A miniature dachshund from Godmanchester has fought off competition to become the new face of Amazon Dog, helped along by his Instagram following of more than 18,000 people.

The Hunts Post: Amazon shortlisted dog, Bob, and owner Collette Thompson, from GodmanchesterAmazon shortlisted dog, Bob, and owner Collette Thompson, from Godmanchester (Image: Archant)

Bob Lincoln-Bond beat four other shortlisted pooches in the category, and is now in the running to become the Face of Amazon Pets – a contest now between him, a cat, bird, fish, small furry pet, reptile and a horse.

The dachshund was selected out of some 22,000 entries, and, at just 18 months old, the brown-haired pup has taken social media by storm.

“What started as a way for me to share my love for Bob and not annoy friends and family with hundreds of Bob pictures on my personal Facebook account has turned into something special,” said Collette Thompson, Bob’s owner.

“I really can’t believe it.”

The 29-year-old found the Amazon competition through Instagram and had to upload a picture of Bob and see how many ‘likes’ it got.

So far the picture has attracted more than a thousand ‘likes’ and counting, with other shots collecting between 1,000 and 2,000 each time they’re posted.

In fact, Bob is often seen sporting a variety of clothes, including a denim jacket and bow ties.

As part of his new-found fame, Collette and Bob have started working with animal charities, raising awareness of their work, and the pooch will even appear as a judge at a Pup Aid event this autumn.

“We did a lot of research into kennels and making sure Bob was from a reputable breeder, because you hear horror stories where they get treated so badly.

“We did a lot of work with Pup Aid and I emailed them to see if there was anything else we could do and we’ve done a few competitions for them and helping to promote their work.”

Bob will attend a photo shoot in Kensington on June 14 where he will be judged, before the final results for the Face of Amazon Pets are announced on June 27.

To follow Bob, go to @bobsminiadventures on Instagram.