Del Ray sure loves its dogs, but does your canine companion have what it takes to make it on the Holy Cow Del Ray Dog Hall of Fame?

The deadline to submit nominations for the inaugural class is April 3, and we’re hearing that competition is fierce.

“We’ve already received 20 nomination applications,” said Bill Blackburn, owner of Holy Cow Del Ray, the gourmet burger restaurant at 2312 Mt. Vernon Avenue, and partner with the Homegrown Restaurant Group. “The rules are clear: dogs must live or work or have lived in Del Ray, they have to be known community members and they don’t have to be living. They can be formerly alive.”

Last year, Alexandria was ranked by Expedia as one of the top 10 dog-friendly destinations in the U.S. behind San Diego, Austin and Key Largo. Alexandria is home to 40,000 dogs out of 160,000 human residents, according to Visit Alexandria.

The Del Ray Dog Hall of Fame Selection Committee, which is a secret body made up of community leaders, business owners and dog lovers, will choose 10-15 top dogs in mid-April. Applicants will be asked to submit a photo, which, if their dog is chosen, will be framed and hung on a wall at Holy Cow Del Ray with the other winners.