The Dog Photographer of the Year awards are a gift from heaven for dog lovers. Each year, the Kennel Club awards three winners in 10 categories, and each one will tug on your heartstrings.

Continue on for 17 of the best dog photos for 2019 and visit the link below for the rest of the winners.

Overall Winner

Merlin is a 14-year-old rescue pup living in Switzerland. He may be deaf, but he can still stop and smell the flowers.

Photography: Denise Czichocki

Runner-Up | Oldies Category

Bailee is a Labrador retriever. Don’t let her grey face fool you, she’s still young at heart.

Photography: Cat Race

Winner | Rescue Dogs Charity Category

The winner of this category gets to donate £500 to a charity of their choice. Winner Anne Geier chose to donate to an Austrian rescue shelter in honor of her rescue pup, featured in the photo.

Photography: Anne Geier

Winner | Assistance Dogs Charity Category

Lilly works at a retirement home and is pictured here with an older lady with depression and dementia.

Photography: Angelika Elendt

Second Place Winner | Puppies Category

This father-son moment has a heartbreaking story behind it. Photographer Carlos Aliperti noted in his submission that Toddy, the older dog, was poisoned under unspecified circumstances.

Photography: Carlos Aliperti

Second Place Winner | Young Photographer Category

On a hot summer’s day, 17-year-old Luca Gombos snapped a picture of his dog Lia while they took a midday nap.

Photography: Luca Gombos

Second Place Honors | Man's Best Friend Category

Aptly named White Cheesecake, this mammoth dog peacefully poses with his owner.

Photography: Alexandra Novitskaya

Second Place Winner | Rescue Dogs Charity Category

These curious fellows were once abandoned near a kennel. All three have since been adopted.

Photography: Tianhang Zhang

Winner | Puppies Category

Puppy twins Macy and Vino share a kiss.

Photography: Monica van der Maden

Second Place Winner | Assistance Dogs and Dog Charities

Bosco the therapy dog helps lower the stress level in any room.

Photography: Tracy Allard

Winner | Man’s Best Friend

On a warm summer’s day, photographer Cat Race witnessed a special moment unfolding between Annie-May and her pup Inka.

Photography: Cat Race

Winner | Dogs at Play Category

Appropriately named “Dirty Dog,” this photographer wanted to capture something more realistic than a clean dog portrait.

Photography: Monica van der Maden

Winner | Young Photographer Category

Talented 12-year-old Mariah Mobley captured this adorable play session with one of her dogs, Koby.

Photography: Mariah Mobley

Winner | Dogs at Work

These country dogs help their farmer father on the land in the U.K.

Photography: Dorine Scherpel

Second Place Winner | Dogs at Play

Kathleen and her dog Rebel jump rope together.

Photography: Zoltan Kecskes

Winner | Dog Portrait

This ethereal sighthound image is stunning.

Photography: Anastasia Vetkovskaya

Second Place Winner | Dog Portrait

In a magical moment, photographer Ria Putzker captured her friend’s dog looking at her own reflection.

Photography: Ria Putzker