Labrador Bear wins YuMOVE's 'Wildlife Photographer of the Rear' contest with beach-digging photo

Mixed · 2A photo of a four-year-old labrador named Bear, digging on a sandy beach with his rear end in the air, won the top prize in a tongue-in-cheek 'wildlife' photography contest. 1 2 Mixed · 2The Mirror names the photographer as Annie Meeks, Bear's owner; the Express does not name them. 2 1 Mixed · 2Pet supplement brand YuMOVE set up the Wildlife Photographer of the 'Rear' Award to promote dogs' digestive health. 1 2

Mixed · 2Hundreds of owners sent in photos of their pets in their 'natural habitats' across five categories, from The Wild to Urban Dweller. 1 2 Mixed · 2Spaniels Scout and Fly took second place, pictured head down sniffing across fields, and a whippet named Pippa, off the lead on a sunny day, came third. 1 2 Mixed · 2The award coincided with the launch of the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, and the winning pictures were shown on digital screens outside the museum in South Kensington, London, on Monday 12 October, before touring parts of London. 1 2

Mixed · 2Dr Fran Blake, YuMOVE's veterinary technical manager, said the contest was meant to celebrate owners' devotion to their dogs and start a conversation about digestive health, adding that 'a happy rear end starts on the inside'. 1 2 Mixed · 2According to YuMOVE, one in three dogs experience digestive discomfort at least once a month. Its vets advise a consistent diet and mealtimes, switching food gradually over about a week, counting treats in daily intake, regular exercise, and speaking to a vet if appetite, energy or toilet habits change. 1 2