumn breeze.”
“A high-speed moment of chaos and beauty—my dog emerging from water, shaking off a storm of droplets that catch the setting sun like shattered glass. A wild gesture made weightless in light.”
“Rosie running through the sparkles in the morning glow.”
“Halsey, a beautiful Belgian Malinois, pursues a frisbee one peaceful evening along the Columbia River.”
“The Sparks litter! A litter of adorable English Shepherds. This photo was taken as a full composite. Each dog/puppy was taken individually and placed together in birth order with their dam on the left and their sire on the right.”
“Shot in an alley during a snowstorm, using available light from the building and an ice light.”
“Oakley gave it his all as he leapt from the dock towards the sunrise. That warm golden light envelops everything and being able to capture a moment that last so fleetingly is a blessing.”
“Cute dachshund puppy Lexie exploring the wonderful world.”
“Solo, the terrier, launching herself over a log in full trajectory.”
“For this shot, I really wanted to capture a dog in motion and just freeze it at the perfect moment. Kestra gave me even more than I wanted! She showed the intensity of a working dog, along with a strong, beautiful pose. This photo is more than I could’ve asked for when I had this idea in mind!”
“When we visited Italy for the first time with my young dog, the water at our last sunset on the beach suddenly turned into almost a perfect mirror. It was so magical that I knew I had to capture it. This is the result—and it turned out exactly as I had imagined.”
“This is a longhaired whipped… or is it? Maybe this is just a cute flying squirrel. I guess, we will never know.”
“Three different sighthounds in full stride, embodying the speed, power, and hunting instinct of true sighthounds.”
“Foggy sunset on a mire in late November.”
Dog Photographer of the Year sees pet photographers from all over the world participating in the annual competition that celebrates the artistry and diversity of dog photography. See this year’s winners in all categories in our article “Photo of Puppy’s Ears Wins Top Prize Among Dog Photographer of the Year Winners“
Find out more about the Dog Photographer Awards at their website: dogphotographyawards.com