FOUR legs, fur and a happy, wagging tail - who needs a better best friend?
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August 26 marks International Dog Day and a time to celebrate everything we love about our canine mates.
The Port News asked for photos of your pups and you delivered - hundreds of them! Here's a gallery of some of the best.
Top dogs of the Hastings
Port Macquarie-Hastings is home to some of the region's top dogs ... literally.
Did you know we have Instagram famous pooches, prison-trained hounds, comfort canines and koala sniffing doggie detectives working in our patch?
Here are some of the stories you may have missed about our dogs with jobs.
Frankie the Labradoodle - Insta influencer
Frankie the Labradoodle of Port Macquarie is listed as a "public figure" on Instagram and has amassed more than 67,000 followers worldwide.
The four-legged influencer share some of their favourite spots around Port Macquarie showcasing their beachside home to the rest of the world.
Frankie and crew - including Finn, Floyd, Poppy and Bam - don't mind the occasional themed dress up day either with Christmas, Halloween, birthdays an opportunity for the gang to have a bit of fun.
Since logging in online, Frankie has become friends with another lovable pooch in San Francisco called Ozzie, and other social media friends all over the world who tune in to see what she has been up to.
You can follow Frankie and crew on Instagram at: @frankiethelabradoodle
Read more: Frankie's antics take the world by storm
Duke - on prison patrol
One of Port Macquarie Animal Shelter's longest serving residents was been given a new lease on life after being accepted into a prison rehabilitation program.
Duke joined the Port Macquarie Animal Shelter on May 1 after a member of the public found him in Wauchope.
After attempting to find Duke a home for a number of weeks, the shelter reached out to pet rescue contacts to help.
"The Wodonga Dog Rescue in Victoria work with a prison down there and run a rehabilitation program for dogs and inmates to work together and Duke happened to be the perfect fit for their program," shelter spokesperson Emmalee said.
The 12 week prison program involves inmates training the dogs during one on one sessions.
"It's beneficial for inmates because they learn how to train dogs and will see the progress they make with the animal, while the dogs also learn from the experience and will get some love and be able to socialise," Emmalee said.
During the program Duke will be up for adoption and at the end of the 12 weeks he will hopefully find his forever home.
Taylor - the koala tracker
Taylor, the four-year-old English Springer Spaniel, is not your average house pet.
She had the vital job of tracking injured koalas after the Black Summer bushfires swept across the Hastings and Mid-North Coast.
The smart-sniffing canine worked with the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital and NSW Rural Fire Service guided by Port Macquarie detection dog trainer Ryan Tate.
English Springer Spaniels like Taylor take their instincts from being traditionally used as a gun dog for flushing out and retrieving game animals.
Taylor is decked out in special protective gear on the job including her own work vest, radio and her favourite reward treat, a tennis ball.
Koala detection dogs are trained to prioritise fresh droppings, fur and urine during a 30 to 45 minute shift. Taylor is one of five dogs able to track koalas, quolls, feral cats and rabbits.
Molly - the master maker of friends
Labrador Molly has a nose for companionship as she visits residents at Emmaus aged care in Port Macquarie.
The young canine is a welcome, and sometimes tear-inducing sight, during her tours a couple of times a week.
Her owner and Emmaus director of care, Natalie Dodd said Molly has been strutting the corridors making friends.
She joins in on bingo and drops in to the dementia care centre.
Ms Dodd said the compassionate canine brings new energy to the aged care facility as she makes her off leash rounds.
Port Macquarie Dachshund Group (PMDG) members and their four-legged friends also visit residents at Emmaus aged care in Port Macquarie on a weekly basis.
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