Spokane Pomeranian in running for Seattle Seahawks’ ‘12th Dog’

As Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch dove over a pile of defenders, scoring the first touchdown in what would be a rout of division rival San Francisco, superfan Lacy had other concerns.

Chief among them was the rawhide-and-chicken treat between her paws.

The 10-year-old Pomeranian from Spokane is vying to be named the Seahawks’ “12th Dog” in an online portrait contest held by a Seattle retailer that will benefit the Western Washington animal shelter PAWS. The winner, decided by votes, will receive two tickets to a future Seahawks home game, hotel and dining accommodations, and a limousine ride to CenturyLink Field.

Lacy’s owner, Gerry Bozarth, said he hasn’t been to a Seahawks game since the late 1980s, when the team played in the AFC West and held court in the Kingdome. His entry, which features Lacy in the foreground and a Seahawks window decal in the background, is just for fun, he said.

“I was just sitting there watching TV, and I liked the way she was staring off into the distance,” Bozarth said.

On game days, Bozarth outfits Lacy in a cheerleader outfit, her fur pluming around her neck. He’s shared photos of Lacy on social media, hoping the Seahawks accounts might pick it up and the image would go viral. But he hasn’t had success so far.

“It’s just like when people put on a jersey,” he said of the cheerleader outfit ritual. “It’s just something fun to do when you’re watching the games.”

This is the first time Simply Seattle, the retailer sponsoring the contest, has held a “12th Dog” competition, said a spokesman, Jamie Munson. So far, the company has received entries from people living along the West Coast, including California and Las Vegas, he said. Others have sent in photos from New York and New Jersey.

“We decided two things that Washington loves – animals and the Seahawks – we could just marry them in a really fun contest,” Munson said.

Bozarth said part of the motivation for his entry was the charitable donation required from all contestants. Pet owners wishing to enter their animal in the “12th Dog” competition must make a minimum $5 donation to the PAWS organization in Lynnwood, Washington.

A Spokane County employee in the Emergency Management Services department, Bozarth said his family supports local animal rescue efforts, including Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service.

Voting will continue until Dec. 18, the Friday before the Cleveland Browns come to Seattle. There’s only one home game after that for the Seahawks during the regular season, a Dec. 27 matchup with the St. Louis Rams.

Munson said the winner would likely have their pick of those two games, or a home game in the 2016 season.

The Bozarths keep their Seahawks pride on display. The TV in their living room sits next to a newspaper pullout of Seattle’s schedule and a Seahawks poster draped with team-inspired beads from New Orleans, a present from Gerry Bozarth to his wife.

With so many Seahawks fans, Lacy has some stiff competition for “12th Dog.” The contest is releasing weekly updates of vote tallies, and so far, Lacy’s been unable to crack the top 40.

Many of the contestants play off nicknames from the team, including a trio of dogs named “Legion of Poo” and a hound dog named “Petite Caroll.” A small black pooch named “Rainey the Running Back” was the leading vote-getter at last check.

Gerry Bozarth knows Lacy has a long way to go to compete for top dog. His pick for the winner? A bulldog.

“That darn bulldog,” Bozarth said. “It’s hard to beat a bulldog. They’ve got great personalities.”