German Shepherd and Cat Who Have ‘Each Other To Annoy’ Win Pet of the Week

This week we’ve seen a vet’s hilarious clapback to people hating on his cat and a dog struggling a little to adjust to the family’s new baby.

We’ve also been putting together our Newsweek Pet of the Week with the help of readers’ hilarious and adorable pet photos and videos.

If you think your pet should be next week’s Pet of the Week, follow the instructions at the end of this story to get involved.

Winner

This week’s winners are Benny and Leo, an unlikely duo that have a dedicated audience online.

Benny is a 3-year-old German shepherd, while Leo is a year-old orange tabby cat. In a recent video, their owner Steve McCoyne captured the moment they argued over who would play with their rope toy.

“Leo is insistent that all of Benny’s toys are his toys. No matter what Benny is playing with, Leo wants it and will stop at nothing to get it,” McCoyne told Newsweek.

The pair are the stars of “The Benny and Leo Show,” a popular YouTube channel capturing their antics. Benny has been Leo’s best friend since Leo was only 8 weeks old, and their bond has grown to be unbreakable.

The video of the pair’s rope-toy argument delighted their fans online, with comments reacting. @LaurieValdez-zk3dy joked “I’m so glad they have each other to annoy,” while viewer @WW-bt3tx said: “Mammal Martial Arts is an underground fight society and we were blessed to see this match.”

Benny, despite his size and strength, often finds himself outmatched by his persistent little “brother,” and in the video, the cat manages to win the fight.

“Despite Benny’s best efforts, he just can’t seem to win against his persistent, little ginger brother,” McCoyne joked.

Finalists

Our first finalist this week is Koshka, an Afghan cat with an incredible story.

He became part of Helene Knott’s family in 2010 after her son rescued him during his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Injured and vulnerable, Koshka was nursed back to health by Knott’s son, who in turn credits the cat with saving his own life during one of his darkest moments overseas.

Knott explained that it was a “long and difficult” process to bring Koshka back to the U.S., but today they are all living happily together.

Our next finalist this week is 4-year-old Chihuahua and Jack Russell mix Poppy.

Her owner Joy told Newsweek: “She’s fairly spoiled but she loves life and meeting new people. She has a dog house, a tipi, many beds and lots of friends.”

As well as being a much loved pet, her charming personality even earned Poppy a spot on the cover of a “Praise My Pet” project.

Last but not least this week is Bubba, a dog who was rescued by owner Edward Venne. Once shy and sick, he is now living his best life.

“When I got him he was cover in fleas, anemic, and so skinny you could see his bones. He was shy and kept his distance,” Venne told Newsweek.

But soon after his adoption, Bubba began to relax, curling up on the couch right behind Venne. Now, Bubba is a vibrant, happy dog who’s come a long way from his tough beginnings. Two years ago, he even became a dad to a litter of eight puppies.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.